Publication: San Francisco Chronicle
A bill to make some police disciplinary records public is headed to Gov. Jerry Brown.
SB1421 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would make police disciplinary records public when an officer has been found to have committed sexual assault or lied on the job, such as falsifying reports or planting evidence. The bill would also ensure that investigations and reports related to an officer’s serious or deadly use of force would be subject to the state’s Public Records Act.
...
The Legislature also sent Brown another bill, AB748 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, that would make it easier for the public to obtain body camera footage taken by a police officer. AB748 requires law enforcement to release the footage or audio within 45 days of a critical incident.
“As more and more law enforcement agencies begin to use body cameras, California needs a statewide standard for how the public can access those recordings,” Ting said. “Transparency is necessary after critical incidents occur, and AB 748 will help rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”