KPBS Investigates

KPBS Lawsuit Reveals Unanswered Citizen Complaints Against Sheriff's Department

June 3: By Claire Trageser

KPBS filed a lawsuit for the records after multiple women said they reported a Sheriff's deputy for sexual misconduct but never received a response.

Newly Released Internal Report Details La Mesa Police Deadly Standoff In 2017

May 20: By Claire Trageser

Records have been released under a new state law requiring law enforcement agencies to make internal reports about officers who shoot someone or commit sexual assaults public.

How Police Departments Are Disclosing Records Under SB 1421

May 6: By Claire Trageser

Cities in San Diego County are taking different approaches to their release of past records of police shootings, use of force and sexual assault, and cities aren't necessarily releasing records of recent police shootings first.

National City Releases Records Of Police Officer Who Shot Unarmed Man

April 5: By Claire Trageser

National City released an internal report on Thursday about an officer who shot an unarmed man in 2001.

San Diego Police Misconduct, Use Of Force Records Can Now Be Released

April 1: By Claire Trageser

The public should now be allowed to see past records of police shootings, use of force and sexual assault after a lawsuit in San Diego County held up their release.

Where Can You Get A Wheel Cramping Ticket In San Diego? (Hint: Almost Anywhere)

March 25: By Claire Trageser

More than 1,000 parking tickets a month are written in San Diego for drivers who didn't "cramp their wheels," or turn their wheels toward a curb when parked on a hill.

Two Councilmembers Call For Independent Investigation Into Death Of Aleah Jenkins

March 19: By Matt Hoffman

Two San Diego City Council members are calling for the state attorney general to look into the treatment of a 24-year-old woman who became unresponsive while in police custody. Aleah Jenkins later died at the hospital.

Dr J's Part 6: What's Next For The Community 16 Years After The Shooting

Feb. 27: By Claire Trageser

More than 15 years after the Dr J's shooting, a lot of people are thinking about what's next. Southeast San Diego residents want the government and police to change, and they want their communities to change for the better.

Dr J's Part 5: The Use Of Informants In The Shooting At Dr J's Liquor

Feb. 26: By Claire Trageser

After the shooting at Dr J's, police and prosecutors looked for informants who would trade information for reduced sentences and money to move away from San Diego. One informant in particular shows what a difficult decision that can be.

Dr J's Part 4: The Gang Stigma When A Case Goes To Trial

Feb. 25: By Claire Trageser

In the case against James Carter, the prosecutor used a common tactic when trying people from Southeast San Diego, especially young black men. He established a link between Carter and a gang and then used that link to establish a motive.

Roundtable: Money For Misconduct Records

Feb. 22: By Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer

The San Diego Sheriff's Department says it won't charge for misconduct records, a local lawmaker wants to know how ICE is using DMV information to help make arrests, and a local reservation gets into the marijuana business.

Dr J's Part 3: The Families Of The Victims And The Man Convicted

Feb. 22: By Claire Trageser

The shooting at Dr J's has had ripple effects throughout the community and the rest of the city. But it also impacted the people directly involved — the families of the women who were killed and the family of the man who was eventually convicted of their murder.

Dr J's Part 2: How Policing Changed After The Dr J's Liquor Store Shooting

Feb. 21: By Claire Trageser

A gang shooting in Lincoln Park killed two women on their way home from church. After the shooting, some people said the police department flooded the streets with officers arresting everybody. Others became more willing to work with police.

San Diego Sheriff Releases Reports About Deputies Accused Of Sexual Assault

Feb. 20: By Claire Trageser

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is now publishing records about some of its deputies accused of sexual assault after a new state law went into effect at the beginning of this year.

Dr J's Part 1: What Happened On New Year's Eve At Dr J's Liquor

Feb. 20: By Claire Trageser

The crime was so perfectly horrific — two women on their way home from church, two kids in the back seat — that it made people pay more attention to Southeast San Diego, a lower income and predominantly African-American pocket of the city.