The union key to opening L.A.'s jails

The citizens commission created to examine problems of violence in the troubled county jails is facing its first test. The Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents rank-and-file deputies, says the commission cannot have access to data that include personnel records because it would violate state law. The union may be trying to protect the privacy of its members, but it is overreaching.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has authority to review Sheriff's Department records, and because the jails commission was created by and appointed by the board, it serves as the board's proxy, so it should enjoy similar access. The seven-member panel has made it clear that it isn't interested in singling out individual deputies for punishment. Rather, its goal is to identify systemic flaws and recommend ways to fix them. The commission can't be expected to fulfill that goal, however, if records such as inmate complaints about excessive use of force or department databases that track deputies and the accusations against them are deemed off-limits.

The union's efforts to block full and unfettered access to records is troubling, especially given how important such access was to the Christopher Commission, which relied on exactly these types of records when it conducted its 1991 probe of the Los Angeles Police Department. The information gleaned from them proved to be invaluable and helped shape the panel's recommendations, which ultimately helped reshape the LAPD.

Moreover, the jails commission is asking only for records that are already shared with other investigative agencies. Merrick Bobb, an attorney who serves as the county's special counsel and provides ongoing monitoring of the Sheriff's Department to the supervisors, is provided full access to department records.

Frankly, the union's efforts to block access and its threats to sue are shortsighted. Keeping the commission in the dark won't prevent an ongoing federal probe from moving forward, nor will it help restore public confidence in the department.