Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen Offers First Public Records Training Designed For Law Enforcement Professionals

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Partners With the Wisconsin Technical College System and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College to Promote Public Records Compliance

MADISON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the Wisconsin Department of Justice in cooperation with the Wisconsin Technical College System and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College will host a first ever specialized training session for members of Wisconsin's law enforcement community on Wisconsin's Public Records laws that will be geared specifically to the context of law enforcement. 

"Providing information to government agencies and the public about the public records law is a priority function of our office," said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. "We would rather help people understand the law to facilitate compliance that is consistent with necessary government operations, especially for our law enforcement partners who enforce the law, than mediate disputes or pursue enforcement actions." 

"Steve Page of the Law Enforcement Training Program at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College came to us with this idea for making specialized law enforcement training accessible at convenient locations statewide," said Van Hollen. 

Approximately 150 people are anticipated to participate in the training, including law enforcement executives, sworn officers and records clerks. The training is being broadcast to numerous technical college locations around the state and will take place on Wednesday, March 3 from 9 am to Noon. The first hour will be an overview of the public records law. The second hour will focus on "Making the Release Decision Open Investigations, Driver Records, and Records about Children." The third hour will discuss "Mechanics and Procedures Timing, Format and Costs. 

"This is the first time we've used this new technology to bring such useful information to so many people in so many different places, " said Van Hollen. "We've tried to put together practical information that will help Wisconsin's law enforcement community comply with the public records law." 

Assistant Attorney General Mary Burke will present on the public records law. Assistant Attorney General David Perlman will present the legal update. 

Persons who registered for the December 9 program that was cancelled due to bad weather do not need to re-register for the March 3 program, but are asked to advice Steve Page if they are not planning to attend the rescheduled program on March 3. This training will be presented by live videoconference at numerous technical college locations around the state are available from Steve Page at Steve.Page@witc.edu. 

To register or for more information contact Steve Page at (800) 243-9482 x 5433 or via e-mail at Steve.Page@witc.edu.