Miss. Ethics Commission's first ruling favors openness

In first decision since it was created to "mediate disputes over open meetings and public records" rulings, the Mississippi Ethics Commission decided that a blogger was entitled to redacted police polices. The city attorney's office had denied James Hendrix's request for two initial police incident reports on the kidnapping of Elizabeth Hall and homicide of Heather Spencer, both on Sept. 11, 2007. Officials had argued that the documents were exempt from open records laws.

In its first ruling since gaining new authority, the Mississippi Ethics Commission has ruled a private citizen is entitled to redacted Jackson police initial incident reports involving George Bell III in the slaying of his ex-girlfriend.

"We came down on the side of openness," Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Hood said of the first advisory opinion in a records dispute.

In May, Gov. Haley Barbour signed the legislation into law, and it was later cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice giving the Ethics Commission authority to mediate disputes over open meetings and public records and issue rulings or opinions based on the law.

More here.

Read our blog post on the decision to create the ethics commission here.

Arkansas Reporter Wins Award for FOI Work

Helena Daily World reporter Michele Page has achieved a personal zenith in her three years of journalism as recipient of the Arkansas Press Association’s Freedom of Information Award.
Page was honored at the APA’s Super Convention Friday night at the Wyndam Riverfront in North Little Rock.

On accepting the award Page said, “It’s such an honor to be recognized along those that have dedicated 50 years to journalism. They forged the way for today’s journalists and I’m very pleased to meet and be included with leaders of our industry.

“The FOIA opens government to the public and makes sure it stays there,” Page continued. “I’ll continue to fight for the people’s right to know.”

Working under the supervision of Managing Editor Randy Hogan, Page was able to get the Helena-West Helena Police Department to correct years of departmental policy where citizens and businesses were overcharged for incident reports, and pressed to see that the FOIA was upheld after the HWHPD failed to fully comply to a records request, netting a rare arrest for alleged FOIA violation.

Hogan said of the honor: “The Freedom of Information Act is a precious right and freedom that we enjoy as Arkansans and Americans. Michele has worked diligently to ensure that the residents of Helena-West Helena and Phillips County have access to all of the records they are allowed under the law. She has done an excellent job of defending the FOIA. We at the Daily World are proud of her accomplishments and congratulate her on this prestigious award.”

More here.

Now THAT is Good News!

The Meridian, Mississippi, Police Department and Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department readily complied this week to a new state law that makes law enforcement incident reports public record.

Both agencies provided full reports — complete with narrative descriptions of the incidents — within an hour of the requests.

"The information that is released through the initial incident report in the case will not affect the investigation of that case," said Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie Wednesday. "I don't see where anything will change for us."

The new law clarifies that incident reports are public records. The reports through a narrative will give basic information when someone is arrested, such as who is involved and where and when an alleged crime took place. The bill was pushed by the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information and other open-government groups. Law officers can withhold names of confidential informants.

More here.

MIssissippi Gov Signs Incident Reports Bill

Without commenting this week, Barbour signed legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to provide a narrative description of an alleged crime, including the name of the person charged; time, date and location of the crime; any property or vehicle involved; and investigating officers' names. Other, more detailed information, including names of informants or witnesses and investigative techniques, are exempt from disclosure.

House Judiciary A Chairman Ed Blackmon Jr., D-Canton, tried for several years to pass similar legislation but always faced a law enforcement community reluctant to make the reports public by law.

"I think it's clarifying legislation in letting law enforcement people know what it is they are obligated to release and what they don't have to release," Blackmon said of House Bill 474.

This year, Rep. John Mayo, D-Clarksdale, introduced the bill in a slate of sunshine reform legislation backed by the Mississippi Press Association and the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information.

Barbour spokesman Pete Smith called the law "a good compromise," a sentiment echoed by Center for Freedom of Information Director Jeanni Atkins.

"What we ended up with is something that we can live with and something that law enforcement can live with," she said.

More here.