I spent a sizable portion of my free time Sunday and today attempting to get the University’s police reports on the swastika painted on the LGBTQA floor last weekend. Unfortunately, neither the Eugene Police Department, nor the Department of Public Safety was willing to provide them, although both were very nice and apologetic about it.
Both denied my public records requests based on the exception for open criminal investigations in Oregon Public Records laws (ORS 192.501(3), if you wondered). I expected that, but figured I’d give it the old college try anyway.
It wasn’t as painful as I’d expected, my first denial on a public records request. I now have a nice little form from EPD notifying me of my rejection, which I might frame and put on my wall. EPD was unequivocal. DPS was coyer, I felt. I called on Sunday to ask for the form, but the man with whom I spoke told me I’d be able to submit a formal request on Monday, during normal business hours. But they gave me the same line in the office the next day.
One thing I did manage to glean: no detective has yet been assigned.
I apologize if this is disappointing to you. I confess, in my time as an ASUO reporter, I haven’t developed a reliable DPS or EPD source. There’s always the future, though …
For now, there are unanswered questions upon which I’d hoped the police report would shed light. Alex Esparza told me after the incident happened that DPS had taken three separate trips to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer Alliance office to collect evidence, but, aside from the actual piece of carpet with the swastika on it, I don’t know what that evidence includes.
University spokesperson Julie Brown also told me that DPS had interviewed everyone with a key to narrow down the timeframe in which the symbol might have been painted, but I don’t know whether that did narrow the timeframe. I also don’t know whom officers interviewed, since the University’s policy is not to disclose the identities of those with keys.
What do you think, blog readers? Do you want more information on this? Is it worth submitting a public records request to the EMU? Please, your answers in the comments thread.
Yeah, I want to know what happened. Maybe you continuing to poke around will make them speed up the investigation.
Someone in another comment section said the carpet section was used as a prop in a Senate meeting. Not a good source of information, I know. But is this true?
Make a public records request! I don’t know what records the EMU would have. Talk to the janitors. Maybe they can tell you something.
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Yeah, I agree. I bet they don’t get too many of these requests, so they will take notice when they do get one.
KVAL has been doing some great work in extracting records from EPD. I appreciate the efforts of the Emerald in seeking info from EPD. Keep it up. Try to meet directly with the police chief. I have and he is someone who is very easy to talk to.
If you get no results you might meet with the police auditor about it. He could have some helpful ideas.
Submit the request, and give the Oregon DOJ’s Government Transparency Counsel, Michael Kron, a call at 503.947.4540 and ask him about filing a petition to get the DOJ to order the police to release more info.
But not detective has been assigned? And Jessie Jackson is on his way? Hmmm.
All good suggestions. Sorry it took so long to approve the comments. I guess that’s my job. Who knew? The post was actually the result of a public record request, but everything else is very good. Thanks guys.
Oh, and Scott: It’s definitely true. I believe we ran a front-page photo of it.