Federal court upholds state law on disclosing police records

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld part of a 2020 Connecticut police accountability law that allows public disclosure of state trooper personnel files and internal investigations. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Thursday rejected a challenge by the Connecticut State Police Union. The union argued the law violates the 2018-2022 troopers’ contract by stripping away its exemptions to state freedom of information laws. The contract section in question says troopers’ personnel files and documents in internal investigations that end with no finding of wrongdoing are not subject to disclosure. The union says it is considering taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.