Kenosha County Supervisor Jeff Gentz Wants Hundreds of Thousands of Police Incident Reports and Other Police Records to be Destroyed Permanently

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While many tax-payers in Kenosha County are fighting to increase transparency in local government especially with the police, at least one local leader is pushing for the opposite. Kenosha County Board Supervisor Jeff Gentz recently sponsored an ordinance change that would dramatically change the public records retention policy for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of records. Joint Services is an intergovernmental agency that keeps and maintains records for Kenosha Police and the Kenosha Sheriff’s departments. Under this new change, if passed, would allow police to permanently destroy hundreds of thousands of incident reports, that officers and dispatchers generate that detail what happens when someone calls 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number. If passed, this law would allow KPD and KSD to destroy ANY incident reports before today’s date in 2010. Gentz will likely cite the cost of maintaining these records as an excuse, but can you really put a price tag on government transparency?

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Kevin Mathewson

Kevin Mathewson is a disciple of Christ, husband and a father to two wonderful children. Mathewson was born and raised in Lake County, IL and worked as a police & fire dispatcher from 2005 to 2010 in Round Lake Beach, IL. Mathewson moved to Kenosha County in 2006, later being elected to the position of Alderman of the 8th District in 2012 and 2016. Mathewson is a private investigator, security contractor, journalist, and photographer. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching movies, camping and boating. His favorite amendment is the second, followed closely by the first. He loves his country and community.

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