InvestigateWest, Invisible Institute Sue Idaho Over 37 Officers' Withheld Employment Records
Updated
Updated · East Idaho News · Jun 27
InvestigateWest, Invisible Institute Sue Idaho Over 37 Officers' Withheld Employment Records
2 articles · Updated · East Idaho News · Jun 27
Summary
A June 16 lawsuit in Ada County says Idaho State Police and the Department of Correction illegally withheld officer employment histories, including whether officers resigned, retired or were fired.
The suit says the agencies changed course after InvestigateWest's October 2025 reporting identified 37 prison workers accused of sexually abusing incarcerated women, at least 18 of whom resigned after allegations or reporting.
Idaho POST denied updated records requests in January after leadership allegedly disabled database search functions, while the governor's office backed the shift under a new reading of unchanged public-records law.
The news outlets want the court to release the records, remove redactions from misconduct reports and emails, and award attorney fees.
Those records have been used to track 'wandering cops,' and the earlier reporting already helped spur a prison sex-abuse law change and an ongoing independent investigation.
Why did Idaho disable a public records database after it exposed widespread officer misconduct?
Can a state agency reinterpret a law to conceal records it previously made public?
Idaho Police Records Lawsuit: How Concealing Officer Histories Threatens Public Safety, Justice, and National Accountability
Overview
In June 2026, InvestigateWest and the Invisible Institute filed a lawsuit against Idaho to force the release of police records that the state had concealed or dismantled after reporting revealed serious harm to incarcerated women. The lawsuit targets the Idaho State Police and Department of Correction, aiming to restore public access to officer employment histories. These records are crucial for understanding officers’ professional paths, including retirements, resignations, or firings, which helps identify patterns of behavior and officers with histories of misconduct. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure accountability for those policing Idaho’s communities.