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Council adopts information‑sharing agreement allowing law department access to LEADS
Summary
Defiance City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance authorizing an information‑sharing agreement with the Ohio Department of Public Safety to allow the city law department access to the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS); council emphasized contractual protections for signatories and noted LEADS had been used previously.
Defiance City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted an ordinance authorizing the city law director and the chief of police to execute an information‑sharing agreement granting the law department access to the Law Enforcement Automated Data System, known as LEADS.
Law Director O'Donnell told the council that LEADS is administered by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and “is a tool for our law enforcement agencies to view the prior criminal history, prior criminal records of a defendant or suspect.” He said the city is classified as a non‑terminal criminal justice agency and that other departments will share data with the law department only after an information exchange agreement is in place.
O'Donnell said the city is seeking language that protects signatories from personal exposure to breach‑of‑contract claims because ODPS views the agreement as closer to a memorandum of understanding than a formal contract. “We're dealing with a lot of sensitive information,” he said, adding that the request for protections is a precaution against possible litigation.
Council members asked how the city had obtained the data previously; O'Donnell replied that the city has used LEADS for some time but that ODPS audits this type of agreement and recently reviewed the city's arrangements. He also confirmed the agreement is renewed annually.
A motion to adopt the ordinance was moved and seconded on the floor; council members recorded affirmative responses and the president declared the ordinance adopted.
The ordinance directs the law director and chief of police to execute the information‑sharing agreement and includes language seeking defense for signatories in case of legal claims related to the agreement. The council did not discuss specific technical safeguards or data‑access protocols during the meeting.
Next steps: the law director and the police chief are authorized to execute the agreement and the matter will be implemented through the departments, subject to any administrative steps required by ODPS.
