We rely first on primary, official sources, supplemented by established reputable reporting. Source quality is considered during editorial review, and a record’s sourcing affects whether — and how prominently — it can be published.
Primary / official sources
These are our preferred starting point:
- Law-enforcement agencies — police departments and the California Highway Patrol.
- Transportation agencies — state and local transportation authorities.
- Other government and public agencies — official public records and releases.
Secondary reputable sources
Where appropriate, we supplement official information with:
- Established local news organizations with a track record of accurate reporting.
- Other verified reporting that can be checked against the details of an incident.
How source quality is used
During review, we weigh how reliable each source is for the specific claim it supports. Reports with stronger, more authoritative sourcing meet our bar more readily; weaker sourcing means more scrutiny, and sometimes means a record is not published. Fatality and other sensitive incidents call for particularly reliable sourcing.