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GlossaryPublic records, privacy, and data quality

Public record

A public record is government-related recorded information covered by the applicable records law. Public status does not guarantee unrestricted release.

A public record is recorded information associated with government work that falls within the applicable public-records law. It can take many forms, including documents, messages, images, recordings, and electronic data. The governing law determines which organizations and records are covered and what information may be disclosed.

“Public record” does not mean “already posted online” or “available without any restriction.” A record can be held by a public agency yet contain information subject to an exemption or a separate confidentiality requirement. Whether it exists, whether it is covered, and whether every part can be released are separate questions.

Washington's Public Records Act, for example, defines public records broadly around recorded information relating to government conduct or functions that a state or local agency prepares, owns, uses, or retains, with specified provisions and exceptions. Its definition of writing extends beyond paper to recorded communications and existing data compilations. This is a Washington definition, not a substitute for another state's statute. Washington RCW 42.56.010

Federal agency records are addressed through the federal Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, subject to that law's coverage and exemptions. Federal FOIA procedures should not be assumed to govern a request to a city police department or county fire agency. FOIA.gov frequently asked questions

What a record can tell you

An official record can document what an agency received, observed, entered, or decided. Its public status does not make every statement within it a verified fact. A dispatch record may preserve a caller's allegation; an incident report may distinguish reported information from an officer's observations.

A released record is also not necessarily the agency's complete file. It might be one responsive document, a selected export, or a copy with protected material removed. Understanding the record's purpose and scope is essential before using it as evidence of an event or a complete measure of activity.

Example

Hypothetical: A city holds a dispatch log, an officer's report, and a video connected to one incident. A resident requests those records. The city releases the log and report with certain personal details removed and explains its decision concerning the video under the applicable law.

All three items are distinct records associated with the same event. The shorter log does not replace the longer report, and the absence of a detail from the released copy does not establish that the agency never recorded it.

If a public dashboard contains only selected log fields, that dashboard is another presentation of information. It should not be mistaken for the full set of potentially responsive records.

Common confusion

A public record is different from open data. Open data usually refers to information proactively published for public use, often in reusable formats. A covered government record may require a request and review before release.

Redaction is different from deleting the underlying agency record. It removes or obscures material from the version disclosed. A retention schedule, by contrast, governs how long records are kept under applicable rules.

A public record is not automatically a conviction, a final finding, or proof that an allegation is true. Those conclusions require the relevant process and outcome, not simply the existence of an official document.

Reading a release

Preserve the source agency, record date, release date, and any explanation of omissions or redactions. These details establish what was provided and in what context. When seeking more information, identify the actual record types and responsible custodian rather than assuming that a public website contains everything the agency holds.

Sources