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by Charles L. Cotton
Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

I see double standards are alive and well.

I know full well the legalities of emails whether on one's own computer, an employer's computer, or a government agency's computer. My problem is hypocrisy. While there may or may not be a legal significance, there is absolutely no moral distinction the comments being made by the Chief or anyone on this forum. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

I know the Chief, I know how he runs his department, I know what he has done for Friendswood and I know how he feels about the Second Amendment. He's a retired Marine Corps. Col. and yes his "language" got rather salty. But he didn't publish his comments, that was done by a lowlife dirtbag that no one here seems to condemn. The Chief's comments were private emails to friends and colleagues. (Again, I'm not speaking in legal terms.) To those who want to end his career and cost Friendswood an excellent Chief, how about sending me an unaltered copy of your hard drive and I'll see if I can find something you would rather not be made public.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:13 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

Beiruty wrote:That PD boss, should resign or get fired. Period.
You condemn the Chief, but not the criminal who hacked numerous law enforcement servers. Interesting.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:06 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

GrillKing wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
Jumping Frog wrote:So, to make a long story short, no. I have zero sympathy for the police chief venting in email. He is a public servant and his email are public records. He should know better.

Show us the statute that supports this.

Chas.
I am not a lawyer, but I do work for a State agency and deal with ORRs on a regular basis. If these emails were on a government system they absolutely are government records. Some records must be released w/o review. Some records cannot be released. Most records must be released but the agency can request a review by the OAG. If this request to the OAG is not made in a timely fashion the record must be released. The OAG can determine whether the record must be released, released in redacted form or not released. I suspect these are releasable if on a government email system.

Even releasable documents can contain automatic redaction of certain things - names of non involved parties, ss#'s, addresses, etc.

The fact that it is electronic (email) does not negate the fact that it is a government recd. I can't disclose my agency, but I can tell you that they take this seriously and comply to the letter and intent of the law.

Good advice was previously given, if you email it, there is a chance you and the recipients won't be the only ones to see it....

OAG opinion: https://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/og_faqs.shtml
I know all this; I use ORR rather extensively. My question to Jumping Frog is to show me the statue to support his claim that all of the Chief's emails are public record.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:32 am
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

Jumping Frog wrote:So, to make a long story short, no. I have zero sympathy for the police chief venting in email. He is a public servant and his email are public records. He should know better.

Show us the statute that supports this.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:30 am
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

Jumping Frog wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:Some are, some aren't, but the way to get them is by way of an Open Records Request; not by hacking into the computer system.
I agree with you that is the best way.

Let me ask you, however. If an open records request was made, just how many of those emails would have actually seen the light of day?
I don't know; perhaps all, perhaps none. The only way to know is send an ORR.

Chas.
by Charles L. Cotton
Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:34 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked
Replies: 87
Views: 8709

Re: Friendswood Police Dept. emails leaked

Jumping Frog wrote:Seems to me that all written communications by a public servant are --or should be -- public records, except confidential stuff relating to current cases and non-public personnel disciplinary issues.
Some are, some aren't, but the way to get them is by way of an Open Records Request; not by hacking into the computer system.

Chas.

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