FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — The police chief in Virginia’s largest jurisdiction says a state law is hampering his department’s efforts at transparency.
The 2017 law bars police from releasing the names of juvenile homicide victims without written permission from the family.
The law has come into play three times in Fairfax County in recent months. Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler says the law is misguided and puts his officers in a position of retraumatizing victims when they have to discuss with family members whether a name should be released.
He also says it can stymie the public from providing tips when the name of victims remains a secret.
Supporters of the law say grieving parents deserve a measure of privacy.
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