Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/american-civil-liberties-union/)
County officials are trying “to circumvent California Supreme Court precedent regarding the preservation of text messages,” the ACLU told the court in response. County officials declined to respond to questions about their proposed order.
OC officials may have found a way to continue to immediately destroy many public records of their government communications, despite a court ruling that it’s probably illegal to do so.
Orange County officials likely are breaking the law with a policy allowing immediate destruction of public records and another rule banning public commenters from asking questions of county supervisors or addressing supervisors by name unless they have permission, a Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday.
ACLU lawyers say the county has a host of illegal and unconstitutional policies and practices that stifle public information and debate. A judge now will decide if officials are breaking the law and whether to block their policies.
The American Civil Liberties Union sent warning letters to Anaheim for its public comment structure and the city attorney’s office, in a response letter, defended the system. Now the Council will discuss the matter in a closed session later this month.
An American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) study determined the sheriff’s department fails to meet physical security, medical and mental health care standards inside Orange County jails, an assertion Sheriff Sandra Hutchens called “inaccurate or purposely distorted.”
The news comes as her department faces multiple controversies ranging from a federal investigation into the use of jailhouse informants to the recent misidentification of a dead body.
Officials still are drafting rules for when the cameras must be turned on, what the repercussions are for not using the cameras and whether any videos will be made public. The City Council also is considering increased oversight of the police department, including possibly creating a civilian review panel.
Activists want to see Anaheim’s Public Safety Board turned into a full-fledged commission, while the police association says it should stay as is.
Mohammed Aly refused to stop speaking when his three minutes were up. A sheriff’s deputy threatened to arrest a Voice of OC reporter who was filming Aly and sheriff’s officers when everyone was ordered to leave the board room.