A new report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) revealed California law enforcement often unnecessarily use police dogs to inflict severe injuries on people of color.
According to KGET News , the ACLU report largely examined “outdated and dangerous” practices by law enforcement officials across the state. Specifically, the organizations studied the misuse of K-9s.
In their analysis, they found 89% of police dog attacks in Bakersfield — in 2020 alone — targeted Black and Latino residents. According to the ACLU study , these attacks left victims with either permanent body impairments or a significant risk of death.
As per the report’s findings, the Bakersfield Police Department mostly clusters their K-9s in communities where there are predominantly people of color. Although the report covers many other areas, California is the most cited. Evidently, this highlights the need for stricter regulations governing the use of police canines across the state.