Memphis Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

22 Feb, 2016

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

By Deborah Fisher|2016-02-22T07:53:12-06:00February 22, 2016|Categories: crime records|Tags: Commercial Appeal, crime records, Doug McGowen, Lucian Pera, Memphis, police body cameras, video|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 [...]

17 Feb, 2016

Memphis presents policy to deny access to body cam video, moves forward with purchase

By Deborah Fisher|2016-02-17T08:22:09-06:00February 17, 2016|Categories: crime records|Tags: Commercial Appeal, Lucian Pera, Memphis, police body cameras, Sevier County, TBI|0 Comments

The Commercial Appeal reports today that the city of Memphis is moving ahead with a multimillion-dollar plan to equip its police officers with body cams, but also presented a policy that would deny citizen requests to see video from the cameras if the video is related to an ongoing investigation. This would include incidents that involve an officer-involved shooting, Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen told council members. The proposed policy on access to video was not voted upon, and McGowen said the policy could be adjusted if it's not working, according to the Commercial Appeal. Lucian Pera, the Commercial Appeal's attorney, and president of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, was quoted [...]

15 Dec, 2015

TBI investigative file released in Memphis police shooting case

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T18:56:09-05:00December 15, 2015|Categories: crime records|Tags: Amy Weirich, James R. Newsom III, Mark Gywn, Memphis, police shootings, Shelby County, TBI|0 Comments

The Shelby County District Attorney has posted on her website TBI's investigative files into the shooting death of 19-year-old Darrius Stewart by a Memphis police officer in what may be one of the first times such TBI files have been made public. See Memphis Commercial Appeal story here: TBI files in Darrius Stewart case now open for public review Shelby County Chancellor James R. Newsom III ruled last week that the normally confidential files could be released after the district attorney, Amy Weirich, and TBI Director Mark Gwyn petitioned the court, saying that releasing the files would be in the public's interest. Weirich had recommended that the Shelby County grand jury indict Memphis police officer Connor [...]

10 Dec, 2015

New Memphis mayor to change city’s public records process, move it out of legal

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T18:55:58-05:00December 10, 2015|Categories: requests|Tags: Jim Strickland, Memphis, Mike Carpenter, public records request|0 Comments

New Memphis mayor Jim Strickland plans to implement at least one of the recommendations from a report earlier this year that suggested an overhaul of how the city handles public records request. In "Strickland says changes will improve communication," Commercial Appeal politics and policy reporter Ryan Poe writes: Among his first acts as Memphis mayor, Jim Strickland plans to shake up the city's public records process, which a report issued in May said was "inefficient" and at times had perhaps inadvertently violated the law. Doug McGowen (from left), Bruce McMullen, Ursula Madden, Jim Strickland, Brian Collins, Toney Armstrong As he announced several executive-level appointments Monday, Strickland he would make [...]

22 Aug, 2015

Police records shed light on use of lethal force in Memphis

By Deborah Fisher|2016-01-06T09:21:13-06:00August 22, 2015|Categories: crime records|Tags: Memphis, police records, The Commercial Appeal|0 Comments

The Commercial Appeal published a story yesterday that examined 22 shooting deaths of suspects by Memphis police since 2009. It is a clear example of how access to public records can shed light on local government operations, providing citizens and community leaders support and information for better understanding and tackling a problem. The sheer volume of people shot and killed by Memphis police over a period of five years might be startling, but the Commercial Appeal went farther with its analysis after poring through police records, including video from a home surveillance camera showing an officer shooting an unarmed suspect in the back as he fled. From the story, "CA Investigation: [...]