NY Firefighters Want Personal Info Kept Confidential in Court

UTICA, NY—Several area firefighters attended Wednesday's Oneida County Board of Legislators meeting to ask the board to support them and pen a resolution calling for changes to state law that would protect their personal information from being released to defendants in criminal cases.

Under New York's new discovery laws, prosecutors must release all case evidence to defense attorneys within 15 days. This includes the disclosure of names and adequate contact information for all people, with the exemption of law enforcement, that the prosecutor knows to have evidence or information relevant to charges.

Brian Healey, president of Oneida County Fire Chiefs Association, spoke Wednesday on behalf of three other fire officials who also attended the meeting. Healey asked that firefighters and other emergency services personnel be included with law enforcement and have their information excluded.

Healey said firefighters are prepared for what may happen in a fire, but they are unprepared for their personal info being handed out.

"We're volunteers," Healey said. "It's extremely hard to get volunteers in this field. Now this is one more negative that we have."

Healey also spoke about a bill introduced by Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, that would allow for the info to stay confidential. State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, has publicly voiced support of the bill and has sought privacy protections for witnesses and first responders.

Griffo was not available for comment Wednesday, but did host a press conference on the issue at the end of January.

"It is appalling that witnesses of crimes, first responders and their families could become targets as a result of changes made to the discovery process supported by the Democratic majorities in the Legislature," Griffo said in a statement released Jan. 31. "These bills will help to ensure that the names and contact information of witnesses and emergency personnel are protected and that they and their loved ones are not susceptible to retaliatory actions by those accused of committing crimes or their associates."

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