Should a police officer’s name and address be included on tax lists or should that information be blacked out? If so, who should make sure you cannot see the information?
That is up to the Freedom of Information Commission, which will hear a case this week in Hartford that has drawn the concern of public safety and judicial officials across the state.
The case began last summer, when North Stonington officials refused to provide a copy of the Motor Vehicle Department records they used for the town's grand list without first redacting employees' addresses that are exempt from disclosure.
Officials from several state agencies said they are worried about the safety of government workers if their addresses are made public.
A Branford private investigator filed an FOI complaint, saying police officers and other exempted employees, not the towns, are responsible for redacting their addresses in the DMV records.
The crux of the case is Connecticut General Statute 1-217, which begins, “No public agency may disclose, under the Freedom of Information Act, the residential address of any of the following persons” and then lists public safety, law and other commission employees who qualify,” the Day of New London reports.
A FOI agency meeting is set for Wednesday.
