Judge Orders Becerra to Release Pre-2019 Police Misconduct Files

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A San Francisco judge has ordered California’s attorney general to release police misconduct records predating Jan. 1, when new transparency legislation took effect.
San Francisco Superior Court judge Richard B. Ulmer, Jr. on Friday also rejected arguments by Attorney General Xavier Becerra that his office should not have to release records of local law enforcement.
The tentative ruling was a win for the First Amendment Coalition and National Public Radio member KQED-FM, which sued Becerra’s office for records under the legislation.
SB1421 was designed to guarantee public access to records involving investigations into officer shootings, use-of-force incidents and incidents involving officer misconduct.
In response, Becerra’s office said Friday it would release records from before 2019 but only those regarding Department of Justice officers.