Oregon Police Are Charging a Local News Outlet $2.5M for Records About One Cop
The city of Eugene, Oregon, has demanded over $2.5 million in fees from a local news outlet to fulfill a public records request regarding police misconduct. The outlet, Double Sided Media, sought information on an officer accused of using excessive force.
Why it matters
This case highlights the growing trend of using prohibitive administrative fees to obstruct journalistic oversight and government transparency.
A Eugene-based publication requested records about a cop accused of misconduct. The city slapped it with a prohibitive fee.
Share Copy link Share on Facebook Share on Bluesky Share on X Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Lauren Harper October 1 2026, 5:20 p.m. ET Share Copy link Share on Facebook Share on Bluesky Share on X Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp In partnership with
Lauren Harper is Freedom of the Press Foundation’s first Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy.
How much does it cost to get more information about a cop who punched someone in the face?
If you guessed anything lower than $2.5 million, you’d be wrong — at least according to the city of Eugene, Oregon.
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