SHORT ITEM — WASHINGTON

The Spokane police department must release arrest reports and booking photos of an assistant city attorney charged with hitting a police officer, a superior court judge in Spokane ruled in early August. Judge Sam Cozza held that the police department failed to justify withholding a jail photograph and written reports detailing the arrest of Milt Rowland, who had allegedly assaulted an officer while being arrested.

The Spokesman-Review newspaper filed suit after being denied access to the photo and reports following Rowland’s early morning arrest on May 30. The police department refused to release the photo and reports, claiming that they were not public records. Cozza disagreed. However, the photo and reports will not be released immediately, pending the police department’s decision on whether to appeal.

(The Spokesman-Review v. City of Spokane; Media Counsel: Duane Swinton)