Illinois Public Access Opinion 16-006

Imagine you have a super important secret notebook. This opinion is like a rule that says if your notebook is about something everyone needs to know, then maybe other people can see it! It's about whether messages sent by police officers, even on their own phones, can be seen by everyone if they are about important police business.

It all started because a news reporter wanted to see some emails about a very sad event.

This rule was made in 2016. That's not too long ago! It happened after something very sad and serious occurred involving the police and a young person named Laquan McDonald. A news company called CNN wanted to see emails that police officers sent to each other about this event. The police department said no, but then a higher-up person, the Attorney General, had to decide if CNN could see them.

This opinion matters because it helps make sure that important information about what the government and police are doing is available to everyone. It's like making sure the teacher's lesson plans are open for parents to see if they want to understand what kids are learning. It helps people know what's going on and keeps everyone honest.

It's a way to make sure information isn't hidden away forever!

The big decision maker, the Attorney General, looked at the rules. They said that even if the police officers used their own phones or computers, if they were talking about their police jobs and something important, those messages could be considered public records. It was like saying that even if you draw a picture on your own paper at home, if it's a drawing for your class project, it's still part of your schoolwork!