NEW YORK, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is being sued by the New York Civil Liberties Union for allegedly denying requests for records related to misconduct in the state’s prisons.

The NYCLU submitted a request in October 2020 looking for records related to grievances filed by inmates, as well as for documents related to certain investigations of officer misconduct. The NYCLU says the records are authorized to be disclosed after the repeal of Civil Rights Law § 50-a, a statute that had been used for decades for transparency of misconduct by law enforcement.

“The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision cannot withhold disciplinary records to which the public is legally entitled after the repeal of 50-a,” said Bobby Hodgson, supervising attorney at the NYCLU.

“Transparency is essential to law enforcement accountability, and New Yorkers have a right to complete information about officer misconduct taking place in state prisons. We will continue to fight for a more complete production from DOCCS that would allow the public to evaluate the agency’s investigation and discipline systems.”