For the past several years police departments around the United States have been betting on “big data” to revolutionize the way they predict, measure and, ideally, prevent crime.
Some data scientists are now turning the lens on law enforcement itself in an effort to increase public insight into how well police officers are doing their jobs.
[…]
Read More… from Beware of ‘big data hubris’ when it comes to police reform
New Jersey's highest court is weighing whether police departments should be given broad discretion over which documents to release under the state's public records laws.
News organizations and civil liberties advocates say a decision in the case, which involves records from a police shooting requested by a media company, will have broad implications for transparency in New Jersey.
[…]
Read More… from What police records should be public? New Jersey Supreme Court to decide
Rochelle Reynolds had lots of questions after her 25-year-old son, John, died following an early-morning encounter with police in the western Colorado town of Olathe in April 2015.
The Montrose County coroner ruled the death a suicide: John Reynolds, a registered sex offender with an active felony warrant for his arrest, fatally wounded himself with a sword-shaped letter opener before being Tased by an officer and then handcuffed.
[…]
Read More… from A mother’s quest for police records on the death of her son
Houston authorities declined this week to open up their case files on Victor Reyes, a Mexican national with a long criminal record whose 2015 shooting spree killed two and wounded three before he was killed by a police officer.
The move by Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman highlights the veil of secrecy hanging over the files of foreign nationals convicted of crimes — including the so-called “worst of the worst” that immigration authorities say remain a primary focus for deportation.
[…]
Read More… from Houston Sheriff still shielding killer’s record
Three police cars scream down your street and officers stay in your neighbor's home for an hour before leaving.
You want to know what happened, but you don't want to ask the neighbor.
A Freedom of Information Act request for the police report should answer your question, right? Continue>>>
======
[…]
Read More… from Opinion: Not all government records are open to the public
Opinion from The Californian: The word “restraint” and the First Amendment usually exist in uneasy tension.
The 45 words of the First Amendment don’t include it. The Pentagon Papers case in 1971 settled the issue of “prior restraint” by the government on what the press may publish: Nothing doing.
[…]
Read More… from Gene Policinski: ‘When’ and ‘why’ we need to hear 911 calls
Newtown school shooting 911 calls reveal a mixture of calm and anguish from the callers, and gunshots from the assailant are heard in the background, audio recordings released on Dec. 4 reveal.
Officials in Newtown, Connecticut, released recordings of 911 emergency phone calls from the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
[…]
Read More… from Newtown 911 tapes released after court fight
From Portland Press Herald: (Nov. 14, 2013) The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled unanimously in favor of the Portland Press Herald’s appeal requesting authorities to release transcripts of 911 calls in a Biddeford murder case, opening the door on whether other 911 recordings are public record.
[…]
Read More… from Maine Supreme Court ordered to release 911 transcripts in Biddeford murder case
From WICS.com: A judge has ruled in favor of ABC Newschannel 20 and other media outlets in a Freedom of Information Act case surrounding some Springfield Police internal affairs files.
[…]
The city is ordered to release the documents ABC Newschannel 20 requested. As soon as we receive them, we will report on them.
Visit WICS.com for more.
======
[…]
Read More… from Judge orders city to release police internal affairs files
From NFOIC: A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
[…]
Read More… from NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for October 18, 2013
