The NYPD is doing an effective job in disciplining rogue cops. That's the finding of a blue ribbon panel of legal experts. But, that same panel says the department has a transparency problem. The NYPD can't let the public know about how it reprimands cops.

That's because of a state privacy law protecting the personnel records of officers.

Former United States Attorney for New York Mary Jo White headed up the panel and said, "You don't know whether to have confidence or not when you don't have the information to show what actually being done. What the outcome areas."

Last June, the NYPD asked White along with Robert Capers who is a former United States Attorney in Brooklyn and Barbara Jones a former federal judge to look at its discipline process. Police unions said the process could be too heavy handed. Some community advocates complained the process should be tougher.

The panel says New York State Civil Rights law 50-a, the privacy law should be changed so the department can release discipline records to let the public know when officers are reprimanded.

Capers said of the NYPD, "They have a robust policy and procedure in place." He added, "They have a number of professionals, both uniformed members and civilians, lawyers who are committed to continuing to evolve to have a fair disciplinary process."

Along with trying to be as transparent as possible there are other serious recommendations from the panel for the police department.

Including:

• Standardize the punishment for each infraction.
• More aggressively investigate and punish officers who make false statements and those who commit domestic violence.
• Upgrade its system of tracking discipline.

Police Commissioner James O'Neill says he fully accepts the findings, saying, "All their recommendations we are going to move forward with. But, again we have to make sure that it is a system that is fair and we get what we desire. And what do we desire? We desire a change in behavior and to make sure we can be a police department that is as effective and efficient as possible."

The Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents cops blasted the panel. It said it is bowing to the demands of anti-police, pro-criminal advocates.  It is also upset the NYPD is welling to release disciplinary records of police officers."