A device that shocks individuals with more than 300 volts of electricity when applied to their skin is being used by law enforcement agencies across Virginia. … At least 7 regional jails and Sheriff’s departments in Virginia are using Compliant weapons, according to social media posts, now-deleted information on the Compliant website and documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. … Norfolk Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jamie Bastas estimated a cost of $737.39 to release emails between Sheriff’s office employees and Compliant. The Norfolk office recorded 117 use-of-force incidents involving Compliant Technologies products between 2020 and the end of August 2026. At the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail, the company’s devices were referenced in 48 use-of-force reports during about the same time period. The jail, located in Williamsburg, declined to release those records. Documents obtained from other departments across the state — including the Newport News Sheriff’s Office, and the Northern Neck and Western Virginia regional jails — show that equipping and training staff with the G.L.O.V.E. has cost each office thousands of dollars.

Fauquier County Commissioner of Revenue Eric Maybach and, before him, then-Warrenton town attorney Whitson Robinson, used their official positions to help a local financial firm establish legal settlement accounts holding billions of dollars in escrow for lawsuits involving some of the world’s largest corporations, including BP Oil, RoundUp, Google and Amazon, according to ongoing civil lawsuits. Both Maybach and Robinson say they have not received compensation for the arrangement. However, in a legal deposition, Maybach said his church, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and other local nonprofits he supports, received money from the firm, Eastern Point Trust Company, based in Warrenton, in exchange for his work. … One of the lawsuits, which seeks to compel Maybach and Eastern Point Trust to release documents related to the settlement accounts, calls the arrangement “a matter of public interest” and “legally doubtful,” according to the complaint. The Warrenton Town Council was unaware of the unusual arrangement until recently, according to Council member Bill Semple.

A member of the Onancock Town Council raised concerns about town police department transparency during a meeting on Monday, Oct. 26. Councilwoman Ann Quigley questioned the transparency of the monthly police report compiled by Police Chief Eric Williams. “I think we need to provide enough information to residents where they are aware about what is going on in the town.” Quigley said. She said it is important for the town to provide “whatever distinctions we can make that are going to best inform people about where they might need to have concerns or about what’s happening.” She continued, “I think it’s impossible to know if you don’t know whether something was just a call or (led) to enforcement action.”

Michigan’s governor-elect, Jocelyn Benson, says she will voluntarily apply Freedom of Information Act access to the executive office on Day 1 of her term. While she said she does not yet have details on how that will work, Benson has already led an agency subject to Michigan FOIA laws. She is currently the Secretary of State and ran for governor after being term-limited in that role. … The announcement about FOIA began in response to a reporter’s question after Benson and Brinks gave their prepared remarks. Michigan’s FOIA procedures require a written request to be filed when someone seeks access to a public record from a state agency. The process includes paying any applicable fees. There are bills pending in the House to require the Michigan Legislature and the governor’s office to comply with the law, as both are exempt. House Bill 6299 and House Bill 6300, which were introduced this summer, were referred to the Committee on Government Operations, with no action yet taken.