POLICING THE POLICE: BARRIERS TO ACCESSING LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLIC RECORDS

Abstract

Police, the ones responsible for maintaining safety and public order, are often unaccounted for and able to slip past requirements for transparency. Journalists know too well how hard it can be to obtain public records. But why is this? This study attempted to answer that question by reviewing literature that relates to police department transparency and public records issues. Findings indicate that barriers to law enforcement information include legal loopholes, excessive controls by public information officers, friction between government and journalists, and flaws in the public records process. This thesis concludes with recommendations for journalists and others who want to shed more light on law enforcement.