ACLU of Missouri files petition challenging policy related to accessing arrest reports

St. Louis, MO -- Today, the ACLU of Missouri filed a petition against the Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis (SLMPD) for creating artificial barriers intended to make it more difficult for the public to access open records in accordance with the Missouri Sunshine Law.

Mustafa Abdullah, lead organizer at the ACLU of Missouri, requested all arrest reports from June 1, 2016, and June 2, 2016, to investigate ACLU of Missouri’s concerns regarding the SLMPD’s new mobile app that may be wrongfully targeting and causing discrimination against the homeless. Despite the fact that arrest reports are open records and Missouri law limits governmental bodies to a charge of 10 cents per page, Abdullah was told he would need to pay a flat fee of $6.50 for each arrest report. In addition, although arrest reports are not subject to redaction, SLMPD told Abdullah he would need to pay city legal staff to redact the reports. To gain access to the 138 arrest records from a two-day period, SLMPD demanded $1,377.00.

“It is disappointing that the ACLU of Missouri must take repeated legal action for taxpayers in St. Louis to access public information. By illegally demanding exorbitant flat fee payments for arrest reports, the SLMPD is making it harder for taxpaying citizens to access open public records,” explained Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU of Missouri.

“Good policing includes good community relationships and transparency,” said Jeffrey A. Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri. “Now, more than ever, the SLMPD should be following Missouri’s laws requiring transparency to build community support and trust instead of creating artificial barriers that reduce transparency and accountability.”

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