Police unions in the tri-state region are fighting to block new measures that would give the public access to law-enforcement discipline records, which have long been confidential. Police unions say keeping disciplinary records confidential protects officers’ privacy, and that if the records are released, officers could be unfairly maligned. The superintendent of the New Jersey State Police also planned on releasing 20 years of such records. The State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey, along with other police unions, filed a lawsuit in state court challenging the attorney general’s directive. Many New Jersey state troopers entered into settlement agreements under the presumption the records would be kept confidential, attorneys for the police unions said in court filings.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 11, 2020 16:52 UTC