Pasadena Police Officers Ass'n v. City of Pasadena

*151 Following our decision in Pasadena Police Officers Assn. v. Superior Court (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 268 , 192 Cal.Rptr.3d 486 ( Pasadena Police ), the Los Angeles Times (Times) moved for attorney fees from the City of Pasadena (City) under the California Public Records Act ( Gov. Code, § 6259, subd. (d) ) (PRA). The Times also sought fees from the City, the two involved police officers and the Pasadena Police Officers Association (PPOA), under the private attorney general statute ( Code Civ. Proc., § 1021.5 (hereafter § 1021.5 ) ). The trial court ultimately awarded the Times limited fees under the PRA against the City and declined to award the Times any fees under section 1021.5. We affirm in part and reverse in part, with directions.

BACKGROUND

I. The trial court's decision on the merits 1

On March 24, 2012, just after 11:00 p.m., Pasadena Police Department (PPD) officers responded to a 911 call. The caller claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint by two men. Much later, the caller admitted he had falsely reported that the robbers were armed. Responding to the call, the officers proceeded in their squad car to the area of the alleged crime. As they approached the…