Sorry if this is the wrong forum...

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA.

My 12 year old was in a small car accident 6 days ago. She was unhurt. An officer actually was witness to the accident (car my little one was in was rearended by a 20 year old...my BIL was stopped at a yeild). EMT was called to site to check out my sister and daughter. My BIL called me to let me know about the accident and to also let the EMT get verbal permission to NOT take my unhurt 12 yo old to the ER. Spoke to EMT and said not to take her...My Eldest child (24) came upon the accident site (sister and bil were there to pick her up at the train station) and signed the release forms.

Fast forward to today...

Got a letter from an Attorrneys office addressed to 12 yo. stating that she needs an attorney if she was hurt. After I called the skuzzy attorneys office and found out they had my MINOR CHILDS PERSONAL INFO from the flippin' Police Dept ...I gotta ask.

Is it legal to give/sell police reports to random 3rd party strangers regarding minors? Doesn't "seem" legal to me...They don't give info regarding children that are accused of rape, murder or arson...Why would they give my daughters name and adress to some scuzzy attorney that has to troll police accident repost for clients?

Sorry in advance for any spelling typos...Hard to type with a cast. :0

Blue

 

[justalayman]

police reports are, for the most part, public record. Anybody can get a copy of most police reports. Some require some info be redacted if the laws in place limit the release of information of the sort. In the case of sexual abuse, many states have laws restricting the name of minors from being published. Unless the state has a specific law prohibiting the publication of the name for some reason such as that, anybody can get a copy of the report with all names and info.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA.

My 12 year old was in a small car accident 6 days ago. She was unhurt. An officer actually was witness to the accident (car my little one was in was rearended by a 20 year old...my BIL was stopped at a yeild). EMT was called to site to check out my sister and daughter. My BIL called me to let me know about the accident and to also let the EMT get verbal permission to NOT take my unhurt 12 yo old to the ER. Spoke to EMT and said not to take her...My Eldest child (24) came upon the accident site (sister and bil were there to pick her up at the train station) and signed the release forms.

Fast forward to today...

Got a letter from an Attorrneys office addressed to 12 yo. stating that she needs an attorney if she was hurt. After I called the skuzzy attorneys office and found out they had my MINOR CHILDS PERSONAL INFO from the flippin' Police Dept ...I gotta ask.

Is it legal to give/sell police reports to random 3rd party strangers regarding minors? Doesn't "seem" legal to me...They don't give info regarding children that are accused of rape, murder or arson...Why would they give my daughters name and adress to some scuzzy attorney that has to troll police accident repost for clients?

Sorry in advance for any spelling typos...Hard to type with a cast. :0

Blue

First, I am really glad to hear that no one in your family was hurt in the car accident, although all accidents are scary.

The following is a link to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press guide to Massachusetts open records law: http://www.rcfp.org/massachusetts-o...rd-categories-open-or-closed/n-police-records

You might want to click on Victims, Emergency Medical Services records, and Procedure for Obtaining Records.

While police records are not difficult to obtain, generally a police agency will redact the names of minors, and the names and addresses of victims, to protect them. I am surprised, quite frankly, that your daughter's name was part of the record that was released - unless the age of your daughter was not included in the report and it was assumed by the agency, and the attorney's office, that she was an adult.

Attorneys can be scum sometimes, huh?

 

[Just Blue]

First, I am really glad to hear that no one in your family was hurt in the car accident, although all accidents are scary.

The following is a link to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press guide to Massachusetts open records law: http://www.rcfp.org/massachusetts-o...rd-categories-open-or-closed/n-police-records

You might want to click on Victims, Emergency Medical Services records, and Procedure for Obtaining Records.

While police records are not difficult to obtain, generally a police agency will redact the names of minors, and the names and addresses of victims, to protect them. I am surprised, quite frankly, that your daughter's name was part of the record that was released - unless the age of your daughter was not included in the report and it was assumed by the agency, and the attorney's office, that she was an adult.

Attorneys can be scum sometimes, huh?

Thank You Quincy for the link...I amjust really PO'ed that some stranger could obtaine so much info my my little girl. It pisses me off that the police preach to us about not posting about our children on line so that perverts can see...but this law enforcement agency gave/sold my daughters infor to a random person.

Now some of you might think I am over-reacting...and perhaps I am...but I can't help but be upset.
I have to wonder...Who else was able to get this info????????

 

[quincy]

Thank You Quincy for the link...I amjust really PO'ed that some stranger could obtaine so much info my my little girl. It pisses me off that the police preach to us about not posting about our children on line so that perverts can see...but this law enforcement agency gave/sold my daughters infor to a random person.

Now some of you might think I am over-reacting...and perhaps I am...but I can't help but be upset.
I have to wonder...Who else was able to get this info????????

Police reports are considered public records and I can list all sorts of reasons why I think it is important to have records such as police reports available for the public to access and review.

But, as a parent, I share your concern over the release of any information that identifies children and their home addresses. It is one reason why under most (all?) state freedom of information/public record acts information on minors is exempt under most circumstances from disclosure and will be redacted from records before release to the public.

And that is why I question whether your daughter's age might have been left out of the accident report. If it is on the report, I would file a complaint with the police agency that failed to redact her name and your address.

 

[Just Blue]

Police reports are considered public records and I can list all sorts of reasons why I think it is important to have records such as police reports available for the public to access and review.

But, as a parent, I share your concern over the release of any information that identifies children and their home addresses. It is one reason why under most (all?) state freedom of information/public record acts information on minors is exempt under most circumstances from disclosure and will be redacted from records before release to the public.

And that is why I question whether your daughter's age might have been left out of the accident report. If it is on the report, I would file a complaint with the police agency that failed to redact her name and your address.

I contacted my PD, not where the accident happened, and thay stated that they would not have given a report to anyone outside of those involved. They also stated that this is a dept policy and not "state law". I like the policy but am not taking the SGT word that there is not a "law".

urgh...I am just really pissed off regarding this.

Thanks for letting me vent at you all!! Does no good but make me feel better!! lol!!

 

[justalayman]

Thank You Quincy for the link...I amjust really PO'ed that some stranger could obtaine so much info my my little girl. It pisses me off that the police preach to us about not posting about our children on line so that perverts can see...but this law enforcement agency gave/sold my daughters infor to a random person.

Now some of you might think I am over-reacting...and perhaps I am...but I can't help but be upset.
I have to wonder...Who else was able to get this info????????

Anybody willing to pay the copying fee

 

[justalayman]

I contacted my PD, not where the accident happened, and thay stated that they would not have given a report to anyone outside of those involved. They also stated that this is a dept policy and not "state law". I like the policy but am not taking the SGT word that there is not a "law".

urgh...I am just really pissed off regarding this.

Thanks for letting me vent at you all!! Does no good but make me feel better!! lol!!

Sorry but by law they have to provide copies of police reports unless exempted under the laws for some reason.

 

[cbg]

For what it's worth since you first posted I have been doing some research and have as yet not been able to find any Massachusetts law that requires the names of children to be redacted except in child abuse or neglect situations.

 

[Just Blue]

For what it's worth since you first posted I have been doing some research and have as yet not been able to find any Massachusetts law that requires the names of children to be redacted except in child abuse or neglect situations.

Yup...I have found the same thing. It really does anger me that my KID was going to her b-day party at Aunties and ends up as fodder to skuzbags that have to troll police reports for customers.

Thanks for your information everyone...You guys are awesome! You would be more than awesome if I got the answer I wanted but... (JK)

Luv ya all

Blue

 

[quincy]

For what it's worth since you first posted I have been doing some research and have as yet not been able to find any Massachusetts law that requires the names of children to be redacted except in child abuse or neglect situations.

It falls under the "privacy" exemption and, for court records, under an executive order.

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA.

My 12 year old was in a small car accident 6 days ago. She was unhurt. An officer actually was witness to the accident (car my little one was in was rearended by a 20 year old...my BIL was stopped at a yeild). EMT was called to site to check out my sister and daughter. My BIL called me to let me know about the accident and to also let the EMT get verbal permission to NOT take my unhurt 12 yo old to the ER. Spoke to EMT and said not to take her...My Eldest child (24) came upon the accident site (sister and bil were there to pick her up at the train station) and signed the release forms.

Fast forward to today...

Got a letter from an Attorrneys office addressed to 12 yo. stating that she needs an attorney if she was hurt. After I called the skuzzy attorneys office and found out they had my MINOR CHILDS PERSONAL INFO from the flippin' Police Dept ...I gotta ask.

Is it legal to give/sell police reports to random 3rd party strangers regarding minors? Doesn't "seem" legal to me...They don't give info regarding children that are accused of rape, murder or arson...Why would they give my daughters name and adress to some scuzzy attorney that has to troll police accident repost for clients?

Sorry in advance for any spelling typos...Hard to type with a cast. :0

Blue

Nothing to add, just really glad you're all okay

 

[Just Blue]

Nothing to add, just really glad you're all okay

Thank You Pro.

And thank you all. Skuzbags stoped calling and mailing info and lil'blue is fine and started 7th grade...

As a bit of a quiz for you all...

Her t-shirt for the first day had a pic of JFK with a quote of " I am a Jelly Donut".

WITHOUT looking it up who can say when and where JFK said that?

 

[Zigner]

Thank You Pro.

And thank you all. Skuzbags stoped calling and mailing info and lil'blue is fine and started 7th grade...

As a bit of a quiz for you all...

Her t-shirt for the first day had a pic of JFK with a quote of " I am a Jelly Donut".

WITHOUT looking it up who can say when and where JFK said that?

I can - well the WHERE definitely...I'd have to look up the exact when.

 

[Just Blue]

I can - well the WHERE definitely...I'd have to look up the exact when.

Where is good enough...