I first want to preface this by saying what I don't know regarding preliminary details:
- I don't know whether there are public records of all the police officers and detectives working at a precinct.
- I don't know how simple it is to find someone's address just from knowing their name. In my country, there are databases that give you someone's address just from knowing their name/phone number, if they allow that info to be public. Not sure if this is the case in the US.
So, let's say I know Detective John Jameson works on a case about a serial killer, maybe because he questioned me in relation to the case. Am I allowed to spread this info?
Motivation for asking:
I find the idea of having the identities of the investigators of a case known to be problematic; in some cases, wont this endager them, or the case, through making them a target of assassination or bribery/blackmail? Therefore, I could see there being a law prohibiting the spreading of this info. However, if that's the case, I would also think that they then were allowed to use fake badges when questioning witnesses, though I don't think that's legal (not sure).
On the other hand, a criminal investigation is a governmental affair, and thus I could see certain details of it being subject to requirements of public availability. Also, perhaps the addresses detectives and police officers aren't searchable in public databases, meaning this is a non-issue?
So, what is info can legally be spread about the investigators of an active case?