With 50-A Repealed To Improve Police Record Transparency in NY, Beacon To Publish FOIA Requests To Website

During the July 7, 2020 City Council meeting, where the new Acting Chief William Cornett was appointed for a temporary term of 90 days, Mayor Kyriacou announced, with Councilmember Jodi McCredo’s encouragement, that he and Acting Chief Cornett agreed to publish FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) requests of police officer inquiries to the City’s website. Said Mayor Kyriacou: “We have received some FOIAs in the past weeks. We are just going to put all of the information online. You can submit a FOIA, but we will put it online.”

The City of Beacon will use the program JustFOIA, a management and publishing platform, that purports requests can come in any form, can be anonymous, and can have the status tracked. Asked for this article if all FOIA requests will be published, the Mayor answered: “Yes, those with respect to public interest.” The location on the City’s website of these requests is to be determined.

Acting Chief William Cornett (who goes by Bill), supported the decision with this followup statement during the meeting: “I don't like surprises. Other than Christmas or my birthday. I don't like secrets that I aint going to keep.”