Harrison v. Mickey
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A citizen sought access to police use of force reports under the Iowa Open Records Act. The Des Moines Police Department requires officers to complete a report whenever force is used, detailing the incident's specifics. The reports are reviewed by supervisors and used for accountability, training, and identifying trends. In 2020, 387 use of force reports were filed, with only a few resulting in disciplinary action.
The Iowa District Court for Polk County granted summary judgment in favor of the citizen, ordering the City of Des Moines to disclose the use of force reports. The court found that the reports were factual accounts of incidents and not evaluative or performance records, thus not exempt from disclosure under Iowa Code section 22.7(11). The court allowed redaction of information about officer injuries or medical treatment.
The Iowa Supreme Court reviewed the case and affirmed the district court's decision. The court held that the use of force reports are not exempt from disclosure under section 22.7(11) as they are factual reports, not confidential personnel records. The court also rejected the City's argument that the reports were protected under Iowa Code section 80F.1(20), as this section pertains to statements and interviews in response to complaints, not routine use of force reports. The court noted that any specific redactions could be justified on other legal grounds if necessary.
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