Assembly panel rejects bill to allow public access again

Ed Mendel
U-T SACRAMENTO BUREAU
Jun 26, 2008

Misconduct cases filed against cops will remain sealed

By Ed Mendel

SACRAMENTO – A bill to restore public access to police misconduct cases, limited by a state Supreme Court decision in a San Diego County case two years ago, was rejected by an Assembly committee yesterday.

Supporters argued that public access is needed to maintain public trust, but police groups from throughout the state told the committee that the bill would jeopardize the privacy and safety of officers.

SB 1019 by Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, had cleared the Senate on a bipartisan vote and been narrowed to focus on Los Angeles and Oakland, where police relations with African-American communities have been troubled.

“I live in a city that has burned twice because of strained relations in our community,” Romero told the committee, referring to the Rodney King riots in 1992 and the Watts riots in 1965.

“If we are to be confident in our public servants, we must have a sense that they are open and accountable,” she said.

Her bill is supported by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton. Los Angeles Controller Laura Chick, an elected official, made the trip to the Capitol to urge passage of the bill.

The bill aimed to restore public access limited by a court ruling after a San Diego County deputy sheriff requested a closed hearing. The Copley Press Inc., which publishes The San Diego Union-Tribune, sued to have the records released.

Tim Sands, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, told the committee that the court ruling recognizes that the city and the Police Department have evolved since the old access rules were enacted decades ago.

“They (the state Supreme Court) realized there was no Internet 30 years ago,” Sands said. “There weren't Web sites where you could get massive amounts of information on individuals.”

Ron Cottingham of San Diego, president of the Peace Officer Research Association of California, said his group believes the bill could apply statewide.

“This bill is not Los Angeles only,” Cottingham said.

The chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, Jose Solorio, D-Santa Ana, told Romero he would be happy to work with her to try to find “middle ground” on another bill.

Romero said she would keep working on the important issue, noting there is not much middle ground left. The only vote for the bill was from Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who had a similar bill rejected by the committee last year.