California: Let’s Get Police Policies and Training Materials Online

UPDATE: Victory! Gov. Jerry Brown has signed S.B.978. 

Californians have a fundamental right to understand the operations of the law enforcement agencies that they pay for. 

One of the best ways to reach that understanding is to be able to review the policies, protocols, and training materials that officers must follow, whether it’s about the deployment of surveillance, or the use of deadly force. 

Tell California Gov. Jerry Brown to sign S.B. 978 to require transparency by default for law enforcement rules and training materials across the state. 

The current process for obtaining these records can be onerous. Members of the public often must file repeated requests under the California Public Records Act, and agencies must reply to each one. S.B. 978 would create a clear statewide standard for disclosure, requiring local police agencies to publish their “educational materials, manuals, policies, practices, and procedures” on the Internet by January 1, 2020. 

Speak out now to demand transparency by default for law enforcement across the state.