Philadelphia City Councilman Says Personal Info On Police Reports Getting In Wrong Hands
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A city councilman says an open-door policy of the city's Records Department is prompting the misuse of accident report information and he says some accident victims are getting scammed.
Councilman Jim Kenney says legitimate insurance investigators have complained to him that accident report information is being misused because just about anyone can access the reports at the city's Records Department.
"I don't think they should even have access to them. His information is personal information as a result of an accident on the streets of Philadelphia."
Kenney also believes some accident victims are then getting calls from scam artists.
"They use that then to make calls to folks and entice them to go get physical therapy at a chiropractor that they are choosing."
Kenney has introduced a bill which basically shuts down the access. It would require the Records Department to keep accident report personal information private for two months following the incident. A council committee will debate the idea later this fall.
Reported by Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio 1060
