It was a session of highs and lows, as far as Colorado bills concerning government transparency. Among the positive developments in 2021: Legislators passed two police accountability bills that require more transparency from law enforcement agencies. On the downside: Lawmakers approved a bill allowing public bodies to disclose one finalist when choosing a city manager, […]
Read More… from Colorado lawmakers wrap 2021 session with mixed marks on transparency scorecard
Body-cameras, heralded as a technology to enhance police transparency, haven’t done enough to ensure the public’s right to know, because agencies often heavily edit the footage. Not only does such editing obscure the footage, it also adds substantial costs and delays. That’s according to transparency experts and advocates who spoke to the Daily Memphian for […]
Opening police records to routine and systematic public scrutiny is the way to stop officer misconduct, argues First Amendment Coalition Executive Director David Snyder in an op-ed published in The Mercury News. Snyder wrote in support of California bills to enhance police transparency, including SB 16, which would require disclosure of records related to misconduct. […]
A project funded by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting finds that most states keep police misconduct records secret or difficult to access. But 15 states have laws allowing such records to be available to the public. That’s an increase from a few years ago. The project analyzed police misconduct record laws in all 50 […]
Read More… from Project analyzes police misconduct record laws in all 50 states
The National Freedom of Information Coalition, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, surveyed and questioned its state and local affiliates in the Winter and Spring of 2021 to obtain each affiliate’s top policy priorities and top perceived threats to transparency. The NFOIC released some results of its online survey in its “States of Denial” report, […]
In Maine, police officer discipline records are public documents. But law enforcement agencies often evade transparency. That’s according to a joint investigation by the Bangor Daily News and Portland Press Herald, with funding from the Pulitzer Center. Among the findings: It was impossible to tell from available records why most of the 19 state police […]
Read More… from In spite of law, Maine police conceal officer discipline records, newspapers report
The California-based First Amendment Coalition has sued the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for failing to provide information about deputy misconduct and use of force. The sheriff’s office responded to records requests with unjustified delays and denials, according to the lawsuit. “Unfortunately, the public has largely been left in the dark about the Ventura County Sheriff’s […]
Like every other human behavior, crime has consequences, and not only for victims and their families. Perpetrators eventually find out that a criminal record can be a major impediment to getting a job, housing or educational benefits. Efforts currently underway in the General Assembly to automatically expunge certain criminal records in Virginia are an attempt […]
Read More… from Editorial: Public has a right to see criminal records
Michigan State Police launched a new Transparency and Accountability webpage on Friday aimed to provide easy access to information about the administration and operation of the MSP. Information includes department policies, strategic plan, training requirements, recruiting and staffing numbers and use of force and traffic stop data. Additionally, Director Col. Joe Gasper said there will […]
Read More… from Michigan State Police launches new Transparency and Accountability webpage
A King County judge’s order that The Seattle Times and other media must turn over unpublished content to the police is a blow to independent journalism. The order imperils journalists documenting this summer’s historic protests and sends the wrong message about the media as a check on government power. Journalists’ unique role and responsibility is […]
Read More… from Editorial: Washington Judge’s order imperils journalistic independence
