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of an ankeny police cruiser during an officer involved shooting. <more nats> The shooting happened in September of 20-18, but the video wasn't given to KCCI until February of this year. That's because the Iowa Code doesn't allow that type of record to be released to the public until after the investigation is complete. <nats> The Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling today that may result in the public never seeing video like that. The decision says that police only have to release the immediate facts and circumstances of an investigation -- and keep the records confidential indefinitely. BUT, law enforcement actually thinks it's important to keep the public in the know. <Paul Parizek 7357 1:30-36"It's probably not going to change the way we do business too much because it's important to us to keep the community informed to what we're doing."> Police do say however, that keeping some information confidential-- even after the investigation-- could be useful in some situations-- like gang related crimes. Randy Evans-- the executive director for the Iowa Freedom of Information Council-- agrees with law enforcement. <Randy Evans Iowa Freedom of Information Council 7362 8:08-18"There are times when that confidentiality has to be balanced out against the need for public access and public accountability. "> Evans doesn't believe this ruling was made to give the police more power... <Randy Evans Iowa Freedom of Information Council 7362 8:54-04"I think it's a mistake to believe that this was a decision that endorsed or embraced secrecy on the part of law enforcement."> but the ability to decide for themselves when to keep their cards close. <Paul Parizek 7357 1:43-52"I do think it will give us an advantage when it comes to certain crimes, like narcotics crimes, or gang related crimes where one closed crime still connects to an open crime."> and when to let others in on the information. <Paul Parizek 7357 3:50-52"Our goal is t

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Law enforcement agencies can withhold investigative reports from the public even after an inquiry has concluded, a unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday, keeping a longstanding balance test that weighs public interest against potential harm in place.Justice Thomas Waterman wrote that police are only required to release the "immediate facts and circumstances" of a case, though it isn't clear whether audio and video from body and dashboard cameras can be considered investigative files and withheld on that basis.The court ruled that an exemption to the Iowa Open Records Act for police reports also does not apply only to ongoing investigations. Instead, the ruling states that lawmakers intended to treat those reports – which often include video from police cameras, audio of 911 calls and other records – as confidential indefinitely.Police departments often cite broad exemption to state open records laws, claiming the release of video and other documents would undermine an ongoing investigation. But critics say the exemption is often misapplied so that the public doesn't see the actions of officers in an unfavorable light.Des Moines police said keeping information confidential after the investigation could be useful in some situations, such as gang-related crimes, but it's also important to be transparent."(The ruling) is probably not going to change the way we do business too much, because it's important to us to keep the community informed to what we're doing," Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said.RELATED COVERAGE: AP Report: Police routinely deny access to officer video footageACLU files appeal over video in police shooting caught on cameraThe finding came in a dispute between the city of Cedar Rapids and a black motorist who was shot and paralyzed after a struggle with a white officer. The court says a judge didn't err by ordering the city to turn over some records related to that shooting without a protective order barring their public release."There are times when that confidentiality has to be balanced out against the need for public access and public accountability," said Randy Evans, executive director for the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.Evans said the case doesn't embrace secrecy on the part of law enforcement, but it does suggest that those seeking police records may need to go to court to get them until lawmakers revise the law.