What is the Laurie List?
The Laurie List is a secret list of New Hampshire police officers who have engaged in sustained misconduct that reflects negatively on their credibility or trustworthiness.
What kind of misconduct lands an officer on the List?
Actions that might cause an officer to be placed on the list could include a deliberate lie during a court case, falsifying records or evidence, criminal conduct, and dereliction of duty among other things. One officer is on the list for a “cover up.”
What is the purpose of the Laurie List?
In New Hampshire, the police have viewed their personnel files as confidential. But, when a person is accused of a crime, that person has the right to evidence that will help their case – like credibility or trustworthiness issues in a police officer’s personnel file. The Laurie List was created so that prosecutors can identify when potential exculpatory evidence in an officer’s personnel file may need to be disclosed to the accused.
Why is the Laurie List is problematic?
By keeping the list secret, the public is left completely unaware of which officers in their towns have had issues concerning truthfulness or credibility. Additionally, defense lawyers have no way to verify that officers on the list are actually being disclosed in their cases.
Why is the ACLU of New Hampshire suing to make it public?
Police officers who are named on the Laurie List are there because they have engaged in sustained misconduct concerning credibility or truthfulness. The public has a clear right to know this information.