Police Transparency Guide Compendium

Police Transparency Guide Legal compendium Legal Compendium Download Police Transparency Guide Table of Contents  Police Transparency in California: A Legal Compendium  AUTHOR Tenaya Rodewald Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton 379 Lytton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 TRodewald@sheppardmullin.com Last updated September 2020 Introduction Two bills passed the California Legislature in 2018 that significantly broadened the public’s right of access to information about state and local police officers.  One, Senate Bill 1421, substantially increased the public’s right

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A&A: I Am The Victim of A Crime. Does the CPRA Allow Me Access Police Reports on the Incident?

Q: I reported a crime against my property. I am the victim. The report covered up the crime by identifying me as an Informant. What are my legal rights under Public Records Act to get copies of the reports if I am the victim? A: I am sorry to hear that you were the victim of a crime.  Unfortunately, police investigatory records are exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act under Government Code § 6254(f),

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A&A: Police Denied My Request For An Incident Report

Q: I’d like to obtain an incident report from the police department and they have denied the request. What can I do to access the report? A: If you made a Public Records Act request for the incident report, the police agency here should have cited a valid exemption that applies to the report that would justify its nondisclosure.  If the police have not cited any exemption, you might want to write back and press them

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A&A: Police Deny Request for Previously Public Statement Claiming Exemptions

Q: I am seeking public records from the Police Department. They routinely deny access to records claiming exemptions. In 2017 police drew guns on a group of black youth at the Target store. After a viral video criticizing the incident was posted and subsequently deleted, the Police released a statement. My request for records from the incident were denied by the police. I would like to challenge their refusal to provide the records claiming an

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A&A: Need Guidance On Gaining Access to Arrest Report

Q: The police department is refusing to release the arrest report I’ve requested. Do they have to release the report under CPRA? A: The police department might be refusing to disclose the arrest report on the ground that it is a law enforcement investigatory record exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act, Gov’t Code § 6254(f).  However, police are required to release certain information related to arrests, unless the disclosure of such information “would endanger

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