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As Law Enforcement Laud Derek Chauvin Conviction, Others Warn Against Complacency, Urge Police Reform

  •  Sammy Caiola 
  •  Chris Nichols 
  •  Chris Hagan 
  •  Mike Hagerty 
  •  Vicki Gonzalez 
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 | Sacramento, CA
Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

California Highway Patrol officers stand outside the California state Capitol in downtown Sacramento during a protest on June 3, 2020.

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Before Tuesday's verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, where a jury found the former Minneapolis police officer guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd, it was unclear if there would be a conviction.

As NPR reported, Chauvin is believed to be just the second officer to be convicted in an on-duty death case in Minnesota's history. By contrast, charges were never filed against the two Sacramento officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark in 2018.

Kris Hooks / CapRadio

‘Sit In The Joy You May Have’: Black Sacramento Organizers Respond To Derek Chauvin Verdict With Relief, Urgency For Change

In the hours following the verdict, many Sacramento and California law enforcement agencies have publicly supported the jury’s decision. 

The Peace Officers Research Association of California and California Police Chiefs Association both called the conviction justified.

“We appreciate the work of our judicial system and the deliverance of justice in this case,” stated Chief Abdul Pridgen, President of the California Police Chiefs Association. “This incident, although tragic, has helped bring further attention to the ongoing need to improve and advance law enforcement practices and continue to build trust in our criminal justice system.”

Still, some are unsure how it may affect policing going forward.

On Wednesday morning, Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn told CapRadio's Insight that while he was relieved with the verdict, there are deeper problems to address.

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Interview: Sacramento Police Chief Speaks About Chauvin Verdict And What Needs To Change

"I think the verdict is great for accountability, and it shows that Chauvin was held accountable for what he did to George Floyd," Hahn said. "But I would be in agreement ... that it's just that, it held somebody accountable in one instance."

Hahn said the root of the issue is racism in the United States.

"Historically, we have had an issue with race and difference — and accountability is great. But until we start dealing with that in all sorts of matters, not just with law enforcement," he said, "and [until] we start dealing with [our biases], until we know our history and how we got here, it’s going to be pretty hard to solve it."

When asked about accountability of his own two officers who killed Stephon Clark three years ago, Hahn pointed out that both Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra refused to file criminal charges against, saying that the officers did not break the law.

Clark’s and Floyd’s deaths — as well as other examples of police violence — leave a lingering trauma for Black people, regardless of the accountability, according to Yolanda Stevenson with Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center.

Stevenson, who works with Black youth in Sacramento, recalled a recent interaction she had with a young girl who said she feared for her father’s life.

“She says, ‘you know, my dad works late at night and before he comes home, he has to walk home,’” she recalled the girl saying. “‘And he calls us on the cell phone to let us know that he's around the corner and that is home soon. But now I'm afraid to tell him to call because they may, if the police see him, they may shoot him like they did Stephon Clark and mistaken it for a gun.’”

Sacramento State criminal justice professor Shelby Moffat, who worked with the Sacramento Police Department for 20 years, said the Chauvin verdict could lead police officers to be less proactive and responsive to crimes — at least initially.

Moffatt added that police officers will have to adapt to higher expectations. 

"There may be push back, but that's a natural instinct for anyone. No one wants change," he said. "So I think, yes, initially you're going to have that [push back and less proactive police]. But once they start realizing it's never really not that bad” a large majority become onboard with the change.

But Professor Irene Joe at the Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies at UC Davis Law School disagrees. 

Joe said while this could be a "sea change" in the public perception of policing — pointing the to the millions of people who demonstrated following Floyd's murder last year as well as calls to defund the police — she said it will take more to fix the culture of law enforcement.

"This judgment alone does not prevent the type of attitudes and policing that devalue Black lives, the type of attitudes that make a police officer feel that it is appropriate to implicitly dehumanize an individual by kneeling on their neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds," Joe said.

Instead, Joe said people shouldn’t ease up in the calls for reform just because one officer was held accountable or because law enforcement have largely supported the verdict. She said without people continuing to question the current system of policing, this verdict won't lead to further change.

On that, Moffatt agreed.

“I would just tell everyone who has been impacted by this trial — and I'm not talking about on the law enforcement side, but as a citizen — don't give up, don't be dismayed and don't be overly excited because this is a long journey in order to change systems.”


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    More about George Floyd

  • Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

    Background: The Killing Of George Floyd, Trial Of Derek Chauvin

    The death of George Floyd — who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police in 2020 — sparked nationwide protest, including in Sacramento. Former police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for Floyd's murder, with a verdict expected soon.

 George Floyd

Chris Nichols

PolitiFact California Reporter

For the past dozen years, Chris Nichols has worked as a government and politics reporter at newspapers across California.  Read Full Bio 

 @christhejourno Email Chris Nichols

Chris Hagan

Managing Editor, Digital Content

Chris Hagan is the Managing Editor, Digital Content for CapRadio.  Read Full Bio 

 @chrishagan Email Chris Hagan
Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Sammy Caiola

Former Healthcare Reporter

Sammy Caiola has been covering medical breakthroughs, fitness fads and health policy in California since 2014. Before joining CapRadio, Sammy was a health reporter at The Sacramento Bee.  Read Full Bio 

 @sammycaiola Email Sammy Caiola

Mike Hagerty

News Anchor

Mike is a native Californian, born in Los Angeles. He's had a 30-year career in radio and television news and is a recipient of both the Bill Stout Memorial Award for Excellence in Spot News Radio and the Murrow Award for Breaking News Coverage.  Read Full Bio 

Vicki Gonzalez

Insight Host

Vicki Gonzalez is a Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years’ experience as a reporter and news anchor. Previously, she spent five years as a reporter at NBC’s Sacramento affiliate KCRA. She also worked at KSNV-TV, KXFV-TV and KABC-TV.  Read Full Bio 

 @VickiLGonzalez Email Vicki Gonzalez

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