Velvet
by Mbrock. 04/28/24 09:16 PM
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882317
08/19/19 09:21 AM
08/19/19 09:21 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 21,784 USA
Remington270
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 21,784
USA
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Can some one knowledgeable tell me if someone files a theft report; is that information available to the public? Have a contractor claiming his trailer and materials for my project was stolen and trying to determine if it's a BS excuse. City of Fultondale is locale. thanks That's on him, not you. If his truck got stolen, would that be your fault too?
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Re: Police report access
[Re: Remington270]
#2882319
08/19/19 09:22 AM
08/19/19 09:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725 Birmingham
wew3006
OP
Booner
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OP
Booner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725
Birmingham
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Can some one knowledgeable tell me if someone files a theft report; is that information available to the public? Have a contractor claiming his trailer and materials for my project was stolen and trying to determine if it's a BS excuse. City of Fultondale is locale. thanks That's on him, not you. If his truck got stolen, would that be your fault too? I understand that and what I told him; just trying to determine if BS.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882351
08/19/19 09:56 AM
08/19/19 09:56 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778 Fayetteville TN Via Selma
jawbone
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778
Fayetteville TN Via Selma
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Can some one knowledgeable tell me if someone files a theft report; is that information available to the public? Have a contractor claiming his trailer and materials for my project was stolen and trying to determine if it's a BS excuse. City of Fultondale is locale. thanks Certain parts of police Reports are Public Record. To be as simple about it as I can, the front page is public record, the back is not. Since this was my area of concern when I was over Administration of a PD, that is the best rule of thumb to follow, but there can occasionally be exceptions, but they are not too often. Edited to be clear that this is in Alabama. I don't know about other states. About 15 years or so Alabama's Uniform Incident/Offense Report Form was revised for this very reason. Anyone can see the front, but access to the back is limited.
Last edited by jawbone; 08/19/19 09:58 AM.
Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882370
08/19/19 10:16 AM
08/19/19 10:16 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778 Fayetteville TN Via Selma
jawbone
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778
Fayetteville TN Via Selma
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Thanks JB; the lady that answered phone said not public record. Do I have to go there or can they tell me on phone if one was filed; that's the only information I am looking for. If the guy had a real problem; I will cut him a bit of slack, time wise, to get re-organized. If he is lying; I am done with him. They should tell you over the phone, but there is no guarantee because if someone told you it was not public record since she doesn't know what she is talking about.
Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882383
08/19/19 10:36 AM
08/19/19 10:36 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725 Birmingham
wew3006
OP
Booner
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OP
Booner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725
Birmingham
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This is pretty funny; I called again and she said not public. When I told her that the front page was public record; she said only too the press/media outlets. So; I asked why they are different from any other private citizen?? She then looked; though I don't think very hard. She said she did not see anything; but I can't be sure under what name a report may have been filed. But; Fultondale is not a big jurisdiction. Seems like law enforcement should know the law? Thanks JB
Last edited by wew3006; 08/19/19 10:36 AM.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882396
08/19/19 10:53 AM
08/19/19 10:53 AM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 18,846 .
ford150man
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 18,846
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Tell her you’re with the Aldeer Gazette.
If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.-Mark Twain
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882397
08/19/19 10:54 AM
08/19/19 10:54 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778 Fayetteville TN Via Selma
jawbone
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778
Fayetteville TN Via Selma
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You are correct. Public Record means just what it says. There are no stipulations in it for the press or anyone else. I'd call the officer that is over Administration and explain why you need to know and get them to help you and then suggest they teach the employees that deal with records about Open Record laws. There is actually a guy that gave himself a title of a one man group, that sends ridiculous requests for reports to PD all over the country and when they don't comply he sues them. He has apparently made a living doing this. The request we got from him was for about 6 mos of Accident Reports. We counted them up and I sent him a letter back that stated that copies were $5 each so when he sends a a check for the amount due (it was over $1000), we would send him copies with the driver's personal info redacted. He said we can't do that and he would sue us. I said go ahead and never heard another word about it.
Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882408
08/19/19 11:21 AM
08/19/19 11:21 AM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956 Round ‘bout there
Clem
Mildly Quirky
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Mildly Quirky
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956
Round ‘bout there
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This is pretty funny; I called again and she said not public. When I told her that the front page was public record; she said only too the press/media outlets. This is absolute bullshittt. She is stupid, lying or they don't want people to get them. PUBLIC RECORDS ARE PUBLIC RECORDS and there is not anything they can do about it to prevent you from getting them. There is no "why do you need this?" qualification, no media/press qualification, nada, unless it's their "policy" and if that's the case you need to sue the shittt out of that department and city. Cities try this all the time. "Why do you need it? Those are only for the press." and other stupid barriers. They don't want you to have it, plain and simple. State agencies often are the same way. I once had to threaten a lawsuit to get salary information for an agency, which didn't want to give it simply because "you don't need it." Public records are for the public. Fight their asses about this.
"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter
"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013
"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
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Re: Police report access
[Re: Clem]
#2882409
08/19/19 11:24 AM
08/19/19 11:24 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 21,784 USA
Remington270
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 21,784
USA
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Public records are for the public. Fight their asses about this.
Agree
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Re: Police report access
[Re: jawbone]
#2882412
08/19/19 11:27 AM
08/19/19 11:27 AM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956 Round ‘bout there
Clem
Mildly Quirky
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Mildly Quirky
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956
Round ‘bout there
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You are correct. Public Record means just what it says. There are no stipulations in it for the press or anyone else. I'd call the officer that is over Administration and explain why you need to know and get them to help you and then suggest they teach the employees that deal with records about Open Record laws. There is actually a guy that gave himself a title of a one man group, that sends ridiculous requests for reports to PD all over the country and when they don't comply he sues them. He has apparently made a living doing this. The request we got from him was for about 6 mos of Accident Reports. We counted them up and I sent him a letter back that stated that copies were $5 each so when he sends a a check for the amount due (it was over $1000), we would send him copies with the driver's personal info redacted. He said we can't do that and he would sue us. I said go ahead and never heard another word about it. Charging a nominal fee is fine. Many agencies and departments do this. Nothing wrong with that. Some places may be $1, some may be $2.50 or even $5, which is high but still in that "I gotta have it, here's five bucks" range. Some have taken it to obscene levels, though, such as $25 or more per copy. That's incredibly outrageous, of course, in today's electronic era when things can be easily called up and printed. The high prices are nothing but blatant attempts to deter, usually from Tiny Town Asshole Agency-Mayor-Chief-Boss-Secretary, to try to get what they believe is the "nosy public" from "snooping" in public business. I know of a small city that reportedly pays its administrative assistants (secretaries) in the high five figures. To get the salary records -- which are public record -- would indeed require a lawsuit because the city wouldn't hand them over. But they're public records for anyone to see. Transparency shouldn't be this difficult, yet it always is.
"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter
"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013
"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882414
08/19/19 11:29 AM
08/19/19 11:29 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778 Fayetteville TN Via Selma
jawbone
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,778
Fayetteville TN Via Selma
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"They don't want you to have it, plain and simple."
I don't think a minimum wage clerk cares if he has the info or not, I think she just doesn't want to get off her ass and do her job.
Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882415
08/19/19 11:31 AM
08/19/19 11:31 AM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956 Round ‘bout there
Clem
Mildly Quirky
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Mildly Quirky
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956
Round ‘bout there
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Good to hear, wew3006.
You're correct, Jawbone.
"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter
"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013
"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
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Re: Police report access
[Re: jawbone]
#2882416
08/19/19 11:31 AM
08/19/19 11:31 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725 Birmingham
wew3006
OP
Booner
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OP
Booner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 10,725
Birmingham
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"They don't want you to have it, plain and simple."
I don't think a minimum wage clerk cares if he has the info or not, I think she just doesn't want to get off her ass and do her job. that was exactly the impression I got
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Re: Police report access
[Re: wew3006]
#2882459
08/19/19 12:47 PM
08/19/19 12:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956 Round ‘bout there
Clem
Mildly Quirky
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Mildly Quirky
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,956
Round ‘bout there
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There is no liability. The front page, as Jawbone said, is public record. The back page with more specific details is what is protected and not handed out.
If Montgomery does not give out reports, they are violating the law about open records. They probably are, don't care, and are like many other cities that cause the requesting party to force the issue (as wew3006 did by knowing the right thing to ask).
Citizens should not be prohibited from obtaining public records. It doesn't matter why they want them. They are public records.
"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter
"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013
"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
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