Memphis

5 Oct, 2017

Memphis mayor proposes new open data policy

By |2017-10-05T10:53:43-05:00October 5, 2017|Categories: open data|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says he wants "to take our transparency to a new level" with a new open data policy. Through the end of October, the mayor's office is asking for feedback on the draft policy. Here is an excerpt: CITY OF MEMPHIS OPEN DATA POLICY Jim Strickland, mayor of Memphis I. Purpose The City of Memphis is committed to expanding the data it makes available to the public and providing the tools for understanding and interpretation of the data. To realize this commitment, this Open Data Policy sets forth the principles for the Memphis Open Data Program and establishes the Data Governance Committee. The Data Governance [...]

28 Jul, 2017

Appeals Court: Records in Memphis police chief search not public

By |2020-02-23T10:10:18-06:00July 28, 2017|Categories: functional equivalent, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

The Court of Appeals ruled this week that applications sent to a police association charged with interviewing and identifying finalists for a new Memphis police chief last year do not have to be released under the state's public records law. The International Association of Chiefs of Police was contracted by the city of Memphis for $40,000 to conduct a search for a new director of police, identify and interview semifinalists and "recommend a group (approximately six) of the most highly qualified candidates for further on-site evaluation." Last summer, a reporter with The Commercial Appeal requested to see all applications, noting he was "primarily interested in the finalists," but the city [...]

7 Sep, 2016

Memphis Bar Association to host deep dive into Darrius Stewart police shooting case

By |2017-03-21T16:58:45-05:00September 7, 2016|Categories: crime records, Open Courts, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

The Memphis Bar Association is hosting "Covering Police-Involved Shootings: A Deep Dive into the Darrius Stewart Case" on Sept. 28 as part of a daylong program bringing together journalists, lawyers and policymakers. Participants will have an opportunity to hear and interact with lawyers, judges, prosecutors and reporters who were involved in the Stewart case or covered it. Roy L. Austin Jr. Roy Austin Jr., deputy assistant to President Obama and Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity, will be the keynote speaker at lunch and share a national and policy perspective on police shootings. Later in the day, veteran reporters and lawyers will [...]

23 Feb, 2016

Memphis mayor says body cam video cannot be released if part of investigation

By |2016-02-24T10:26:26-06:00February 23, 2016|Categories: crime records|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. Click on picture to see the full Fox13 report. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told Memphis TV journalist Greg Coy that video footage from body cam video cannot be released if the event it records is under investigation. The quote came during a story by Coy on the whether citizens will have access to video footage created by body cameras. "By law, it can't be revealed just like a paper document that is evidence. All evidence, whether it is a gun, whether it is a paper or whether it is video, if it is under investigation it cannot be released,” Mayor Strickland said. From the story: The city [...]

22 Feb, 2016

CA: Indefinite holding of police body-cam video would destroy purpose of having the cameras

By |2016-02-22T07:53:12-06:00February 22, 2016|Categories: crime records|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

The Commercial Appeal makes the point in an editorial over the weekend that a proposed policy to keep body cam video confidential until after an investigation into a police-involved shooting is finished could mean months or even years before citizens get to see it. Following is the Commercial Appeal's editorial, reprinted here with permission: During discussions at Memphis City Council meetings about the use of police body cameras, a point was made that should put citizens on alert. Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen, talking about proposed policy issues regarding the use and release of body-camera video to the public, proffered that the Police Department would deny any records requests related [...]

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