Antioch has been through something that few cities in California can claim: a reckoning. Over the past several years, the Antioch Police Department became the subject of national scrutiny — FBI raids, federal indictments, racist text message scandals involving nearly half the force, officers convicted of steroid distribution and evidence destruction, K-9 attacks used without lawful justification, and a pattern of racially targeted policing that affected this city’s Black and Latino communities for years. In January 2025, the city reached a settlement with the California Department of Justice over race discrimination. In December 2025, it settled a landmark civil rights lawsuit for $4.6 million, agreeing to sweeping reforms under independent federal oversight.
The settlement is important. But settlement agreements do not compensate every person who was harmed. Every individual who was beaten, falsely arrested, illegally searched, racially profiled, or denied medical care by Antioch officers has their own claim — separate from any class-wide resolution — and their own right to pursue accountability.
At the Law Offices of Kenneth C. Odiwe, we are civil rights lawyers in Antioch who represent individuals and families affected by police misconduct in Antioch and throughout Contra Costa County. Attorney Kenneth Odiwe trained at the Law Offices of John L. Burris in Oakland — the same firm that filed the landmark federal civil rights lawsuit against the Antioch Police Department and negotiated the December 2025 settlement. Kenneth brings that same training, that same dedication, and that same approach to every Antioch case he handles.
What to Do After a Civil Rights Violation in Antioch
Given what is now publicly known about the Antioch Police Department, if you had a harmful encounter with APD officers at any point in the recent past, that encounter may be worth a civil rights review. Here is what matters most right now:
- Seek medical attention immediately: Every emergency room visit and urgent care record creates dated, documented evidence of your injuries. Delta Memorial Hospital in Antioch is the closest major facility.
- Photograph all injuries: Take photos the same day and over the following days as bruising and swelling develop. More photos than you think you need.
- Write down everything while it is fresh: Officer names or badge numbers, patrol car numbers, the exact time and location, what was said, what was done, in what order. Memory degrades quickly under stress.
- Collect witness information: Anyone who saw what happened. Full names and contact numbers. Do not wait.
- Preserve all recordings: Back up any phone recordings immediately. Do not post them publicly before speaking to an attorney.
- Do not file an Internal Affairs complaint before consulting us: APD’s Internal Affairs process is now under federal scrutiny. But complaints still create records that can be used against you in civil litigation if not managed from the start.
- Do not speak to City of Antioch attorneys or investigators: They represent the City. Direct all contact to your attorney.
- Call us immediately: The six-month government claims deadline runs from the date of the incident, not from when you decide to act. Call (669) 315-4431 any time.
We Handle in Los Angeles
As civil rights attorneys in Antioch, we handle the full spectrum of constitutional violations by law enforcement — including cases directly connected to the Antioch Police Department scandal and cases arising from ongoing encounters with APD, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, CHP, and other agencies operating in this region.
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About Attorney Kenneth Odiwe - Trained at the Firm That Took on Antioch
Kenneth Odiwe has a direct connection to the fight for civil rights in Antioch. After earning his law degree from Golden Gate University, he trained at the Law Offices of John L. Burris in Oakland — the firm that led the landmark federal civil rights lawsuit against the Antioch Police Department. That experience shaped his approach to investigating misconduct, building strong cases, and holding law enforcement accountable.
Raised in Vallejo, Kenneth understands firsthand the impact of police misconduct on communities. He represents individuals and families in high-stakes civil rights cases involving excessive force, wrongful death, and constitutional violations, bringing both personal insight and legal precision to every case.
He is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and courts throughout the state. Kenneth has been recognized by Best Lawyers®, National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and holds an AV Preeminent® rating — reflecting both his results and professional reputation.
Why Families in Antioch Choose Our Firm
Built Around Antioch Civil Rights Cases
Antioch is not a typical civil rights environment. The police department has been the subject of federal investigations, criminal convictions, and documented patterns of misconduct. We build cases with that context in mind — not as isolated incidents, but as part of a larger system that can be challenged.
Focused on Police Misconduct and Civil Rights
We are not generalists. Civil rights, police misconduct, and related cases are our core focus. These cases involve constitutional law, government liability, and aggressive defense from public agencies, and they require a specific approach from the start.
Prepared for Claims Against the City
Many civil rights cases in Antioch go beyond individual officers. Where the facts support it, we pursue claims against the City based on patterns of misconduct, failure to act, and institutional breakdowns. These cases require careful development and strong supporting evidence.
Structured for High-Stakes Litigation
Civil rights cases often involve federal court, internal police records, and complex legal standards. We approach every case with that reality in mind, building it properly from the beginning so it can withstand serious defense.
No Fees Unless We Win
All cases are handled on a contingency basis. There are no upfront costs, no hourly fees, and no hidden charges. You only pay if compensation is recovered.
Civil Rights Violations We Fight in Antioch
Excessive Force — Including K-9 Attacks
Under California’s Assembly Bill 392 (2019), officers may use force only when it is necessary — not merely when it might seem reasonable in hindsight. The Antioch Police Department’s documented use of K-9 attacks as a form of punishment rather than a legitimate law enforcement tool is one of the most disturbing findings of the federal investigation. If you or a family member was attacked by a police dog, struck, tased, choked, or physically harmed by an Antioch officer in circumstances that did not justify it, you have a constitutional claim.
Racial Profiling and Discriminatory Policing
The racist text messages among APD officers were not just offensive language. They were evidence of the mindset behind the policing. The California DOJ’s investigation confirmed that Antioch officers disproportionately targeted Black and Latino residents in stops, searches, and uses of force. If you were stopped, searched, or treated more harshly because of your race or ethnicity, that is a Fourteenth Amendment equal protection violation and a California Bane Act claim.
False Arrest and Unlawful Detention
An arrest requires probable cause. The Antioch scandal revealed officers who arrested people on fabricated or manufactured grounds, or who escalated encounters to create justification for arrests that had no legal basis. If you were arrested by an Antioch officer and the charges were dismissed, reduced significantly, or never supported by actual evidence, there may be a civil rights claim for the unlawful arrest and its consequences.
Fabricated Evidence and False Reports
Multiple Antioch officers were convicted of obstruction of justice and evidence destruction. When an officer falsifies a report, plants evidence, or manipulates the record of an encounter, every person prosecuted based on that fabrication has a civil rights claim. If you were convicted or prosecuted based on an Antioch officer’s report and later discovered that officer was part of the corruption scandal, your case may be worth revisiting.
Illegal Search and Seizure
The Fourth Amendment protects every Antioch resident from unreasonable searches of their home, vehicle, phone, or person. Given APD’s documented willingness to fabricate justification for stops and arrests, the searches that followed those unlawful encounters were almost certainly unlawful as well. We evaluate each case to identify every constitutional violation — not just the most visible one.
Officer-Involved Shootings
California’s AB 392 requires that deadly force be necessary to defend against an imminent threat. Antioch’s history of unprovoked use of force raises serious questions about any officer-involved shooting in this city during the period of documented misconduct. We handle these cases as civil rights claims and, where a death occurred, wrongful death actions.
In-Custody Deaths
People detained by APD or held in Contra Costa County facilities have a constitutional right to adequate medical care. When that right is denied through deliberate indifference — and someone dies — the family has the right to pursue both civil rights and wrongful death claims simultaneously. These cases require immediate action. The evidence is fragile and the deadline is six months.
Wrongful Arrest and Malicious Prosecution
When officers with documented histories of misconduct, racial bias, and fabrication of evidence arrest and prosecute people, the civil rights exposure is clear. We pursue malicious prosecution claims in both state and federal court, including claims against the individual officers and against the City of Antioch for the institutional failures that enabled their conduct.
The Legal Tools We Use to Hold Antioch Accountable
42 U.S.C. § 1983 — Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit
Section 1983 allows anyone whose constitutional rights were violated by a government actor to sue in federal court. Antioch police officers acting under color of state law can be held personally liable. Cases are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco or Oakland, which has jurisdiction over Contra Costa County. Attorney’s fees are separately recoverable under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 when you win — meaning your compensation is not reduced by legal costs.
Monell Liability – Holding the City of Antioch Responsible
Under Monell v. Department of Social Services, the City of Antioch can be held directly liable when a constitutional violation results from an official city policy, a widespread departmental practice, or deliberate indifference to a known pattern of officer misconduct. Given the documented scale of APD’s failures — nearly half the force involved in misconduct, three chiefs resigned, FBI raids, federal convictions — Monell liability for individual victims’ claims is a serious and well-supported avenue.
The Tom Bane Civil Rights Act – California Civil Code § 52.1
California’s Bane Act prohibits interference with civil rights through threats, intimidation, or coercion. Senate Bill 2 (2021) — the PEACE Act — significantly limited the use of qualified immunity as a defense in Bane Act cases filed in California state court. This makes the Bane Act one of the most powerful tools available to civil rights victims in California today. It allows recovery of attorney’s fees and, in appropriate cases, treble damages.
Wrongful Death and Survival Claims
When a civil rights violation results in a death, the family may bring a wrongful death claim under California CCP § 377.60 alongside a civil rights survival claim. The wrongful death claim compensates family members for their own losses: financial support, companionship, grief. The survival claim is for the deceased’s own suffering and damages. Both are pursued together in the same proceeding.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
The value of a civil rights claim against the Antioch Police Department depends on the nature and severity of the violation, the extent of your injuries, and the strength of the available evidence. Given APD’s documented institutional failures, Monell claims carry significant additional exposure beyond what individual officer liability would produce.
Economic Damages | Non-Economic Damages |
|---|---|
Medical expenses — all past and future | Pain and suffering |
Lost wages and earning capacity | Emotional distress and psychological trauma |
Rehabilitation and ongoing care | Loss of enjoyment of life |
Property wrongfully seized or destroyed | Damage to reputation |
Funeral and burial (wrongful death) | Loss of companionship (wrongful death) |
Attorney’s fees (42 U.S.C. § 1988) | Punitive damages (egregious officer conduct) |
Contact a Civil Rights Lawyer in Antioch Today - Free
Antioch’s community has already waited long enough for accountability. The institutional settlements represent an important step. But every person who was individually harmed deserves their own day of reckoning — and their own compensation. You do not have to accept what happened as something you simply have to live with.
The Law Offices of Kenneth C. Odiwe is a civil rights law firm in Antioch offering a completely free, confidential case review to every person who contacts us. Kenneth personally handles every case. No upfront costs. No fees unless we win. And because the government claims deadline is already running, please do not put this off.
→ Antioch Office: 5179 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531 → Call or Text 24/7: (669) 315-4431 → Email: kenneth@kennethodiwelaw.com → Free case review. No fee unless we win. Everything you share is completely confidential. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The $4.6 million settlement already happened. Does that mean I missed my chance?
No. That settlement involved 23 specific named plaintiffs who were part of that particular lawsuit. It did not and does not compensate every person harmed by Antioch officers. If you had a harmful encounter with APD and were not part of that case, your individual claim is entirely separate. You were not automatically included in any settlement. You need to pursue your own claim – and the six-month government claims deadline applies to your individual situation.
How long do I have to file a claim against the Antioch Police Department?
You must file a California Government Tort Claim with the City of Antioch within six months of the incident under Government Code § 945.4. This is an absolute deadline. After filing, the City has 45 days to respond. After rejection, you have additional time to file a formal lawsuit. For federal § 1983 claims where you are suing individual officers directly, a two-year statute of limitations generally applies. But the government claims process must be completed before any state lawsuit against the City can proceed. Call us immediately
What if the officer who harmed me was one of the convicted or resigned officers?
An officer’s criminal conviction or resignation does not satisfy your individual civil rights claim — it actually strengthens it. Criminal conviction of an officer is powerful evidence of the constitutional violation. A guilty plea or federal conviction establishes facts that we can use directly in civil litigation. If the officer who harmed you was part of the documented misconduct scandal, your case may be among the strongest available.
Can I sue the City of Antioch itself, not just the individual officer?
Yes, and given APD’s documented institutional failures, the case for Monell liability holding the City itself accountable is particularly strong in Antioch. Under Monell v. Department of Social Services, a city is liable when constitutional violations result from official policy, widespread practice, or deliberate indifference to known misconduct. Three chiefs resigned. Half the force was implicated. The FBI raided officers’ homes. The argument that the City knew and failed to act is not just plausible — it is documented.
What is the Bane Act and does it apply to Antioch cases?
California’s Bane Act (Civil Code § 52.1) prohibits interference with civil rights through threats, intimidation, or coercion. SB 2 (2021) significantly limited qualified immunity as a defense in Bane Act cases. The Bane Act allows recovery of attorney’s fees and, in appropriate cases, treble damages. Given Antioch’s documented use of force, racial profiling, and evidence fabrication, Bane Act claims apply directly to many of the cases arising from APD conduct.
I was harmed several years ago by an Antioch officer. Is it too late?
It depends on when the incident occurred. The six-month government claims deadline runs from the date of the specific incident. However, there are circumstances under which deadlines can be extended — including cases where the victim was a minor, cases where the harm was not immediately discovered, and cases where fraud or concealment by the government delayed the victim’s ability to pursue the claim. Call us. We will review the specific facts of your situation and tell you honestly whether your claim is still viable.
How much does it cost to retain civil rights attorneys in Antioch?
Nothing upfront. All civil rights cases at this firm are handled on a contingency fee basis. No fees unless we win. In successful § 1983 federal civil rights cases, the law separately requires the defendant to pay attorney’s fees — meaning your compensation is not reduced by legal costs. Every person who contacts the civil rights attorneys in Antioch at this firm receives a free, confidential case review with no obligation.
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