Sacramento County Public Safety Articles

Following the K-Street shooting, a freelance journalist's thoughts about reporting on the deadliest single episode of gun violence in Sacramento history.

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

Sacramento County fire protection is spread among 11 districts, two city fire departments and the state fire agency, Cal Fire. Here’s how it works, and how it came to be that way.

Though they are elected officials, county sheriffs have less accountability than any other law enforcement officials. Here's why, and what California is doing about it.

The climate change era has created a whole new set of terms for a wide variety of storms and other weather phenomena. Here are some of the most important.

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.

Omicron is a new variant of the COVID-causing coronavirus that has now arrived in California and is causing fears of a new pandemic wave. What is it? Why are people so worried? And what, if anything, is California doing to …

California residents can turn to these public and private entities to help prepare for wildfires and protect their property.

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

A new California law to lower speed limits, AB 43, is part of an overall effort, called ‘Vision Zero,’ to eliminate traffic deaths completely. Here’s what the law does, and why it can make a difference.

The pesky mosquito can be deadly as well as annoying. Here’s how local governments in California have been waging war on mosquitoes for more than a century.

The district attorney and public defender are the key players in Sacramento County’s criminal justice system. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California’s Democratic legislators have enacted a sweeping new package of police reform legislation. Here’s what the new laws will accomplish, and why.

The state’s largest power utility faced new criminal charges Sept. 24, but PG&E has a long and disturbing history of causing wildfires. Why? And how can the company change?

Despite a history of wildfires in the area, the state wants to build nearly 150 new campsites in Auburn State Recreation Area in El Dorado and Placer counties.

Even as California’s wildfires grow more intense seemingly every year, insurers are cancelling policies for homeowners in the path of the fires.

California will soon add a new emergency hotline service with the number 988. Here’s the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.

Moonshine Ink newspaper in Truckee provides updates on the latest fires in the region, as well as wildfire preparation, firefighting methods and other angles on the fire crisis.

With the Caldor Fire bearing down on the Tahoe region, the Tahoe Weekly has published a detailed guide to evacuating safely and quickly.