The decision is the latest in a series of legal cases that test how much the public gets to know about the conduct of police officers in California.
A series of California laws often called the Peace Officers Bill of Rights give law enforcement officers unique legal protections that include confidentiality of their personnel records.
The state Supreme Court recently ruled that the names of officers involved in police shootings must be made public except under exceptional circumstances.
In the Pasadena case, McDade’s mother, Anya Slaughter, had asked the city to release the full report on her son’s shooting. The Times and several local civil rights groups, including the Pasadena chapter of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, ACT and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, joined Slaughter’s request.
The union representing the two officers opposed the release, arguing that the report included personnel information that is confidential under state law.