KPBS investigative reporter Scott Rodd talks about his investigation into how law enforcement agencies under-report officer misconduct. Also, La Jolla’s latest secession effort hits a snag. Community college leaders are pushing back against anti-diversity edicts from the federal government. A new app developed by UC San Diego students and staff tackles depression and anxiety. And a look at the city’s Promise Zone career fair for under-served communities.
How California law enforcement agencies may be skirting the state’s police accountability law
March 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM PDT
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Wednesday, March 19th.
A KPBS investigation finds several California police and sheriff’s departments may be skirting a state accountability law.
More on that next. But first... the headlines….
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender people from the military.
In the ruling issued late yesterday [Tuesday], U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said the ban likely violates the constitutional rights of trans service members.
The preliminary injunction takes effect Friday, giving the administration time to appeal.
SOME LA JOLLA RESIDENTS WANT A DIVORCE FROM THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
BUT THE LATEST EFFORT TO SECEDE FELL AROUND A THOUSAND SIGNATURES SHORT.
THE COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS FOUND SOME OF THE SIGNATURES WERE INVALID AND TRIGGERED A 15 DAY EXTENSION FOR SUPPORTERS TO COLLECT MORE.
TRACE WILSON IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE CITY OF LA JOLLA, WHICH IS BACKING THE SECESSION EFFORT.
We're working hard here. So we're we're kind of taking it step by step right now, because it's such a grassroots effort.”
A LONGER TERM EFFORT WOULD THEN INCLUDE A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN LA JOLLA AND SAN DIEGO… AND EVENTUALLY ELECTIONS, WHERE VOTERS WOULD HAVE FINAL SAY ON A SPLIT.
THAT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN FOR YEARS.
THE ASSOCIATION HAS UNTIL APRIL 1ST TO TURN IN THE SIGNATURES NEEDED.
Vandals damaged an Encinitas Tesla dealership this week with profanity and Nazi-themed graffiti.
San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies discovered the damage early Monday.
The department says swastikas and profanity were spray-painted on vehicles and office windows.
The dealership is one of several across the country to see recent protests against Elon Musk.
Scripps Health says it’ll break ground soon on a one-point-two billion dollar medical campus in San Marcos.
In a statement the non-profit health system says it’s planning to build two medical centers at the site. One will be an ambulatory care facility and the other a 200 to 250-bed full service hospital.
Scripps bought the land in San Marcos 35 years ago and says it now has enough patients in North County to justify the project.
According to the Union-Tribune, Scripps expects the first center to open in 2031.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
POLICE AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE MAY BE UNDER-REPORTING CASES OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT BY OFFICERS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO A KPBS INVESTIGATION.
I’M JOINED NOW BY KPBS REPORTER SCOTT RODD WHO BROKE THIS STORY.
SCOTT, TO START, TELL US MORE ABOUT CALIFORNIA’S DECERTIFICATION SYSTEM. HOW MANY OFFICERS HAVE HAD THEIR BADGES STRIPPED FOR GOOD? YOU REPORT THAT THE SYSTEM ONLY WORKS IF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FULLY PARTICIPATE. BUT THERE ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE THE STATE THAT APPEAR TO BE UNDER-REPORTING MISCONDUCT…OR PERHAPS IGNORING THE LAW ALTOGETHER. HOW MANY DEPARTMENTS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? “The real issue is the number of agencies that are not reporting the violations. That's the greatest concern right now because we know there are plenty of departments who are still not not fully cooperating.” WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT APPEAR TO BE UNDER-REPORTING POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT CASES. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IS ANYONE PROPOSING CHANGES TO THE LAW? Thank you Scott
THAT WAS KPBS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SCOTT RODD.
IF YOU HAVE A TIP FOR KPBS’ INVESTIGATIONS TEAM, YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO INVESTIGATIONS AT KPBS DOT ORG.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEADERS IN SAN DIEGO AND CHULA VISTA ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FIGHT TO END DIVERSITY INITIATIVES IN SCHOOLS. SOUTH BAY REPORTER KORI SUZUKI
In a memo last month, the U.S. Department of Education told schools across the country to stop using any kind of “race-based preferences” on campus. The memo took specific aim at programs like affinity dorms and graduation ceremonies. And said schools that don’t comply could lose federal funding. But community college leaders in Chula Vista say their efforts to support racial diversity aren’t going anywhere. Mark Sanchez is the superintendent of the Southwestern Community College District. We just want to make sure that our community understands that we are always here to support them in celebrating their unique identities and what they bring into the college institution and we're proud of that. Leaders of the San Diego Community College District said the same. Greg Smith is the district’s chancellor. He says their diversity programs comply with state and federal civil rights laws. They are absolutely compliant with the law. And they're important, right? They are intentionally meant to create and foster inclusion. It's the exact opposite of discrimination. Still, Smith says his district is already thinking about how to keep those programs going if they do lose federal funding. Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
A RISE IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS REMAINS FROM THE PANDEMIC. U-C SAN DIEGO STUDENTS AND STAFF CREATED AN APP TO COMBAT THE LINGERING EFFECTS. EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS IT GIVES STUDENTS TAILORED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CAMPUS RESOURCES AND EVENTS.
College can be stressful. Many universities offer counseling, social events and other resources for students. But on a large campus like UC San Diego’s, sifting through all the options can be a daunting task. That’s where Willo comes in. Willo is your go to app for everything UCSD, centralizing all resources and events that we have on campus into one app. Jarenz Castillo is studying cognitive science. He designed the app. First, it asks users to select what kinds of resources interest them. You get to select different preferences through each category that we have, such as mental health and wellness. For this I would just say relationships, 1 to 1 therapy and yoga. And then physical health, so we'll do rec center activities, personal growth, lifestyle improvement. Then, it shows resources they might like based on those preferences, from basketball games and camping trips to career fairs and food pantries. Crisis lines and other emergency services are also accessible from the home page. Castillo says even he was surprised at all his university had to offer. Once I started working on Willo, we were looking at so many resources, whether it be mental, physical health, spirituality. And I started to realize how much I don't know, especially as a fourth year. Dr. Ed Junkins is the executive director of UC San Diego's Student Health and Well-Being. He says students are experiencing more anxiety and depression…but don’t know how to help themselves. We have a great deal of resources for students. A lot of times students don't know how to get to these resources, so they can’t help themselves when it's early enough to intervene. In a spring 2023 survey, 40% of UC San Diego students reported that stress negatively impacted their academics. More than half reported feeling lonely. The State of California appropriated $5 million in funding for the university to create a mental health platform for students. The interpretation of that call on our campus was to put thought into designing and innovating an app for students, by students. Willo launched last fall after two years of work by students, faculty and staff. Through student interviews and focus groups, the app’s designers learned that mental health and well-being aren’t just about going to therapy. Manas Bedmutha designed the app’s artificial intelligence. A big part of our finding with the students originally was that the challenges with mental health are not just about somebody being depressed, but rather the causes of depression and, or anxiety or whatever that might be, and that can relate to the overall wellness of a person. It could be your academics or housing insecurity or anything else. Manas Bedmutha designed the app’s artificial intelligence. Along with the categories students pick when customizing their preferences, the AI tracks how students interact with the app so it can make better recommendations. As we get more activity on the app, we start learning a lot more about what is the overall, what I like to call, the pulse of the campus, where what are students generally liking or not liking? He says university administrators could use that data when deciding what kinds of resources, classes and activities to offer. Junkins says other UC campuses could eventually use Willo, too. We're very excited that the prospect of sharing the app, not only across the system, but possibly even with partners regionally. In the meantime, Bedmutha, Castillo and other students who worked on the app are already seeing it in action. [RADIO: They’re featured in the promotional materials around campus. To see it throughout campus, to see my friends’ faces on like bus stops, like even off campus. It's the coolest thing ever. And to see, like, my friends say that they're using this, and they didn't even know that I made it. They're like, ‘Oh, dude, I saw this on Willo,’ and I’m like, ‘I made that.’ The latest version of the app features collections of resources for different types of students – like freshmen getting to know the campus. Castillo’s advice? Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You kind of have to be shameless when you're on this app, because sometimes some people would think, oh, I'm too cool to go to this. But honestly, taking that away from everything, that's where you find the coolest people. People also looking to build connections with their fellow Tritons. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
TUESDAY THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO HOSTED A CAREER FAIR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ITS PROMISE ZONE. REPORTER THOMAS FUDGE TELLS US WHO WAS THERE AND WHAT A PROMISE ZONE IS.
At the Balboa Park Club employers ranging from Seaworld to the military were trying to convince young people their field of work is a good future to pursue. The young people, ages 16 to 24, were invited from San Diego’s promise zone. That’s a federally designated area of underinvestment, stretching from Barrio Logan to Encanto. Mike LaBruno with the carpenter’s union told us he was trying to give young people a vision of what carpenters actually do. “They can be bridge builders. They can build hospitals, hotels, casinos, airports. And you make that identification with them on what those crafts look like, then they can distinguish on what part of their town they’d like to build.” The carpenters were promoting their apprenticeship programs. Other employers like the US Navy were offering paths to higher education. Thomas Fudge, KPBS News.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS TO EXPECT CLEAR SKIES AND SUNNY WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID-60S TO LOW 70S WITH NIGHTTIME LOWS AROUND 50.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. While there check out the latest episode of Soccer a la Frontera, our series looking at soccer around San Diego. Episode three takes a closer look at the women’s game. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.