the ella baker center for human rights developed as an offshoot from bay area policewatch, a 1995 project by the lawyers' committee for civil rights. policewatch was founded in 1995 as a hotline for victims of police brutality, lawyer referral, and compilation of a database on officers named in complaints. the hotline was based in a closet-sized office donated by the lawyers' committee for civil rights. the need for assistance was great, so bay area policewatch quickly outgrew the space.