Two investigative reports by alumni of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program have led to the passage of two new California laws on police practices. The bills, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last week, address issues uncovered in reporting by Brian Howey and by Katey Rusch and Casey Smith.
Brian Howey’s investigation, “We Regret to Inform You,” published in 2023 by Reveal/Mother Jones and the Los Angeles Times, exposed a pattern where police gathered information from family members about loved ones before informing them that the person had been killed or injured by law enforcement. This practice will now be restricted under AB572, sponsored by Assembly Member Ash Kalra. The new policy is set to be implemented across California police departments by January 2027.
Another investigation, “Right to Remain Secret” by Katey Rusch and Casey Smith, published in the San Francisco Chronicle, found that some police departments used “clean records agreements” to hide officer misconduct. These agreements allowed officers with histories of abuse or misconduct to move between departments without their full records being disclosed. In response, AB1388—led by Assembly Member Isaac Bryan—will make such agreements illegal starting January 1, 2026.
“These two projects — and the legislation they’ve provoked — are a reminder that powerful investigative reporting doesn’t just illuminate abuses of power but it often spurs reforms aimed at ending those abuses,” said David Barstow, chair of the UC Berkeley Journalism Investigative Reporting Program. “They are also yet another demonstration of the incredible investigative storytelling our Berkeley Journalism students are consistently producing.”
Both new laws aim to increase transparency within California policing. Rusch noted that opening up past records is an important part of accountability: “What makes this legislation powerful is that it doesn’t just stop the practice going forward — it peels back the curtain on what’s already been done,” she said. Past cases of sealed police misconduct will become accessible through a new database developed with journalists and data scientists at IRP.
George Parampathu, legislative attorney with the ACLU, commented in a story published in the San Francisco Chronicle that this law prioritizes public safety over police interests and could help protect communities.
Rusch has reported extensively on clean-records agreements for IRP and recently detailed how an Oakland officer linked to alleged abuses later worked as an FBI agent involved in a high-profile case in Boston.
Rusch stated that for too long police departments have “quietly erased misconduct,” undermining public trust.
Howey’s investigation into deceptive interrogation tactics began while he was a student at UC Berkeley Journalism. He documented how officers withheld death notifications from families while collecting personal information about victims—a tactic promoted through training materials and webinars but not widely used outside California.
Howey recounted stories like that of Diana Showman, who was shot by San Jose police after brandishing what appeared to be a weapon; her father was questioned about her mental health before being told she had died.
Since passage of AB572, Howey has spoken with affected families who see progress but believe more work remains: “For them, it’s just a small drop in a big bucket of injustice, and the fight for police accountability is an uphill battle,” he said.
He added: “The result as far as journalism goes is ‘the best thing you can possibly hope for out of this work. It beats the hell out of any journalism award.’”
Both investigations received multiple awards including Polk Awards; Rusch, Smith and IRP were Pulitzer Prize finalists for their work on “Right to Remain Secret.”
Howey emphasized his motivation: “It’s really easy to feel despair at this moment when the world is going to hell and the journalism industry is falling down around us,” he said. “This is proof that our work is more essential than ever and that it does have an impact.”
