CA changed how it investigates police shootings. Now, families wait years

California shifted police shooting investigations to the state Department of Justice in 2021, but cases now take an average of two years and five months to resolve, with some exceeding three years. The delay risks statute of limitations expiration, blocking decertification and criminal charges, and 41 completed investigations have never resulted in criminal charges against officers. Jeanelle Couch’s family remains without closure after a three-year investigation into her son’s death by a California Highway Patrol officer.