LAWRENCE — The Baldwin City Police Department got high marks from the Lawrence Journal-World for complying with open records requests. The newspaper reported it filed open record requests with law enforcement agencies in Douglas County. The Baldwin City Police Department had received one complaint, and provided — at no cost — a document detailing the allegation and disciplinary action taken against the officer to the paper. The Journal-World said all other agencies refused or restricted access to the information. The Douglas County Sheriff’s office, the Lawrence Police Department and the Eudora Police Department denied the paper’s requests, but provided brief case summaries of the complaints they have received. The kansas University Department of Public Safety denied the request, but provided — at a cost of $132 — brief case summaries of the three complaints it has received since 2008. Those agencies denied the Journal-World’s full request on grounds that such records exempted because they are personnel records. However, the paper said that under state law, the exemption is discretionary, and that those agencies may choose to release the information.
Monday, Dec. 12, 4 p.m.
