Court Reinstates Retired LAPD Officer's Mask Suit
A state appeals panel revived claims by a retired motorcycle officer who sued the city over its COVID-19 face covering policy.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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A three-justice panel of the Second District Court of Appeal reinstated causes of action brought by retired LAPD motorcycle officer Rick Knopf, who alleges the department failed to accommodate his medical condition. Knopf's attorneys have also filed requests for four categories of internal department records.
Why it matters
The ruling restores claims that a trial court had dismissed, keeping alive a dispute over how the LAPD handled medical exemptions to its 2020 mask requirement for officers. The records requests could shed light on how the department reviewed the case.
The case is back in Los Angeles Superior Court, where a hearing on Knopf's records request is set for January 8 and the city's dismissal motion for February 18. The city attorney's office has moved to dismiss the suit a second time.
The players
Rick Knopf
A retired Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer who sued the city over its COVID-19 face covering requirement.
Kevin Brazile
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge who dismissed Knopf's claims in 2022.
Los Angeles Police Department
The city's largest police agency, which implemented the 2020 face covering policy and found against Knopf in citizen complaints.
The details
Knopf, who was diagnosed in January 2020 with cough-variant asthma, upper airway cough syndrome and lung scarring, sued the city in July 2021 after the LAPD required officers to wear face coverings. Judge Kevin Brazile dismissed his claims in 2022, ruling that his physician's note did not bar him from wearing a face shield outdoors and that a maskless accommodation was unreasonable given the public risk.
Timeline
January 2020: Knopf is diagnosed with respiratory conditions.
May 2020: The LAPD adopts its face covering policy.
July 2021: Knopf files his lawsuit against the city.
August 2025: The appellate panel reinstates his claims.
January 8: Hearing on Knopf's records request.
Legal Context
The LAPD's May 2020 face covering policy, which required officers to wear masks when in contact with the public, is the backdrop for Knopf's suit. The appellate reinstatement means a disability and retaliation challenge to that policy will proceed further in court.
The case may affect how Los Angeles officers with medical conditions request exemptions from department policies. Residents may also see how the LAPD defends its handling of its pandemic-era rules.
The takeaway
The reinstated claims show that medical accommodation disputes over pandemic-era police rules can remain in court for years. Officers and departments alike may watch how the records requests and dismissal motions are resolved.
What happens next
A hearing on Knopf's request for internal LAPD records is scheduled for January 8, and the city's motion to dismiss is set for February 18.
Further reading
Explore more Law Enforcement coverage from Los Angeles for related police and legal developments.
Source note: This article includes information reported by My News LA.
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