Police agencies oppose making discipline records public
May 19, 2021
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Some police agencies in Virginia are opposing legislation that would make disciplinary records public, saying the move could lead to police leaders sweeping misconduct under the rug.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that agency representatives spoke Tuesday to a Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council subcommittee. Representatives of the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association and the Virginia Association of Counties were among those expressing concerns.
The bill sponsored by Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News, would require release of law enforcement disciplinary records. The public already learns about officers charged with crimes, but people should also know about misconduct that doesn’t rise to that level, said Mullin.
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FOIA bill allows some access to criminal investigation records General Assembly Building (FILE) (Source: WVIR) By Anya Sczerzenie | April 16, 2021 at 3:42 PM EDT - Updated April 16 at 3:42 PM
RICHMOND, Va. - A bill allowing the public access to limited criminal investigation records will go into effect in July, along with a handful of other bills related to government transparency.
Del. Chris Hurst, D-Blacksburg, a former television reporter, introduced House Bill 2004. The bill requires files related to non-ongoing criminal investigations be released under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law.
“I’d been a journalist for 10 years, and I frequently saw that access to police records was very difficult,” Hurst said. “In denying those records, accountability and transparency were lost.”