After months of confusion, The Spanish Fork News will receive the two police initial contact reports it sought.

The State Records Committee ruled unanimously in favor of reporter Hilarie Orman and directed the Utah County Sheriff's Office to provide the reports it has been denying her for months.

Confusion replaced drama at today's hearing. A representative from the Utah County Attorney's Office actually agreed with Orman that the documents she sought were public. The attorney said her office did not understand what Orman was seeking. The office, and apparently the county commission, too, thought Orman wanted other related documents and not an initial contact report.

Initial contact reports are public under state law. I listened to this morning's hearing and the back and forth discussions over how the two sides got confused, but I still don't understand what the problem was.

Maybe Orman could have been more clear. Also, maybe Utah County could have been more open with its documentation in order to let Orman take what she wanted.

It's also still apparent to me Utah County was placing the burden on Orman to show why the record should be released. That is not how the law works. The burden is on government to show why the record should not be disclosed.

— NC

Labels: Crime, State Records Committee, Utah County