Councilmember Nick Licata
Seattle City Councilmember Licata issues statement
on police misconduct records ruling
Seattle – City Councilmember Nick Licata issued the following statement on today’s police misconduct records ruling:
“The state Supreme Court’s ruling today that law-enforcement reports on police misconduct are a matter of legitimate public concern and should be made public advances police accountability. The court also struck the right balance in allowing for personal identity redactions when not found guilty to protect the legitimate privacy interests of public employees.
“This decision sheds some much needed light on the murky issue about where the line protecting legitimate privacy interests of public employees’ ends and where the public’s right to know begins.
“I hope that the Court’s decision also clears the way for determining when the City is obligated to shield the identity of an officer who has engaged in misconduct.”
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