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CASE
UPDATES
By: Martin J. Mayer
and
Mervin D.
Feinstein
ADA Claim Cannot Proceed If
Disabled Worker Is Not Qualified
BRAUNLING v. COUNTRYWIDE HOME
LOANS, INC., 220 F.3d 1154 (2000).
After a ten-year career in the
loan industry Donna Braunling, who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, began
employment at Countrywide as an underwriting supervisor. Her requests not to be
scheduled to work on the early morning shift and not to be assigned projects
that required her to take work home were granted. After one year, she requested
a transfer to an available position as senior underwriting supervisor, a job
with significantly larger responsibilities. Her request was approved and she was
placed under the direct supervision of Cathy Kister.
Braunling was
unable to perform in a satisfactory manner in her new position and was counseled
verbally and in writing by Kister and other supervisors. Braunling requested a
transfer to another supervisor, which was denied, and she was subsequently
terminated. Braunling filed a complaint alleging causes of action under
California's FEHA for disability discrimination and later added a federal cause
of action under the ADA. The case was removed by Countrywide from state to
federal court and the district court granted Countrywide's motion for summary
judgment on all claims. The United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit
affirmed.
In order to qualify for relief under the ADA, a plaintiff
must show that: (1) she is a disabled person within the meaning of the statute;
(2) she is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the
essential functions of the job she holds or seeks; and (3) that she suffered an
adverse employment action because of her disability.
To comply with the
anti-discrimination laws, an employer must reasonably accommodate an employee
with a disability unless the employer can show that such an accommodation would
impose an undue hardship on the running of the business. The plaintiff has the
burden of proving that a reasonable accommodation is possible and reassignment
to another position is generally considered a reasonable accommodation.
Braunling
had shown that she was not qualified for the job as senior underwriting
supervisor. She failed to demonstrate that her reduced performance as a senior
under writing supervisor was attributable to Countrywide's failure to transfer
her away from Kister's supervision. The fact that Braunling was underperforming
in her new position regardless of her MS went to show that the accommodation she
suggested, a transfer to another supervisor, would not have improved her
situation.
/ How does this affect your agency?
Departments should review their accommodation policy to ensure, as
here, that assignments are made based upon the employees qualifications to
perform the essential job elements with or without accommodation. Performance,
not disability should be the criteria upon which an employee is evaluated and
where a reasonable accommodation is possible to improve performance it should be
given.
*********
Probation
Search Must Be Conducted For Probation Purposes Only
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v.
KNIGHTS and SIMONEAU, 219 F.3d 1138 (2000).
The United States
appealed from an order which suppressed evidence seized from the home of Mark
James Knights in a warrant less search conducted by members of the Napa County
Sheriff's Department.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company's facilities
in Napa County had been the subject of vandalism over 30 times. Incidents
included short circuits caused by throwing chains onto transformers, damaging of
gas power switches, and damaging power pole guy wires. Knights and his friend
Simoneau were stopped near a PG&E gas line by a deputy who observed that
Simoneau's pick-up truck contained pipes, pieces of chain, tools, and gasoline,
and they could not explain their presence. A few days after the stop a pipe bomb
was detonated against the exterior of a building, where a burglary had taken
place, not far from Knight's residence.
Telephone service to the Napa
County Airport was knocked out by someone who broke into a Pacific Bell
telecommunications vault and set it afire. Brass padlocks which secured the
vault and an adjacent PG&E power transformer had been removed, and a
gasoline accelerant was used to ignite the fire. Within a short time after that
incident, a deputy drove by Knights' residence and observed Simoneau's truck
parked in front. The deputy felt the hood of the truck and found it still warm,
suggesting that Knights and Simoneau may have been involved.
Detective
Hancock set up surveillance of Knights' apartment and observed Knights and
Simoneau arrive in Simoneau's pickup, enter the apartment and remain with the
lights on until about 3:10 a.m. when Simoneau emerged carrying three
cylindrical items cradled in his arms. Simoneau walked to the truck where he
placed an object shaped like a jar in the back, then walked across the street to
the bank of the Napa River, disappearing from view. Det. Hancock heard three
splashes then observed Simoneau return to the truck without the cylinders, pick
up a glass jar from the truck bed and wipe it with a cloth, climb into the truck
and depart.
Det. Hancock trailed Simoneau until he stopped in a
driveway. When Det. Hancock entered the driveway Simoneau was not around and
Det. Hancock saw a number of suspicious objects in and about the truck. In the
bed of the truck were a Molotov cocktail, explosive materials, a gasoline can
and two brass padlocks, which fit the description given by PG&E
investigators of the locks removed from the Pacific Bell and PG&E
transformer vault two days earlier. The truck was seized, impounded, and later
searched pursuant to a warrant.
Det. Hancock then decided that he would
conduct a warrantless probation search of Knights' home, because Knights had
been placed on summary probation after he was convicted of a misdemeanor drug
offense. A term of that probation required Knights to submit his ... person,
property, place of residence, vehicle, personal effects, to search at anytime,
with or without a search warrant, warrant of arrest or reasonable cause by any
probation officer or law enforcement officer. Relying upon that and the
authorization of his supervisor, Det. Hancock proceeded.
After breaking
through a door and entering the apartment where Knights was still in bed, the
search turned up detonation cord, ammunition, unidentified liquid chemicals,
instruction manuals on chemistry and electrical circuitry, bolt cutters,
telephone pole-climbing spurs, drug paraphernalia, photographs and blueprints
stolen from the burglarized building, and a brass padlock stamped PG&E.
Knights
moved to suppress the seized evidence and the government asserted that it was
conducted pursuant to a probation consent. The district court agreed with
Knights that the claimed probation search was really a subterfuge for an
investigative search and ordered suppression. The United States Court of
Appeals Ninth Circuit affirmed the suppression order.
The court
observed that there was little doubt that Knights did consent to searches when
he agreed to the terms of his probation, but pointed out that it had previously
made it clear that such consent must be seen as limited to probation searches,
and must stop short of investigative searches. The court stated that unlike
an investigation search, a probation search should advance the goals of
probation, the overriding aim of which is to give the [probationer] a chance to
further and to demonstrate his rehabilitation while serving a part of his
sentence outside the prison walls.
The court opined that while Det.
Hancock was performing his duty and had drawn some very good inferences from the
facts, he was using the probation term as a subterfuge to enable him to search
Knights' home without a warrant. In so doing, he crossed the frontier that
separates citizen privacy from official enthusiasm. For at least three decades,
the court noted, it has been the law of this circuit that subterfuge probation
searches are unconstitutional.
/ How does this affect your agency?
In addition to losing the use of valuable evidence in the criminal
prosecution, the liability exposure for the agency and the investigator is
intensified. The investigator stands to loose his/her qualified immunity
inasmuch as the law is well settled where probation searches are undertaken to
assist undergoing investigations. Training should periodically refocus on search
and seizure laws, as well as probation and parole search criteria.
*********
Police
Personnel Files Are Absolutely Privileged From Disclosure Under The CPRA
FILARSKY v. CITY OF MANHATTAN
BEACH, 82 Cal. App. 4th 1057 (2000).
Steve A. Filarsky an attorney
experienced in representing public entities represented the City of Pismo Beach,
in 1986, in an action that ended with the termination of Police Officer Paul
Marshall for use of excessive force and inhumane treatment of a ward at a
juvenile facility. In 1999, Filarsky, a City of Manhattan Beach resident,
learned that the City had recently hired Marshall as its police captain.
Filarsky,
pursuant to California's Public Records Act (CPRA), sought certain records from
the City pertaining to its decision to hire Marshall. The City decided that the
records sought were confidential and exempt from disclosure and notified
Filarsky. When Filarsky threatened litigation if he did not get the records, the
City filed a declaratory relief action seeking a determination that its decision
denying Filarsky's request was legally correct.
The trial court found
the records requested were exempt from disclosure and granted declaratory relief
against Filarsky. Filarsky sought a writ of mandate to vacate the trial court's
order contending (1) a public entity may never seek declaratory relief against a
citizen seeking records under the CPRA, and (2) the records he sought were not
exempt from disclosure. The California Court of Appeal Second Appellate
District concluded that the trial court was correct, denied Filarsky's petition
for the writ of mandate, and awarded the city it's costs.
The court
pointed out that unlike City of Santa Rosa v. Press Democrat, 187 Cal.App.3d
1315 (1986), where the public agency never made any prior disclosure
determination, the City in this case was not seeking to avoid its legislatively
mandated administrative discretion under the CPRA and have the trial court make
the disclosure determination in the first instance. Here, the court continued,
Filarsky disagreed with the City's decision and its reasons for non-disclosure
and let the City know of his disagreement. When the City refused to disclose the
documents, Filarsky threatened the City with a court intervention if he did not
get them. The City again responded and gave its reasons for its prior decision
that the requested documents were exempt from disclosure. There was an actual
and live controversy between Filarsky and the City and the City's declaratory
relief action was not inappropriate given the circumstances of the case.
The
City contended that the documents Filarsky requested were personnel records and
were not subject to disclosure because they were exempt under Government Code
section 6254, subdivision (k). Citing the holdings in City of Hemet v.
Superior, 37 Cal.App. 4th 1411 (1995) and City of Richmond v. Superior
Court, 32 Cal.App. 4th 1430 (1995), the court stated that is was now well
settled that the Penal and Evidence Codes govern disclosure of police personnel
records and take priority over the discovery provisions of the Code of Civil
Procedure, as well as a citizen's request for public records under the CPRA.
This
court rejected Filarsky's argument under Bradshaw v. City of Los Angeles, 221
Cal.App. 3d 908 (1990) and concluded that police personnel files were
confidential beyond their use in civil or criminal proceedings and were
absolutely privileged from disclosure under the CPRA.
Citing Times
Mirror Co. v. Superior Court, 53 Cal.3d 1325 (1991), the court also
concluded that the eligibility list of applicants for the police captain
position reflected the City's decision making and deliberative process and was
therefore exempt from disclosure. Such disclosure, this court noted, would
compromise the City's decision making process and its ability to safeguard the
names and rating scores of candidates who applied for such positions.
/ How
does this affect your agency?
This case reaffirms that personnel records of law enforcement officers
can only be accessed utilizing the process set forth in Evidence Code 1040, et
seq and are exempt from disclosure under the CPRA. Demands made under the CPRA
must be carefully evaluated not everything is subject to its provisions.
*********
Whether
Officers Had Reasonable Suspicion To Stop or Probable Cause To Arrest Was
Sufficient Question For Jury
YOUNG HO CHOI v. GASTON, et al,
220 F.3d 1010 (2000).
On July 13, 1996, about 8:59 p.m., a man
driving a BMW was stopped by CHP Officer Donald Burt. The man shot Officer Burt,
took Burt's service revolver and CHP vehicle and drove off. A police broadcast
reported an assault with a deadly weapon on a CHP officer and that the officer's
weapon and vehicle had been stolen. At 9:10 p.m., a police broadcast identified
the suspect as a MV (Male Vietnamese), Phu Nguyen, 5' 10", Black, Brown, 18
years old wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. About 9:30 p.m., an abandoned
CHP vehicle was reported at Mills Ford in Anaheim.
At 9:40 p.m., a
police broadcast reported that the suspect was known and police units were at
his residence and at his girlfriend's home. At about 9:41 p.m., Anaheim Reserve
Officer Christopher Marshall together with Anaheim Officer Mark Brucks, drove to
Mills Ford and found the vehicle to be that of CHP Officer Donald Burt. As they
approached they saw a man wearing a white T-shirt and colored pants running from
the Ford dealership and, went in search of the man they had seen running.
About
two minutes later they saw two men standing at the corner of Lincoln and Euclid,
about 1/5 of a mile from the Ford dealership. One was a male Hispanic, about 5'
8", with dark hair, wearing a white T-shirt and tan colored pants. The
other appeared to the officers to be a male Asian, about 5' 7", with dark
hair, wearing a white shirt and dark-colored pants, subsequently identified as
Yong Ho Choi, a Korean citizen, 32 years old, 5' 7", 145 pounds.
The
officers got out of their car with weapons drawn and told the two men to put
their hands in the air. Choi was then handcuffed and made to lie on the ground.
He was asked no questions by either officer. About three to five minutes later,
CHP Acting Sergeant Brame arrived at Lincoln and Euclid, and was informed by the
Anaheim officers that the two men had been observed running westbound on Lincoln
Avenue from the vicinity of the abandoned CHP unit.
Choi was placed in
Sgt. Brame's unit and driven into a parking lot on the northwest corner of
Euclid and Lincoln, where they were met by CHP Sergeant Sechrist. Scot Gore, a
security guard who said he had seen a man, not a CHP officer, driving a CHP car
and heard of the shooting believed he could identify the driver, was brought to
the location. Sgt. Sechrist told Mr. Gore to look through the window of the CHP
vehicle where Choi was seated. Gore nodded his head affirmatively and said that
it was the man he had seen earlier driving the CHP vehicle on the Freeway. At
10:10 p.m. a police broadcast stated that Scott Gore says he can identify both
parties.
A little after midnight two witnesses to the shooting looked
at Choi and declared that he was the man who had been stopped by Officer Burt.
Three other persons who had seen a man leaning over Officer Burt's body also
identified Choi as that man.
Hung Mai, a Vietnamese, later pled guilty
to the murder of Officer Burt.
Choi sued for various violations of
constitutional and statutory rights. The district court gave summary judgment
for all defendants as to use of unreasonable force, and Choi's claims of
impermissibly suggestive field identification procedure, defamation, conspiracy,
and state law claims. The United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit reversed
and remanded Choi's cause of action against Reserve Anaheim Officer Marshall and
Officer Brucks, for trial, affirming the remainder of the district court's
decision.
The court noted that the Anaheim officers who with drawn
weapons ordered Choi to the ground had little to go on, however noted that they
said that they had been informed by police radio that the suspect was Oriental.
The police radio log however showed that the officers had been informed the
suspect was a particular man noted as Vietnamese and particularly identified not
by race or ethnicity but by name -- Phu Nguyen. The court stated that the
officers then generalized from this information to a classification embracing 2
billion persons.
The court observed that the officers also knew the
height, weight and age of Phu Nguyen, which did not match Choi's height, weight
or age, nor did Choi's clothing match Nguyen's. The court opined that except
for their rash generalization, the officers had no reason to think Choi was
their man, save that he was within 1/5 of a mile from the abandoned CHP vehicle,
and without basis in fact told the CHP that they had seen both men running from
the abandoned vehicle.
The court pointed out that as they were
investigating someone suspected of a violent crime against a police officer, it
was not unreasonable for them to pull their guns and pat down the suspect,
however it was difficult to characterize what they did as investigatory when
they did not ask Choi a single question, and within two minutes they took Choi
into custody.
The court noted that at the factual center of this case
was the ease with which a member of a minority in a community may be confused
with other persons not even of the same race or ethnicity who in the
eyes of the majority look like him. Here Choi, a Korean in his thirties, short
and slim, was confused with a Vietnamese teenager, who was taller and heavier
apparently because, to the community majority, he looked Asian or Oriental.
The
court noted that only stereotyping of this sort can account for the firm
identification of Choi by those who had seen the actual murderer and stated we
cannot hold them accountable for their convention-bound vision. We can, however
expect more of police moving in a community of many ethnicities.
The
court concluded that there was sufficient evidence to go to the jury on whether
the Anaheim police had enough to justify a Terry stop; whether they had
conducted a Terry stop; and whether they had arrested Choi without probable
cause.
/ How does this affect your agency?
With the current emphasis on racial profiling it is incumbent on
departments to not stress the importance of thoroughness over expediency, and
accuracy in relaying information both in the field and to the field from
communications. Only through continued training in recognizing the similarities
and differences in our diversified community cultures will the tendency to
generalize be minimized. Additional relevant training may be necessary and
appropriate.
*********
Speech That
Promotes Tension, Impairs Discipline And Is Not Directed To Public Not Protected
COCHRAN & ANDERSON v. CITY OF
LOS ANGELES, 2000 WL 1159296 (9th Cir. Cal.).
Sergeant Stanley
Cochran, a white male with 23 years experience, transferred to Foothill Division
and was assigned as a Patrol Supervisor to train and supervise officers.
Lieutenant Kathy Age, a black female, day watch commander became Sgt. Cochran's
immediate supervisor. The two did not develop a positive working relationship.
Sgt. Cochran believed Lt. Age had a bad work ethic, was troubled by comments Age
made that suggested she would seek revenge against an officer who had filed a
complaint against her, and disapproved of the manner in which she reacted to an
incident where an officer in the division had shot himself. The problem between
the two escalated over the handling of a complaint against Sgt. Cato, a black
male, for allegedly sleeping in his patrol car.
Sergeant Dean Anderson,
a white male, and Sgt. Cochran's best friend transferred to Foothill and was
assigned to be the Complaint Sergeant, reporting directly to Captain Robert
Gale. Sgt. Anderson's assignment was to investigate citizen claims regarding
officer misconduct. Sgt. Anderson also developed problems with Lt. Age within a
few months.
Sgt. Anderson made several reports to Capt. Gale regarding
Lt. Age allegedly giving white officers less favorable reports than she gave
black officer. Sgt. Anderson also warned that racial tensions were worsening at
Foothill, but Capt. Gale did not take action at that time. Sgt. Anderson
subsequently reported to Capt. Gale that Lt. Age had been leaving work early to
do administrative work at home, although she had not been assigned any
administrative work at the time. When Lt. Age was caught and punished, Sgt.
Anderson was dissatisfied, believing other officers would have received harsher
punishments. Sgt. Anderson then reported to Capt. Gale that Lt. Age and another
officer were improperly interfering with personnel complaints involving minority
or female officers.
When a contract dispute arose between the City and
the police union, Sgt's Anderson and Cochran actively supported the union and
urged their fellow officers not to work overtime during the upcoming World Cup
soccer matches. They also urged other officers to call in sick on a prearranged
date "the blue flu day." One officer ignored the
pressure from the police union and signed up for overtime. Sgt's Cochran and
Anderson criticized the officer, who reported the incident, and Captain Gale
ordered Lt. Age to file a formal personnel complaint. Sgt's Anderson and Cochran
each received five-day suspensions. The Department Board of Rights found both
Anderson and Cochran not guilty.
Sgt. Cochran was administratively
transferred from the Foothill station to the Hollywood station. On the transfer
request Capt. Gale wrote that Sgt. Cochran was one of the most proficient
and dedicated supervisors, but that he allowed his personal frustration
and resentment to foster a negative and hostile environment, and that his
dislike for his peers and superiors had created the potential for racial
problems.
Sgt. Anderson was administratively transferred to the
Wilshire station. The transfer papers cited Anderson=s involvement in the union
dispute, as well as his continued investigation of Sgt. Cato's sleeping
complaint despite orders to stop. The papers concluded that Anderson had created
a hostile work environment at Foothill.
The transfers were appealed and
the Board of General appeals found that the Foothill station had a right to make
the transfers, but it recommended that the written materials regarding the
transfers be removed from personnel files. Chief Willie Williams, not bound by
the Board's recommendations, did not authorize removal of the materials.
Sgt's
Anderson and Cochran filed 1983 complaints in federal court alleging conspiracy
and retaliation against them for exercising their First Amendment rights to free
speech. The City moved for judgment as a matter of law and the motion was
denied. The jury returned a general verdict in favor of Anderson and Cochran.
The United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit reversed, focusing on whether
Sgt's Anderson's and Cochran's speech was of public concern and whether their
interest in such speech was outweighed by the City's interest in preserving
discipline and harmony within the LAPD.
The court stated that a public
employee's speech or expressive conduct deals with a matter of public concern
when it can be fairly considered as relating to a matter of political,
social, or other concern to the community. Speech that deals with complaints
over internal office affairs is not protected when it is not relevant to the
public's evaluation of a governmental agency's performance.
The
court opined that the employer's interest outweighs the employee's interest in
speaking if the employee's speech impairs discipline by superiors or harmony
among coworkers, has a detrimental impact on close working relationships for
which personal loyalty and confidence are necessary, or impedes the performance
of the speaker's duties or interferes with the regular operation of the
enterprise. The court noted that a government employer need not allow
events to unfold to the extent that the disruption of the office and the
destruction of working relationships is manifest before taking action. (Connick
v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138, 152 (1983))
The court concluded that the
Sergeant's speech impaired discipline by superiors. The statements
directly challenged Lt. Age's ability to make decisions free from personal bias
or preferences, and undermined her authority. Sgt. Anderson's speech and actions
also tended to undermine Capt. Gale's and Capt. Bergmann's authority. Sgt.
Anderson brought his investigations to the attention of Capt. Bergmann over
Capt. Gale's head. Sgt. Anderson further undermined Capt. Bergmann, if not by
directly disobeying his orders to stop the investigation, then by taking actions
that ignored the spirit of the orders.
Although the sergeants made
their direct accusations against Lt. Age privately to Capt. Gale, they
interviewed other officers regarding the alleged incidents of favoritism, thus
making their beliefs known to others who were subordinate to Lt. Age. The speech
was not directed to the public. Furthermore, Sgt. Anderson=s continued
unwillingness to accept his superiors' disposition of his complaints bordered on
insubordination and raised both workplace discipline and disruption
considerations.
/ How does this affect your agency?
This case reaffirms that employees cannot use the First Amendment to
shield conduct that undermines the abilities of superiors to make personnel
decisions, promotes tension, dissatisfaction, and is divisive. First Amendment
issues must be carefully evaluated, especially when they impact on public sector
employment.
*********
Peace Officer
Defamation Statute Held Violation Of Complainant's Free Speech Right
HADDAD v. WALL, 2000 WL
1126402 (C.D.Cal.).
Joseph Haddad received a traffic citation from CHP
Officer Scott Wall for failure to stop for a traffic sign, pled not guilty and
was convicted in a court trial after Officer Wall testified. A fine was imposed
which Haddad paid. After the conviction Haddad filed a telephonic complaint with
the CHP that Officer Wall falsely testified on two matters during the court
trial.
Officer Wall, pursuant to California Civil Code ' 47.5, filed a
Small Claims action alleging Haddad knowingly filed a false complaint with his
employer accusing him of perjury, a felony. Officer Wall then wrote to Haddad
and demanded payment of $5,000. The matter went to trial and judgment was
entered for Officer Wall against Haddad for $5,000 and $40 in costs. Haddad then
filed an appeal in Superior Court in which Officer Wall prevailed, and was
awarded $5,000 in damages, $150 in attorneys' fees, and $40 in costs.
Haddad
filed an action in the United States District Court for the Central District of
California, Eastern Division seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, seeking
a declaration that California Civil Code 47.5 was unconstitutional on its face
and as applied and an injunction prohibiting Officer Wall from executing on the
judgment Officer Wall obtained against him in state court.
District
Court Judge Robert J. Timlin granted Haddad's motion for summary adjudication,
held California Civil Code ' 47.5 unconstitutional on its face in violation of
the First Amendment as incorporated in the Fourteenth Amendment, and enjoined
Officer Wall from executing on the judgment in his favor.
Addressing
the constitutionality of ' 47.5, the court noted that under California Civil
Code ' 47, most publications and broadcasts arising out of official
government duties or proceedings are privileged, and therefore cannot be the
subject of a defamation action. The privilege in CC ' 47 extends to
complaints by citizens against public officials filed with an administrative
agency. CC ' 47.5 creates an exception to this general privilege afforded
citizen complaints against public officials and allows peace officers to bring
defamation suits against individuals who falsely charge them with misconduct,
criminal conduct, or incompetence.
The court stated that by providing
a privilege for statements made against public officials generally and then
creating an exception to such privilege for complaints filed against peace
officers, California treats defamatory statements made against peace officers
differently than all other public officials. The defamation law thus creates a
distinction based on the content of the statements whether the complaints
are about peace officers or other public officials.
The court
pointed out that statements made against public officials are treated
differently under the First Amendment than are statements made against private
individuals. The primary concerns which motivated the Supreme Court to afford
greater protection to statements made against public officials were a strong
interest in debate on public issues, and a strong interest in the debate
about those persons who are in a position significantly to influence the
resolution of the issues.
Noting that courts have consistently
treated peace officers as public officials, the court stated that public
officials and public figures have voluntarily exposed themselves to increased
risk of injury from defamatory falsehood concerning them. Quoting Imig
v. Ferrar, 70 Cal.App. 3d at 56 (1977), the court stated ...it is
distressing and demoralizing for police officers to be subjected to false
accusations of brutality, but that may be one of the crosses that a police
officer must bear, in light of the power and deadly force the state places in
his hands. Concluding, the court noted that there was nothing
distinguishable regarding the position or duties of peace officers which would
support treating them differently from other public officials as to the law of
defamation and privileges associated therewith. The fact that more complaints,
including false complaints, may be filed against peace officers with their
supervisors cannot be relied upon to support affording peace officers greater
protection against defamatory statements than other public officials. The
greater risk of public scrutiny is a necessary consequence of being involved in
public affairs.
/ How does this affect your agency?
The case does not have a direct affect on department operation as much
as it affects the officer's right to use the judicial system when they believe
they have been wrongly accused of misconduct. We reported in Vol. Four No.
Three, March 31, 2000, the case of Gritchen v. Collier, 73 F.Supp. 2d
1148 (USDC CD Ca 1999), which was the first case that held Civil Code ' 47.5
to be unconstitutional. A decision by a federal district judge is not binding
on anyone other than the parties to the action. However, this is the second
such decision in a short period of time and may set the stage for an appellate
court to rule in the future. Use of ' 47.5 must be done with caution.
*********
As always, before taking any legal
actions be certain to seek appropriate legal advice, whether it is from a city
attorney, county counsel or your police legal advisor. If you have any questions
regarding any of the above please do not hesitate to call us at (562) 590-8280.
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