UPD TO REVEAL PERSONNEL RECORDS

UPD TO REVEAL PERSONNEL RECORDS

York state recently repealed a four-decades-old civil rights law that prevented the disclosure of police personnel records.

That means people can now legally request and receive that information.

But utica police are taking it a step further, saying: you don't even have to ask.

And the mayor says they're the first agency in the state, to do that.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris reports.

32:44 "we will be the first, to my knowledge, in nys, to unveil this" what they're unveiling are utica police officers personnel records, for the entire 165- member department.

But they're not only releasing them when someone makes freedom of information law request, which is what the recent repeal of 1970s civil rights law, 50a, requires.

They're putting the personnel records online.... .

None .

None 38:34 "is there work to be done?

Absolutely and that's why we are opening this up and being the first, as i know, in ny state to be, and be a leader, because that's what the utica policce department is.

We are leaders.

We're open, we're transparent, and we want to make this community even better" complaints....comme ndations....letters from the public...it all will be posted on the city's website for public review starting monday.

And they're starting with the top....police chief mark williams and assistant chief, ed noonan, will be the first to have their records laid bare 36:13 'as far as the personnel files, yes, it'll be the good and the bad and i agree with that because it should be the entire picture of the police officer, not just the negatives" the chief says the department and the city have been ahead of the curve on the trek toward transparency.

The chairman of the city's access and inclusion committe agrees 46:12 "i think what happens after something like this, it looks like we're being reactive, but, quite honestly, this has been a discussion that we had, that started five years ago" stand up it begins monday, with the police chief and assistant chief's records and the mayor says it's a time-consuming process,