Frustration

[sagamockingbird]

I braved the cold wind to trek to the county police headquarters to get a copy of the police report on the car accident that resulted in my father's death. My mom needs it to send in with some life insurance paperwork. The card she was given by the police at the time of the accident says that you can either pick it up at the police records office

Comments

[inanna710]

As I recall from my time committing journalism, police reports are public information. Period. Granted, that was in Illinois, and MO has a less SunShine-y open records policy. But my point is, I think the police do not have a defensible position here. It's entirely possible that if you went back, pressed the issue, and asked for a higher-ranking officer, you'd get what you wanted. Especially if you invoked your rights under the Open Records statute, AKA the Sunshine Law. There's probably a summary of the law available on the state's page.

I also agree with you that the desk jockey doesn't even seem to be following the department's own rules, in that the form just says "relative."

Yet another reason I so hated the police beat as a junior reporter -- police can indeed be pigs.

[sagamockingbird]

One of my U.City cop friends said that I should've asked for a superior and I would have gotten it. I'll just have my mom get it notarized at the bank and mail it in.

[lystara]

Good Lord, you really gotta hate the bureaucracy of some idiots. HOpe your mother getting it notarized will make a difference.

[vita2233]

I hate cops. They're never helpful.

[sagamockingbird]

These weren't cops. They were office flunkies with an inflated sense of their own importance.