Tuesday, February 05, 2008
News
Wilson makes good on threat to withhold info
SHERIFF JON WILSON
By LIZ SHEPARD Argus-Press Staff Writer
CORUNNA - Shiawassee County Sheriff Jon Wilson is refusing to release information to The Argus-Press less than two weeks after a story was published concerning alleged wrongdoings within his department.
Before the story ran, Wilson threatened The Argus-Press, saying the paper wouldn't receive any information from his department if it was published. He also told a reporter to be prepared to “take some responsibility.”
Sheriff's officials confirmed a fatal traffic crash occurred Saturday morning but wouldn't release any information. Multiple officials said a recent change in policy instituted by Wilson prohibits anyone from giving any information.
Previously, department personnel who handled a crash or other incident would issue a press release in a timely manner or comment to reporters on scene.
Wilson refused Sunday to release information about the Saturday crash because he doesn't “work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” He said it would be released at a later date.
He didn't return multiple calls Monday, but a story appeared on The Flint Journal's Web site that afternoon about the crash.
At about 4 p.m. Monday, a phone message was left for an Argus-Press reporter from an employee of the sheriff's department stating “...this message is to notify you that if you would like any information for the press releases or any type of article you will have to FOIA them to our department.”
FOIA, or Freedom of Information Act, is a law giving citizens and the media the right to request certain documents from public entities. The sheriff's department will now have five business days to provide the information, compared to the mere hours it took to receive it before Wilson's new policy.
A FOIA was submitted to the sheriff's department requesting information about the fatal crash Monday.
Before the story ran, Wilson threatened The Argus-Press, saying the paper wouldn't receive any information from his department if it was published. He also told a reporter to be prepared to “take some responsibility.”
Sheriff's officials confirmed a fatal traffic crash occurred Saturday morning but wouldn't release any information. Multiple officials said a recent change in policy instituted by Wilson prohibits anyone from giving any information.
Previously, department personnel who handled a crash or other incident would issue a press release in a timely manner or comment to reporters on scene.
Wilson refused Sunday to release information about the Saturday crash because he doesn't “work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” He said it would be released at a later date.
He didn't return multiple calls Monday, but a story appeared on The Flint Journal's Web site that afternoon about the crash.
At about 4 p.m. Monday, a phone message was left for an Argus-Press reporter from an employee of the sheriff's department stating “...this message is to notify you that if you would like any information for the press releases or any type of article you will have to FOIA them to our department.”
FOIA, or Freedom of Information Act, is a law giving citizens and the media the right to request certain documents from public entities. The sheriff's department will now have five business days to provide the information, compared to the mere hours it took to receive it before Wilson's new policy.
A FOIA was submitted to the sheriff's department requesting information about the fatal crash Monday.