Springfield wants tighter Sunshine law

The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Springfield City Council wants state lawmakers to restrict Missouri's open records law as it applies to internal police investigations.

The city council was expected to approve a resolution Monday night that opposes a Missouri Court of Appeals' decision last year that required the city to release internal affairs records in a case against a man charged with assaulting three officers.

The council made the issue one of its legislative priorities for lawmakers during the upcoming session.

Last November, the Court of Appeals' Southern District ruled that Missouri Sunshine Law required the city to release the internal affairs files to William Harris, who was charged with three counts of third-degree assault on the officers.

"So we, as a city, said we don't like that because our police officers, their whole work history is going to be a public record, which isn't fair to them. Every other employee gets protection," said city attorney Dan Wichmer.