Long Beach police officers want five days advance notice before the city releases their individual misconduct and use-of-force records to the public under a new state transparency law.

City contract negotiators have recommended the notification provision, along with the requirement that officers receive the names of individuals and organizations requesting their files. The new police contract — which includes pay raises offset by an increase in employee pension payments — goes to the City Council for consideration on Sept. 17.

Public access attorneys say the advance notification is an attempt to “chip away” at Senate Bill 1421, which makes available files on sexual misconduct and dishonesty cases as well as documents pertaining to police shootings and use of force. The new police transparency law took effect Jan. 1.

Glen Smith, litigation director for the First Amendment Coalition, said the notifications could have a chilling effect on requests for records.

“It can now be very intimidating, now that the officer is going to know you are the one requesting it,” Smith said, adding that the five-day notice would allow officers to request more redactions or go to court to block the release entirely.

“It’s definitely going to slow things down,” Smith said. “They are going to try to influence what gets released in a variety of ways.”

Smith predicted other police unions throughout California would pick up on the notification tactic.

James Foster, president of the Long Beach Police Officers Association, said the provision is merely an effort to even the field for police officers.

Foster said officers often don’t know the contents of the administrative investigations done on them.

“It would be grossly unfair for the officer to see this for the first time on the front page of the newspaper,” he said.

Foster noted that under state law, police officers can now submit public record requests on the people seeking information about them.

“The contract doesn’t (ask for) anything that isn’t already legally permissible,” Foster said.