BURGLARY IS GIVERING HER PAUSE. SHE’S HOPING SFPD CAN HELP WITH
THIS HUGE PROBLEM.
>>> THE PANDEMIC CREATES A DELAY
IN EVERYTHING.
OUR INVESTIGATIVE TEAM FOUND
THAT INCLUDES A RELEASE OF DOCUMENTS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> CRIME AND ACCIDENT VICTIMS
TELL US THEY LOST THEIR CARS OR JOBS BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN OBTAIN
OBTAINING SIMPLE PUBLIC REPORTS
FROM THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
LET’S BRING IN OUR STEVEN STOCK.
>> VICKSTIMS ARE SUPPOSED TO GET
POLICE REPORT AFTER TEN DAYS AFTER FILING A REQUEST AND WHY
THAT REPORT CAN’T BE RELEASED. THESE RECORDS CAN BE CRITICAL
FOR INSURANCE OR LIAMEGAL PURPOS
NOW WE FOUND SOME VICTIMS HAVE WAITED MORE THAN A YEAR JUST TO
GET A SIMPLE PRINT-OUT.
>> HE TEE-BONED ME RIGHT HERE. I WAS DEVASTATED.
>> I DID HAVE TO SWERVE. >> JULIE MOON AND HER HUSBAND
SHOWED US THE RESULTS OF THE
ACCIDENT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A
YEAR AGO, BACK OF MARCH OF 2021.
>> IT WAS ANOTHER DAY AND I WAS
GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. >> Reporter: SHE DROVE HOME
AFTER TEACHING A PIANO LESSON,
JULIE NOTICED AN ONCOMING CAR
WAS ABOUT TO BLOW THROUGH A RED
LIGHT. >> BEFORE I KNEW IT OH, IT IS
GOING TO HIT ME.
>> Reporter: HER CAR WAS TOTALED.
>> MY CAR WAS FLUNG OVER THERE,
90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT.
>>
THE CAR WAS STEAMING AND THESE BY STANDERS CAME AND SAID, YOU
HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. >> Reporter: WHAT HURTS HER THE
MOST IS A YEARLONG BATTLE TO GET
THE REPORT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> OKAY, YOUR REPORT IS HERE BUT
IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE
REPORT.
>> Reporter: WITHOUT THAT
REPORT, JULIE’S INSURANCE
COMPANY WOULD NOT ACCEPT HER CLAIM TO FIX HER CAR.
SO IT SITS A YEAR LATER IN FRONT
OF HER HOME.
>> IS IT ACCEPTABLE THAT THE PLACE THAT YOU LIVE IN WON’T LET
YOU MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE IN A
SAFE WAY?
I DON’T THINK SO. NOT AT ALL.
>> Reporter: OUR INVESTIGATION
DISCOVERS JULIE MOON IS NOT
ALONE.
WE TALKED TO NUMEROUS VICTIMS
AND ATTORNEYS FOR VICTIMS WHO SAY THEY COULD NOT GET PUBLIC
POLICE REPORTS IN A TIMELY
FASHION.
BOTH FROM ACCIDENT VICTIMS AND ATTORNEYS, TWO OF THE MOST
PROBLEMATIC AGENCIES FOR LONG
WAITS AND PUBLIC RECORDS PATROL TWO OF THE BIGGEST CITIES IN THE
BAY AREA, OAKLAND AND SAN
FRANCISCO.
>> SINCE COVID, WE HAD A NUMBER
OF CASES WITH DELAYS AND GETTING
THE REPORTS THAT WE NEED.
ATTORNEY CALLOWAY HAD BEEN
REPRESENTING VICTIMS SINCE 1987
INCLUDING A HIT-AND-RUN THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF GREGORY, LAST
YEAR, A FATHER KILLED ON MOTHER’S DAY.
>> THEY TOLD US NO REPORT IS
AVAILABLE THROUGH
AVAILABLE.
THROUGH A BACK CHANNEL WE HAVE
BEEN PROVIDED A COPY OF THE
REPORT.
>> Reporter: CALLOWAY NEVER SEEN THE SYSTEM AS BACKLOGGED AS IT
HAS BEEN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SOME OF HIS CLIENTS LOST THEIR
JOBS BECAUSE THEIR CARS HAVE BEEN WRECKED AND THEY CAN’T GET
TO WORK.
INSURANCE WON’T PAY TO FIX THE
CAR WITHOUT A POLICE REPORT. >> IF THAT LANE IS BROKEN OR
HEAVILY DELAYED -- IT IS JUSTICE
DELAY.
>> Reporter: TO SEE HOW
WIDESPREAD THIS PROBLEM IS, WE SENT A SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES
LOCATED AROUND THE BAY AREA.
THE PANDEMIC DID IMPACT THEIR STAFFING LEVELS AND IN SOME WAYS
THERE WAS SPOT TIME TO PUBLIC
REQUESTS.
MOST SAY THEY ALREADY CORRECTED
THAT ISSUE.
>> Reporter: IN AN E-MAIL
RESPONSE TO OUR THREE QUESTIONS,
OAKLAND POLICE ACE TRAISEDTRACED BACK TO 2021, A REDUCTION IN
TRAFFIC UNIT FROM SEVEN OFFICERS TO JUST TWO.
OAKLAND POLICE SAY ALL REVIEWS
OF TRAFFIC REPORT TAKES PLACE ON
AN OVERTIME BASES.
BY MAY OF 2021, THERE WAS A BACKLOG OF 1800 REPORTS WAITING
FOR REVIEWED TO RELEASE TO THE
PUBLIC.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, SOME 300
REPORTS WERE STILL WAITING IN THE CUE FOR RELEASE TO THE
PUBLIC AND TO VICTIMS. >> I MEAN IN GENERAL COVID
AFFECTED US.
>> Reporter: POLICE SPOKESPERSON
JANINE LUNA TOLD US HER OFFICER
MANAGED TO FILE THE ACCIDENT IN
A TIMELY MANNER.
>> WHILE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN
SLIGHT DELAY BECAUSE OF STAFFING BUT THERE WAS NOT ANY CASES THAT
CAME OUT WHERE SOMEBODY FLAT OUT
DENIED. >> Reporter: THEY TOO FACE
CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF THE COVID
PANDEMIC.
>> WE LOST STAFF MEMBERS WORKING
FROM HOME AND DIFFERENT
POSITIONS AND LOCATIONS. >> Reporter: EVEN SO, SJPD
MANAGED TO STREAMLINE THEIR
ACCIDENT REPORTS SYSTEM MAKING IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS TO GET
REPORTS ONLINE. FASTER THAN BEFORE COVID.
>> FOR NON FATAL INJURIES OR
ACCIDENTS IMPROVED.
WE ALLOW OUR CITIZENS TO GO GET
THAT TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. THERE ARE FEW DEPARTMENTS IN THE
AREA THAT DID NOT ANSWER THREE
SIMPLE QUESTIONS HOW THEY HANDLE
THE PUBLIC REQUEST DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
NUMEROUS REQUESTS DATING BACK TO JANUARY, POLICE NEVER RESPONDED
AND SAN FRANCISCO PD DID GET
BACK TO US A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO.
FOUR MONTHS AFTER OUR FIRST
REQUEST WAS SENT TO THEM, ONLY
TO TELL US THEY COULD NOT TELL US HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET