Court Orders Inglewood Police to Release Misconduct Records

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ordered the City of Inglewood to release police misconduct records after finding that the Inglewood Police Department violated California’s public records laws. The ruling follows nearly four years of litigation brought by the ACLU of Southern California and the Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC).

The case enforces California transparency laws that require police departments to disclose records involving serious officer misconduct and use of force. These laws were enacted so communities can evaluate whether police departments are holding officers accountable. The court found that Inglewood repeatedly failed to meet those obligations.

PJLC’s involvement in the case began in late 2021, when the City of Inglewood moved to destroy police misconduct records that the ACLU had been seeking since 2019. Just weeks before new transparency laws took effect, the Inglewood City Council voted to shred a cache of internal affairs investigations. The ACLU asked PJLC to step in to stop the destruction of the records.

PJLC attorneys successfully obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the City from destroying the files. Among the records at risk was the internal investigation into the highly publicized killing of Kisha Michael by Inglewood police officers. That emergency action preserved the records and made it possible for the case to move forward.

In its final ruling, the court rejected Inglewood’s prolonged resistance to disclosure and ordered the release of the records. The decision reinforces that police departments cannot evade transparency laws through delay or noncompliance, and it strengthens public access to information that is essential for oversight and reform.

ACLU of Southern California – Press Release on the Inglewood Records Ruling

https://www.aclusocal.org/press-releases/court-rules-inglewood-police-department-systematically-violated-california-public-records-act (ACLU of Socal)

Los Angeles Times – Inglewood Police Department ‘systematically’ violated state public records law, judge rules

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-11-25/inglewood-police-department-systematically-violated-state-public-records-law-judge-rules

Courthouse News Service – Judge orders Inglewood to turn over police records to ACLU

https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-orders-inglewood-to-turn-over-police-records-to-aclu/