PoliWatch tracks verified police misconduct records compiled from public datasets. This report synthesizes 2024 California data — incidents where law enforcement use of force resulted in a fatality or serious harm, as recorded in the Fatal Encounters database.
Total Incidents in 2024
California documented 111 incidents in 2024, compared to 137 in 2023. That's a -19% year-over-year decrease.
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
The chart below shows California incidents per year over the past decade. 2024 is highlighted in red.
Sustained high incident counts from 2015 onward reflect both improved data collection and continued patterns in California law enforcement use of force. View full statistics →
Top 10 Agencies by Incident Volume (2024)
The following agencies had the highest number of documented incidents in California in 2024. Note that agency names in this dataset correspond to geographic jurisdiction (city/county) rather than department names directly.
| # | Agency / City | Incidents | Records |
|---|
Large urban areas — Los Angeles, San Diego, and their surrounding regions — consistently account for the majority of incidents due to population density and the number of active law enforcement agencies. Browse all agencies →
Geographic Distribution: Top Cities
Breaking down 2024 incidents by city reveals where incidents are concentrated across the state.
| # | City | Incidents (2024) | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | 11 | View records → |
| 2 | Long Beach | 4 | View records → |
| 3 | Fresno | 4 | View records → |
| 4 | Bakersfield | 3 | View records → |
| 5 | San Diego | 3 | View records → |
| 6 | East Los Angeles | 3 | View records → |
| 7 | Victorville | 3 | View records → |
| 8 | Hemet | 2 | View records → |
| 9 | Irvine | 2 | View records → |
| 10 | Brea | 2 | View records → |
Southern California cities — particularly in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties — account for a disproportionate share of statewide incidents. The Central Valley and Bay Area also show significant concentrations. Browse all cities →
Armed Status of Subjects
One of the most contentious dimensions of police use-of-force incidents is whether the subject was armed. The data below reflects reported armed status for 2024 California incidents.
| Armed Status | Incidents | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| move | 23 | 21% |
| threat | 22 | 20% |
| undetermined | 21 | 19% |
| shoot | 17 | 15% |
| attack | 16 | 14% |
| point | 10 | 9% |
| flee | 2 | 2% |
Year-over-Year Comparison: 2023 vs. 2024
A direct comparison between 2023 and 2024 shows California's documented incident rate decreased by 19%.
For comparison, California had the following totals in adjacent years: 2021: 141 incidents · 2022: 129 incidents · 2023: 137 incidents · 2024: 111 incidents.
Know Your Rights
Understanding police accountability starts with knowing your rights. California has specific laws governing police conduct, use of force standards, and civilian oversight. PoliWatch's Know Your Rights guides cover:
- Your rights during traffic stops in California
- Understanding California's use-of-force standards
- Your right to film police in California
- Search and seizure rights under California law
Report an Incident
The data above reflects public datasets — they don't capture every incident. If you or someone you know experienced police misconduct in California, you can file a report on PoliWatch. Reports are public, searchable, and permanently archived.
Statistics Dashboard →
Interactive charts and breakdowns for all California records 2015–2024.
Browse by City or Agency →
Filter records by location or law enforcement agency across the state.
Search All Records →
Full-text search across 10,000+ verified misconduct records.
Know Your Rights →
Plain-English guides to your rights under California and federal law.
About This Data
PoliWatch compiles publicly available misconduct data from the Fatal Encounters dataset — a nonprofit project documenting deaths associated with police interactions in the United States. The California subset covers incidents from 2015 through 2024.
This data is provided for public accountability purposes. PoliWatch does not create this data — we make it searchable, linkable, and accessible. All records are public information. Community-submitted reports are collected separately and supplement these verified records.
Last updated: May 2026. Data reflects records imported through the Fatal Encounters 2024 annual release.