The New York Civil Liberties Union, with pro bono counsel from Latham & Watkins LLP, filed a lawsuit against the Troy Police Department for unlawfully denying the NYCLU’s requests for records related to police misconduct authorized to be disclosed following the repeal of 50-a.

The NYCLU submitted a FOIL request seeking a large array of public records specifically authorized to be disclosed under state FOIL after the repeal of 50-a, a statute of the state civil rights code that had been used for years to bar the disclosure of police misconduct. The Troy Police Department has responded to the request, which sought disclosable documents related to disciplinary records, use of force, stops, civilian complaints, policies, investigative reports, diversity, trainings, and collective bargaining agreements, by providing a small sample of documents that did not include any records related to police misconduct or discipline.  

Pro Bono Law Firm(s)

Latham & Watkins, LLP

Date filed

May 20, 2021

Court

Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Rensselaer