California cops might have to turn over more sex assault records under proposed law
A California Assembly Republican announced on Tuesday that he wrote legislation that would strengthen a police transparency law by making more records regarding officer-involved sexual assaults available to the public.
Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham of San Luis Obispo County said his Assembly Bill 1599 would increase police transparency by making investigative reports releasable to the public even if the officer resigns before a probe is completed.
“California’s peace officers have a very difficult job. As a former prosecutor, I know that the vast majority of them do their job with dignity and honor,” Cunningham said in a press release. “However, sunshine is the best disinfectant and the only way to restore trust. Bad actors should not be able to exploit a loophole to evade responsibility.”
The bill would build on a landmark law that passed in 2018 that made details of officer-involved shootings, deadly force and sexual assault public record.
Groups representing law enforcement agencies sued to block the release of records, but the First District Court of Appeals determined in April 2019 that departments had to turn over the documents. News organizations also sued California to make sure Attorney General Xavier Becerra would uphold the entirety of the law.
Cunningham’s bill would seemingly help media outlets access documents like those denied to news organizations looking into a Paso Robles police sergeant who was accused of raping a woman in 2018.
The city of Paso Robles denied The San Luis Obis Tribune and KSBY access to the records because Sgt. Christopher McGuire resigned before the department could determine his conduct was a violation of policy, according to the Tribune.
Cunningham’s office said AB 1599 would close the “loophole” that allows departments to skirt transparency requirements, and would force them to turn over investigative records even if an officer quits amidst the inquiry.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 1:08 PM with the headline "California cops might have to turn over more sex assault records under proposed law."