"FiberMan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I received a citation for stop sign violation in California. I mailed a
> "Informal Discovery Request" to the city attorney, and also the police
> department, to view the notes made by the citing officer on the reverse
> side of the Notice to Appear. Last week I received a letter from the
> police department, telling me the document is ready. But they will not
> release the document unless I pay "special process fee" plus document
> copying fee to them. I am wondering if this is legal. Based on
> Califonia Penal Code 1054, I probably need to pay the copying fee. But
> should I pay the "special process fee" in order to get the document?
>

Probably so.

A year or so ago my son was hit by a drunk driver. The cops wouldn't
provide a copy of the report he needed at the time. So he went to the
police HQ a few days later to get a copy. They provided it, but for a fee.
My son didn't have the cash on him, so he had to go to a ATM machine and
come back later. Upon exchanging the cash for the report, he commented to
the desk officer "I always new some day I'd be robbed. I just never thought
it would be by the police." The desk officer was not amused.