Blog Posts
More Transparent Policing: Open Government Coalition Agenda in Talks with Reform Commission
February 6, 2021, by Fritz Mulhauser
The D.C. Open Government Coalition has urged the D.C. Police Reform Commission to recommend expanded public information access as one key way to improve trust and accountability—specifically access to body-worn camera video and to complaints and investigations of misconduct. The D.C. Council established the 20-member commission last year, with a mandate to review policing practices […]
DC Parents Beg, Scrape and Crowdsource Covid-19 Data
February 5, 2021, by Sandra Moscoso
This piece was written by DCOGC Board Member Sandra Moscoso and edited by Board Member Miranda Spivack. This post is part of a series that will become a case study in the upcoming D.C. Open Government Coalition’s open government education and training program. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter at @DCOGC, our Facebook page, […]
More Schools Soon to Reopen in District, but Unclear What Data Being Used
January 29, 2021, by Sandra Moscoso
This piece was written by DCOGC Board Member Sandra Moscoso and edited by Board Member Miranda Spivack. This post is part of a series that will become a case study in the upcoming D.C. Open Government Coalition’s open government education and training program. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter at @DCOGC, our Facebook page, […]
January 26, 2021, by Fritz Mulhauser
Information on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) deadlines has been incorrect for weeks on the main website used by thousands submitting public records requests to over 50 D.C. agencies. The D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) also put incorrect deadline information in a standard form letter acknowledging a new request. Both texts misled the public. They warned […]
D.C. Police Stepped in to Help the Nation at the Capitol on January 6 — But Video is Secret
January 14, 2021, by Fritz Mulhauser
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department has denied the D.C. Open Government Coalition’s request for body-worn camera video of officers’ engagement at the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2021. According to the agency denial letter, release of the video would be an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” and also “could interfere” with an ongoing criminal investigation. The […]
Covid Spreads, But Still No Data
January 12, 2021, by Sandra Moscoso
This piece was written by DCOGC Board Member Sandra Moscoso and edited by Board Member Miranda Spivack. This post is part of a series that will become a case study in the D.C. Open Government Coalition’s 2021 open government education and training program. We will post information soon early next year about how to enroll. […]
Transparency Watch: D.C. Issues in Review, Old Year and New
January 9, 2021, by Fritz Mulhauser
We put aside year-end reflections on D.C. affairs as two events consumed the city this week—initially, Wednesday’s (6) news about the election in Georgia that changed the balance of power in the U.S. Senate and, not least, that could increase the possibility of D.C. voting rights. Then that night, unthinkable incitement by the President resulted […]
December 17, 2020, by Sandra Moscoso
This piece was written by DCOGC Board Member Sandra Moscoso and edited by Board Member Miranda Spivack. This post is part of a series that will become a case study in the D.C. Open Government Coalition’s 2021 open government education and training program. We will post information early next year about how to enroll. In […]
December 7, 2020, by Sandra Moscoso
This piece was co-written and edited by DCOGC Board Members Sandra Moscoso and Miranda Spivack and Fritz Mulhauser. Want to learn more about what the D.C. government and D.C. Council are doing? Interested in getting records and data about their work? The D.C. Open Government Coalition will start an education and training program in the […]
December 2, 2020, by Fritz Mulhauser
The expected D.C. Freedom of Information Act changes passed uneventfully in a marathon session December 1, the next-to-last legislative meeting of the current Council. An emergency law good for 90 days passed with the one required reading. A similar temporary counterpart lasting 225 days passed as well and will get its second vote at the […]