LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County is attempting to block a journalist from obtaining the names and photographs of about 8,500 deputies and other sworn personnel employed by the Sheriff’s Department.
The legal dispute centers on a public records request filed in April 2023 by Cerise Castle, an independent journalist. Castle asked county officials to release the names and official headshots of all deputies not working undercover, then sued last summer after her request was denied, alleging a violation of California’s open records law.
Castle has argued that releasing the images would boost transparency and improve the public’s knowledge of law enforcement activity…