Massachusetts

Lawsuit Seeks Information About Boston Police Department's Gang Database

Boston civil rights groups are suing city police to release information about how it tracks suspected gang members.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and others say they filed the suit in state court Thursday after police largely denied their May public records request.

They're seeking how many people are in the database, how the individuals ended up on the list and how the information is shared with other authorities, among other things.

Carol Rose, executive director of ACLU of Massachusetts, argues people should be able to challenge their inclusion because it can have "catastrophic consequences."

The lawsuit cites three Boston youths who say they're facing detention and deportation to Central America because they were wrongly included in the database.

A police spokesman declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

Copyright The Associated Press
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