Appeals court rules police fund donors' names are public

OAKLEY, Mich. (AP) - The state appeals court has ruled that a Saginaw County community has to release the names of people giving money to a police donation fund.

The court said in an opinion released Friday that a circuit court erred when it sided with the Village of Oakley, which denied providing the names under a Freedom of Information Act request.

Shannon Bitterman sought the names and other information on reservists.

The appeals court said "Bitterman suspects a pay-to-play scheme exists, by which donors are allowed to become police reservists in exchange for their donations."

Oakley, about 75 miles northwest of Detroit, has about 300 residents and 100 reserve officers.

Reservists sued last year to keep their names secret, saying they could become targets of Islamic extremists if officials publicly identify them.