Reporters Committee letter urges immediate repeal of Section 50-a of the New York Civil Rights Law

In a June 7 letter to New York officials, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press strongly urged the immediate repeal of Section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law, which has become an insurmountable barrier to press and public access to law enforcement records of police misconduct in New York.

New York is one of only two states that specifically makes records of police misconduct confidential, shielding them from disclosure under the state’s public records law.

“Repealing 50-a is a necessary step not only to ensuring police accountability, but also to restoring trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”