AG Bonta announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) has entered into an enforceable agreement with the City of Torrance and the Torrance Police Department (TPD) to reform TPD’s policies and practices and improve accountability. The agreement is the culmination of DOJ’s comprehensive independent review of TPD, the details of which can be found in the accompanying report with DOJ’s findings and recommendations. The review was initiated after the previous Torrance Chief of Police requested assistance amid deeply concerning bigoted text messages exchanged among TPD officers. As part of the agreement, the City of Torrance and TPD will engage in a comprehensive set of reforms — to be overseen by an independent monitor — to improve TPD’s organizational health and its relationship with the community so that it can advance public safety and constitutional policing practices. 

“Today’s enforceable agreement is an important step toward improving Torrance Police Department’s practices and policies and strengthening trust between its officers and the community they serve. While my office is no stranger to investigating and addressing systemic deficiencies within law enforcement agencies — and we do not take lightly the concerning circumstances that led to this independent review — TPD is a rare agency to proactively seek a review of its policies and practices. I am optimistic that TPD’s cooperation throughout this process, and its commitment to reform, will lead to real results that will allow it to better protect the safety of the community it serves and support the well-being of its personnel. We hope that other agencies take TPD’s lead and use this report as a guide and impetus for their own reform efforts.” – AG Bonta