Better transparency and training for law enforcement agencies

There are currently two bills in the state Legislature that provide better transparency on policing and training standards for law enforcement agencies in the state.

SB 345, starting Jan. 1, 2019, would require the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, California Highway Patrol, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Justice, Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and each local law enforcement agency to conspicuously post on their Internet web site all current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures and education and training materials.

What this law would do is make regulations and procedures of law enforcement agencies easily accessible to the public, which in turn helps educate the public about law enforcement policies, practices and procedures. It increases communication and community trust and enhances transparency while saving costs and labor associated with responding to individual requests for this information.

AB 748 would require law enforcement agencies that deploy body-worn cameras to develop a policy setting forth the procedures for, and limitations on, public access to recordings taken by body-worn cameras, as specified. The bill would also require the department or agency to conspicuously post the policy on its Internet site.

As of now, departments of agencies that deploy body-worn cameras are only suggested to have a policy set in place. At this time, when members of the public request body-worn footage, if they are denied very little reason is provided as to why.

The bill doesn’t impose a set of standards policies or procedures, it simply requires each department or agency to compose its own so that the public is made aware of its policy.

Having good, transparent policies provides better communication between agencies and the public.

Instead of waiting for an incident to happen that would raises questions by the public as to policies, procedures, training, public information requests, it’s better and easier for the agencies to already have that information available on its website so that the public is already informed.

Both bills are set to be heard on the floor in the next three weeks.