Back on November 20′s Morning Lineup (HERE) I wrote four paragraphs about my disagreement with those few emergency dispatch agencies who seem to be anxious to release 9-1-1 recordings for the public’s entertainment. I wrote, in part: Yesterday, once again, there was a public release of a 9-1-1 tape recording and this one is really pressing the limits, I think. It includes the screaming death throes of a woman who is burning. Several of you agreed with me that indiscriminate release of the phone calls for obviously prurient reasons is more than just distasteful.
It appears that I am not the only one who is disturbed by this practice. The Florida state legislature is considering a bill that would restrict the release of 911 recordings except under a court order showing “good cause.” The bill is in the House where it was originated and is being promoted as a victim’s rights measure designed to protect the privacy of 911 callers. It as generated a vigorous debate between those who believe that the recordings are the same as any public document and should be immediately available to anybody who wants to listen to them, and the opposite faction that believes there should be a mechanism to take out the sensationalism that is sometimes used as a reason for publishing the tapes.
The House committe chairman that is overseeing the bill said, “The real point here is this bill gets to the core of sensationalism. This preserves the right to know while [eliminating] the profiteering off the sensationalism of others.” On the other hand, the spokesman for the Florida ACLU claims, “It places an unnecessary barrier to the constitutionally-protected right to access public records.”
On Wednesday the bill passed out of the committe by an 8-5 vote. Florida’s governor has stated that he is opposed to the legislation.
Florida is not the only state considering this type of legislation. Alabama, Ohio, and Wisconsin are also working on similar bills while Rhode Island, Maine, and Pennsylvania have already placed some restrictions on access to the recordings.
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There are just two days left to VOTE HERE for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation entry in Toyota’s contest for best race car paint design. We first alerted you to this contest and how you can help this fine charitable organization almost two weeks ago HERE. Since you can vote once a day for as many days as there are remaining, you have three more opportunities to help out.
Their vote totals are really getting up there and the WFF tells us that they have an excellent shot at finishing in the top-ten which will move them up into the Finals. So take a moment, please, and give them a click.
Now we will take several moments and get this equipment checked out. I need to take a moment and make some more coffee, too. See you back in the day room.
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