Failure To Disclose
Despite a 2019 California law mandating the release of certain records related to police misconduct, law enforcement agencies in the state are still fighting records requests.
SB 1421
Ali Winston, Darwin BondGraham
In One California City, Police Kill With Near Impunity
Since 2010, no Vallejo officer has been disciplined for using deadly force, despite multiple shootings of unarmed people—including a man holding a can of beer. And active police union leaders have been involved in the shooting investigations.
For New York’s Police Union, Any Accountability For Eric Garner’s Death Is Too Much
Police unions resist accountability and exert influence over criminal justice reform.
Fremont Police Said a Man Wielded a Deadly Weapon When They Shot Him. But Records Reveal He Waved a Tent Pole.
The police union’s newly elected vice president led the investigation into the shooting that cleared Officer William Gourley of any wrongdoing.
Commander Of Major California Narcotics Task Force Fired For A String Of Thefts And Lies
Newly released records show that task force members faced allegations of theft and questionable overtime, all under the watch of a commander later fired for lying as the misconduct was investigated.
California Cities Have Shredded Decades of Police Misconduct Records
Police union lawsuits delayed many local governments from complying with a new transparency law. In the meantime, some cities have destroyed files.
California Police Unions Fight New State Law Promising Transparency on Misconduct Records
Senate Bill 1421 requires law enforcement agencies to make public investigative records of officer-involved shootings and uses of force resulting in great bodily harm. But law enforcement unions argue that the law threatens the privacy of their members.
The Appeal Podcast: How Police Unions Are Fighting California’s New Transparency Law
With Appeal contributor Darwin BondGraham