For more on Sunshine Week and freedom of information issues, including a sample request for public records, links to government websites and information on starting your own investigative reports, visit TriCities.com keyword: Sunshine.
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
BRISTOL, Va. –The Bristol Herald Courier reviewed six months of records requests in an effort to see what Bristolians on both sides of the state line hoped to learn about their respective city governments.
The answer? Well, there’s not much curiosity on the part of the people in either city.
Defense attorneys, a Colorado police tactics training company, and even a few public officials have glimpsed into local municipal files. But the average citizen’s thirst for public documents seems almost nonexistent – save for a few police reports on domestic disputes.
Our records review came as part of Sunshine Week, an annual event during which newspapers across the country promote the importance of open government and freedom of information laws to teach readers how to become government watchdogs.
The review of the document requests on the local front showed that city hall records are relatively easy to obtain, with most requests fulfilled within the week.
Also readily apparent was an interest in police reports – all but three of the 19 requests in both cities involved law enforcement.
In Tennessee’s citizen sector, two people wanted copies of all 911 calls and police activity concerning a pair of residences, and a third wanted the same information for their own home.
The remaining Tennessee requests came from the private sector, with most involving the Police Department:
• Three defense attorneys sought the recordings of six different 911 calls;
• A Sullivan County assistant district attorney wanted the recordings of all 911 calls to a particular address;
• WJHL Channel 11 pulled six months of crime data for a special report on crime patterns in the city.
• The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, when compiling information for a grant application, reviewed the crash reports for a State Street intersection;
• The Colorado-based Ti Training asked for the bid documents on a training simulator for the Police Department.
A few of the Tennessee requests strayed into other government departments, including:
• A Johnson City law firm asked for tax records;
• The Cedars Golf Course asked for all documents referencing the golf course since 2003;
• And a Herald Courier representative working on a story for Sunshine Week wanted e-mail correspondence between the mayor and the City Council.
The Virginia side netted three requests, all from the private sector and all asking for police reports.
• The Marion-based Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society sought any 911 calls and police activity concerning a particular address;
• WJHL Channel 11 pulled six months of crime data;
• The Herald Courier requested two years worth of accident reports.
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