When the public's right to know runs into an individual's right to privacy, a statewide public records audit conducted in March shows that most Shoals law enforcement agencies choose privacy even when the law calls for openness. An average citizen . . .
When the public's right to know runs into an individual's right to privacy, a statewide public records audit conducted in March shows that most Shoals law enforcement agencies choose privacy even when the law calls for openness. An average citizen asking to see the front page of an incident/offense report at a local agency will get a wide variety of responses - from fairly easy access in Sheffield to no access at all at the Colbert, Lauderdale and Lawrence county sheriff's offices. Of the 12 police departments surveyed in Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence and Marion counties, four denied public access to the reports.

Two of those, Muscle Shoals and Rogersville, are writing new public access policies, and the reports are now available upon request. When a surveyor visited Tuscumbia, Chief Larry McAnnally was not available. The surveyor, a University of North Alabama student named David Rickman, said no one in the office "had a clue what (he) was asking for."

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