LAPD undercover officers file claims against city, department over data release

More than 300 Los Angeles Police Department undercover officers whose personal information was released and posted on various websites announced on Tuesday, April 4, the filing of claims against the city and LAPD leadership.

“This presents a significant threat to the safety of the citizens of Los Angeles,” attorney Matthew McNicholas told reporters at a Westwood news conference announcing the claims, which are often precursors to lawsuits.

“I can tell you without (revealing) detail that several undercover operations have had to stop and several undercover (officers) have been threatened with direct threat based on this release, requiring them and their families to move,” he said.

The claims allege violations including breach of contract, legal malpractice, violation of right to privacy.

The claims were filed on behalf of 321 undercover officers whose personal information was released, the lawyer said.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing the department’s rank and file officers, blasted the LAPD last week for releasing the pictures, names, work locations and other information of some 9,000 officers following a California Public Records Act request filed by the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition.

That included officers who work in sensitive and undercover operations — a release the department later called a mistake and prompted an apology from Chief Michel Moore.

The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition launched Watch the Watchers, a website that publishes head shots and other information related to sworn personnel. Another website, according to a lawsuit filed by the union, took information from that website and listed bounties for officers. That second site is now inactive.