Policy Text
Policy
1041Garden Grove Police Department
Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/08/25, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Garden Grove Police
DepartmentPurging of Personnel/Internal Affairs Files - 1Purging of Personnel/Internal Affairs Files
1041.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish a uniform procedure for the purging of personnel files
and Internal Affairs files.
1041.2 POLICY
It is the policy of this Department to ensure that the files pertaining to personnel and citizen
complaints will be protected from unauthorized inquiries and that any purging of the files will only
be allowed as provided by 34090 of the Government Code.
1041.3 DESCRIPTION OF FILES
Personnel Files - Confidential files maintained by the Office of the Chief of Police which
contain Personnel Action Forms (PAF), promotional or transfer orders, disciplinary actions,
commendations, evaluations, or any other information pertaining to an employee's status and
performance with the Garden Grove Police Department.
Internal Affairs Files - Files which contain citizen complaints, regardless of the status or
disposition, and any other investigations regarding the conduct of any police employee completed
by the Internal Affairs Office.
1041.4 PROCEDURE
Personnel Files - The only documents within the Personnel file that may be purged are
disciplinary actions older than five years. In January of each year, the Personnel Files will be
reviewed by the office of the Chief of Police to determine which employee disciplinary files
are subject to purging and destruction. Those files subject to purging may be reviewed by the
Division Manager and Bureau Commander of the employee's chain of command who may make
recommendations to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall make the final determination on
which files shall be purged and destroyed. If an employee desires to have disciplinary actions that
meet the above criteria purged from their Personnel file, then they must submit a memorandum
via their chain of command to the Chief of Police asking for the documents to be purged.
Internal Affairs Files - In January of each year the Internal Affairs Sergeant will record a brief
synopsis of all Internal Affairs files that are older than five years and submit this list to the Chief of
Police. The Chief will determine which files are to be purged. The remaining files will be returned
to the Internal Affairs Sergeant.
1041.5 APPEALS
The decision of the Chief of Police, with regard to purging, is final.