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By Hanaa’ Tameez@hanaatameez May 18, 2021, 2:16 p.m.
May 18, 2021, 2:16 p.m.
In Shasta County, California, Annelise Pierce is the founder of the nonprofit news outlet Shasta Scout, where she covers underreported stories in her region of Northern California.
This past March, she published a story about a music producer associated with Bethel Church, an evangelical megachurch in Redding, California, who was producing a documentary series about recalling Shasta County supervisors (“Follow along as we drain our local swamp”). From her piece:
Onondaga County judge denies access to some allegations of misconduct against Syracuse police
Updated May 06, 2021;
Syracuse, N.Y. An Onondaga County judge has ruled unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct against Syracuse police officers do not have to be released under open records laws.
The ruling Wednesday came after the New York Civil Liberties Union sued the city and its police department for access to all allegations of misconduct against officers.
Judge Gerard Neri’s decision falls in line with an opinion from the Committee on Open Government, a state agency that issues guidance on open records laws. Neri’s decision is at odds with decisions of other judges, including in Erie County, where a judge found unsubstantiated allegations could be released under open records laws.
Troy releases final police reform report findings troyrecord.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from troyrecord.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
EDITORIAL: FOIL is a tool, but be prepared to follow up | The Daily Gazette
SECTIONS
So you’re interested in obtaining some records from your state or local government or school district, and you want to go about asking for them.
For that, you need to first familiarize yourself with New York’s Freedom of Information Law, or FOIL.
There are strict rules that governments must follow in deciding when or when not to release records, and there is a process for citizens to follow to request those records.
For starters, the Freedom of Information Law is based on the presumption of access if the government has a record, it’s assumed to be available as long as there are no legal restrictions against releasing the records.
The right of constituents to access records that governmental bodies have collected as well as attend public meetings where vital issues are discussed remains an essential component in how we practice democracy.
A self-governing system demands that citizens have access to accurate information about what their governments are doing. We canât make good decisions about how to structure society if those granted authority to preside over these matters conduct the peopleâs business in secret.
Laws enacted in all jurisdictions require public officials to make certain records available upon request and hold their meetings in the open. Exceptions are made to protect sensitive interests, but these are meant to be invoked only when necessary.