• Posts by Kevin Dale
    Posts by Kevin Dale
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    Kevin Dale specializes in providing labor and employment law services to public agencies and his clients include cities, counties, school districts, housing authorities, water agencies, and other types of special districts. He ...

California Court of Appeal Clarifies Law Enforcement Agency Liability for Safeguarding Peace Officer Personnel Information (AKA “Pitchess”) and Duties to Investigate Citizen Complaints

On February 28, 2025, in Santa Ana Police Officers Association, et al, v. City of Santa Ana, the California Court of Appeal’s Fourth District ruled on a challenge by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association (“SAPOA”) and several of its officers who filed anonymously. The Court was asked to review the Superior Court’s dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the SAPOA and the officers alleging that the Santa Ana Police Department (“SAPD”) violated numerous state laws governing confidentiality of peace officer personnel records, investigations of citizen complaints, and labor rights to access information upon request.  The Court of Appeal’s decision rejected most of SAPOA and the officers’ arguments and clarified some of the important duties of law enforcement agencies to protect personnel information of officers and to investigate allegations of misconduct.

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