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A&A: Are worker’s comp claims public documents?

FAC July 27, 2011

Q: Are worker’s comp claims public documents, and, if so, can I file the standard public records’ request with the local public institution involved? A: California’s Labor Code provides that “[e]xcept as expressly permitted [elsewhere in the statute], a person or public or private entity not a party to a claim for workers’ compensation benefits may not obtain individually identifiable information obtained or maintained by the division on that claim. For purposes of this section,

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Should police name officers who use deadly force?

FAC July 19, 2011

The practice of withholding the names of police officers who use deadly force is coming under scrutiny from the American Civil Liberties Union, which says it might go to court to enforce the state’s public records act. On Monday a San Francisco officer shot and killed a 19-year-old man who allegedly fired at police in the city’s Bayview district. On July 3 a BART officer shot a 45-year-old man who allegedly threatened officers with a

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‘News of World’ phone hacks too ‘phreaking’ easy says noted hacker

FAC July 11, 2011

The British tabloid News of the World has gone extinct following accusations that the editors and reporters hacked the voicemail of celebrities, royalty and even crime victims. In fact, accusations have poured in so fast and furiously that one begins to wonder if the organization’s entire news budget went to hackers.  CNET asked a somewhat different question: if a bunch of tabloid reporters and editors can do it, how hard can it be to hack

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A&A: Making a FOIA request to the Dept. of Homeland Security

FAC July 11, 2011

Q: I’m an investigative reporter trying to obtain information from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection regarding the 32 miles of the northern border  that are considered secure; about the number of drugs, guns and weapons crossing over the border; staffing levels compared to the southern border. They say some information can’t be provided because it’s “law enforcement sensitive.” Is that a valid excuse? If not, how do I request the

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A&A: Police claims officer ‘use of force’ reports personnel not public issue

FAC July 8, 2011

Q: We are a police monitoring and accountability organization. For awhile we have been concerned about police use of force; where it is occurring and under what circumstances, and which officers are involved. We have twice asked for this information from the Police Department. Once, for several years worth of reports, which were denied to us on the grounds that they were ”evaluative reports of officer conduct akin to a personnel matter.” We made a

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