Getting The Footage
Gov. Code 7923.625 — a recording of a critical incident withheld no longer than 45 calendar days, unless the agency shows more
Forty-five days. During an active investigation, disclosure of a video or audio recording relating to a critical incident, as the section defines it, may be delayed no longer than 45 calendar days after the agency knew or should have known of the incident, and only if disclosure would substantially interfere with the investigation. The agency gives the requester the specific basis in writing and an estimated date.
Up to a year, and beyond. After 45 days and up to one year, the agency may keep delaying only if it shows disclosure would substantially interfere with the investigation. After one year, it must show that by clear and convincing evidence. It reassesses and notifies the requester every 30 days, and discloses promptly once the basis is resolved.
Privacy. Where the agency shows the public interest in withholding clearly outweighs disclosure because of a depicted person's reasonable expectation of privacy, it may blur or distort those portions, but the redaction may not interfere with a viewer's ability to fully and accurately comprehend the events.
How a records request is made, the fees, and the other exemptions in the public records law are set out in other sections that are not on this page. Whether a particular recording must be released is a question for a licensed California attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Gov. Code 7923.625 — Recordings of critical incidents, and how long they may be withheld
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.