SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge has ruled that Brigham Young University’s police are subject to the state’s open-records law.
Judge Laura Scott ruled Friday in a lawsuit brought by The Salt Lake Tribune amid its reporting on the university’s response to sexual assault claims.
The decision likely also affects a pending request for information about BYU police’s interactions with a former Mormon missionary leader accused of sexual assault.
BYU has argued its police force was created and funded by a private entity and shouldn’t be covered under the law.
Scott ruled the university is an arm of government when it acts as law enforcement.
University spokesman Todd Hollingshead said BYU was disappointed in the ruling.
Tribune attorney Michael O’Brien told the paper the ruling is a victory for public accountability.
Friday’s ruling does not immediately mean the records will become public.
