Tallahassee Sues to Reveal Names of Police Officers Involved in Use-of-Force Incidents
The City of Tallahassee, Florida, is challenging a state constitutional amendment that bolsters crime victims’ rights by curbing the state’s open-records laws.
Florida’s First District Court of Appeal ruled on April 6 in the case that the amendment, which shields the identities of crime victims, covers police officers who are victims of crime.
Tallahassee officials argue the ruling has the effect of interfering with the ability of the public to hold police accountable in a state renowned for its laws guaranteeing public access to government records.
The appeal comes less than a month after the U.S. Department of Justice decided not to pursue criminal charges against the still-unidentified U.S. Capitol Police officer involved in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt during the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, while Congress was in the process of officially certifying the 2020 presidential election results.