Protect Our Communities: Ban Police Misconduct NDAs

The message:

For years, California police departments have found clear evidence of wrongdoing by their officers, but instead of firing them, they grant the officer complete secrecy over their misconduct in exchange for their resignation.

The misconduct these agreements obscure is egregious, and oftentimes illegal. Police misconduct nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) have shielded officers who have sexually harassed and assaulted people, embezzled taxpayer dollars, destroyed evidence of sex crimes against minors, and falsified police reports. These officers face no consequences.

In addition to shielding officers from the consequences of misconduct, these agreements also place the public at risk of further harm. If officers who commit misconduct apply to work for a neighboring law enforcement agency, want to work with children, or run for public office – these NDAs keep their misconduct shrouded.

AB 1388 will finally put an end to these police misconduct NDAs by:

• Prohibiting law enforcement agencies from signing police misconduct NDAs.
• Voiding the hundreds of police misconduct NDAs that currently shield police who have caused harm from scrutiny and accountability.
• Clarifying that members of the public and journalists have access to information about the serious misconduct these NDAs have obscured.
• And affirming existing duties for agencies to report serious misconduct by officers to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).

Tell Governor Newsom and state leaders to protect our communities from dangerous and dishonest officers and to bring justice to those they have harmed.