Orlando Sentinel July 1992
A lawyer for Sheriff Walt Gallagher argued at the hourlong hearing that Florida’s public records law allows active criminal intelligence reports to be kept confidential. The court finds on the basis of testimony that the records do fall under the exemption set out by the sheriff,” Gridley said. Orlando lawyer Robert Smith, representing the ACLU, said he intends to appeal. The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit in February demanding that the Orlando Police Department return a photo taken of a 16-year-old boy who had not been arrested. Sgt. Ken Gregory of the sheriff’s gang suppression unit said deputies do not force teen-agers to pose for photographs or provide their names and addresses. However, Gregory said many teen-agers consent to being photographed, and parents often ask the gang suppression unit to investigate their children’s suspicious behavior. Intelligence Files Secret, Judge Rules The Aclu Argued That Police Photos Of Suspected Youth Gang Members Violate The Teens’ Privacy. Tweet July 30, 1992 | By Mark Vosburgh Of The Sentinel Staff Intelligence files compiled by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on 1,200 suspected youth gang members are not open to public inspection, a circuit judge ruled Wednesday. Judge William Gridley rejected a request by the American Civil Liberties Union, which contends police agencies are violating the teens’ privacy by photographing them. Downtown Orlando Barfield Intelligence Reports Files on the teen-agers, Gregory said, are shared only with other police agencies for the purpose investigating crimes. The ACLU’s request to inspect the files was made last month by Palm Beach County paralegal Barfield, director of a law enforcement watchdog group. Barfield and Smith argued the Sheriff’s Office failed to give legal reasons for denying the request thus gave up its right to keep the records secret. Ed Mills, a lawyer for Gallagher, said he sent Barfield a letter citing the confidentiality of records pertaining to juveniles and active intelligence reports. Warren Keiner, chairman of the ACLU’s Central Florida chapter, was skeptical that all 1,200 files of active investigations. Gregory said all 1,200 files are updated every three months. ”We’re lucky we only have 1,200 g members.” After the hearing, Barfield was stopped by a deputy sheriff in downtown Orlando and charged w with a suspended license. Keiner said the deputy followed the paralegal from the courthouse an stopped him after he left a parking garage. An arrest report by Deputy Harry Vidal said the deputy saw Barfield’s car accelerating on Centra Boulevard and ”almost hitting the car in front of him when the light turned yellow” at Central and avenues. A check of Barfield’s license showed it was suspended, the report said. Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Solomons said Wednesday night that it is not unusual for a deputy who witnessed a traffic violation to stop the offender and write a ticket, even in downtown Orlando. Barfield was being held on $500 bail Wednesday night.