Duluth Police Department’s data handling under scrutiny
August 23, 2012 at 7:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
A Minnesota House subcommittee is investigating how the Duluth Police Department keeps some of its records in the wake of the Kerry Gauthier investigation, saying the department “appears to have violated the law in order to avoid disclosing public data” in the case. Continue Reading
Unfortunately, the Duluth Police dept., similar to the Duluth School board, are above the law…They don’t have to follow the rules, they make their own along the way.
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This is the same reason you’ll never see a police chief say anything about changing pot policy. It’s allll about protecting the cash inflows.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I’m wondering what was so “high profile” about this case that made it so different. Gauthier was a low to midling level elected official. I would like to know who gave the DNT the heads up in the first place to the fact that something happened. Information should have been disclosed as required by law. The police raid the last place on earth and they have a news conference on the spot. Including all the details and names. So what gives in this case? Were they going to let this incident with Gauthier just quietly fade away? What happens if the press never finds out about Thompson hill?
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The reality is, the police department was going to get beat up no matter what. Either they released too much, too soon, or they didn’t fast enough. When has it ever been seen (reported) any other way?
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You’re of course right Soup Town, but that would seem to be a normal and expected hazard of the job if you’re in law enforcement. That being said, following state law would seem to be mandatory….especially for those charged with making sure everyone else follows the law.
I can certainly understand how certain high profile cases might need to be handled slightly differently (but the end result should be the same) especially if you think releasing information would result in someones life being in danger you might withhold certain information, but it’s hard to see how that might have come into play here. Embarrassing, yes of course, but I’d think not likely to result in much actual danger to the accused in this case. There are a LOT of embarrassing crimes reported in the newspaper.
Now we even have a “Property Crimes Wanted Person of the Week”, complete with picture and detailed potentially embarrassing information. No privacy there !
I think most people just want to know that there isn’t two systems of justice….one for the well connnected, and one for the rest of us.
Secrecy in civilian law enforcement, wherever it happens, should make us all wary. Sometimes it’s justified and reasonable….but eventually it should be explained and justified and never just get a pass. They do a lot of that in some other countries….and most aren’t places we’d choose to live.
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I think this whole data privace law needs a complete rethink. Public officials AND employees should get MORE scruteny than private citizens, not less.
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I’m thinking of some high profile cases recently around the state where school districts pay huge lump sums and benefits to get employees to leave before their contracts are up. Then refuse to explain to tax payers why it happened citing the data privacy laws.
That kind of stuff has got to stop.
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Maybe the School Board should tell the real reason IV left town without a whisper. Maybe a trip to New Orleans at tax payer expense.. ….?
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This Roeser is a real gem at double talk.
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This does not stop with PD, we all know the Mayor knew.
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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News Flash, Mayor tells everyone to cover ordeal until after Primary so child molester can win nomination.
Now prove me wrong..!
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Not sure why so many people have a problem with this. From what I understand, there was a Minor involved. That being said, I dont have a problem with details not being released when there is an investigation. Eventually WE ALL had the chance to see the full report. The important thing is that those who chose to conduct themselves poorly were in fact called out onto the carpet. Hopefully, there is no further bad press for Duluth in the future regarding this story and I hope there are no other children victimized.
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Kind of looks like this case was swept under the rug with the intent of keeping it there until after the general election so Gauthier could get re-elected. Who ordered the police to do the sweeping…that is a question that should be investigated.
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