How public is public information?
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April 17, 2013 |
By Mike Weland
Publisher
I am, sadly, a rotten commodity. I am a
journalist, a reporter. My job is to provide
information to people who need it, much of it
referred to as "public" information by those who
serve the public.
Getting public information from those public
servants who compile and maintain the "official"
public record in a timely and expeditious manner
can be frustrating, but that's my job.
Unfortunately, journalists have built a bad
reputation, capitalizing more on the scandals
that "sell papers" rather than in doing what
the better of our forbearers did, running
out into the night to spread word of a coming
storm, that those who hear might take cover. To
tell of what those we choose to represent us are
doing to serve our common interests.
To tell of what is going on, here, now. In our
community.
News is a valuable commodity, but one with an
exceedingly short shelf life.
Public servants charged with keeping the public
record have become jaded and wary of reporters,
and
I, a small town reporter, have a hard time
getting public information from those I rely on
to provide it, that I might relay it to the
public they are charged with serving.
That's one of the the main reasons News Bonners Ferry
exists.
I fill the gaps between crises with news and
information I think
matters, but when situations develop where lives
might be at stake, I sit behind this computer
putting news out as fast and accurately as I can and by all
means at my disposal.
That, as a journalist, is my reason for being.
To earn public trust. To get word out, and for
that word to be dependable.
I can't provide that information to the public if those who
serve the public won't trust me, a member of the
public who happens to be a journalist, and who
put unreasonable hoops to jump through in the
way of my obtaining said public information.
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be
for a "genuine" member of the public, unschooled
in the labyrinthine processes involved, to gain
access to a snippet of public information
essential to them, especially when time matters.
In a breaking news situations, where roads are
closed or a possible threat exists, such as the
potential "kidnap" situation April 14, I have no
one to call for timely information, and unless
it's a truly remarkable event, such as an
upcoming election, I seldom get calls from those
in authority asking me to provide public
information to the public.
Sheriff's
dispatchers aren't allowed to give out
information, the people who are are busy at the
scene and don't have time. I accept that.
By listening to the scanner and fielding calls,
emails and Facebook posts from those members of
the public being served, I can usually piece
together the information and do
what the authorities can't; get word out to
those of the public with a cell phone or an internet
connection in time to warn of trouble ahead.
I think my efforts help.
What breaks my heart is the response I get when
I ask for routine "public record" information
from those best able to provide it and I am
denied.
I called the county jail a day or two after the "kidnapping"
to get information I needed to round out the
article I was, at that very moment, writing.
The person who answered let me know the suspect was still
in custody, but refused to give me a date of
birth.
"I don't know who you are, sir. I can't give
that information."
"That is public information," I replied. "I am a member
of the public."
"I can't give out that information," he said. "I
don't know who you are on the telephone."
Driving in and knocking on the jailhouse door
would have been inconvenient, and nothing I
could think of to say on the telephone would
convince him that I am a member of the public.
It took another phone call, tinged with
frustration, to get the public information I
sought.
Worse still, trying to get "official" information on the
rash of school bomb threats ... I often learned
of official press releases well after the fact
because those releases are only issued by fax, a
technology I hadn't incorporated because it had
been outdated by email long before I started
this site. I now have a fax, but I have yet to
receive one.
When asking routine questions, law enforcement
referred me to the prosecutor, the prosecutor
referred me to law enforcement. Neither would
talk to me and repeated calls went unreturned, even
though the sole
questions I sought answers to were matters of
public record.
"Have charges been filed? Are they public record? What's the
case number?"
"We have very strict rules to abide by," I was
told at last.
"Have charges been filed?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Are they public record?"
"I believe so, yes."
"And you can't tell me the case number?"
"I'd rather not."
Fortunately, I had the answer to my main
question and staff in the clerk's office had
a better understanding of the definition of "public."
She was able
to locate the file I walked in and asked for
without hesitation, even though I lacked
specifics that would have made finding that file
easy and precise.
I was even politely told that there were two
other files I might be interested in, but those
records were still sealed by
the court and hence not public. I was welcomed to check back
later.
I thanked her and obtained the official public
information I wish I'd known about and had
requested at least two weeks earlier.
The report would have been the same (sometimes
even journalists display a sense of ethics) but more
timely, had I been spared the silence and
obfuscation of those we entrust.
I, and perhaps a few public servants as well,
would have also been spared a few calls from a
public clamoring to know what was going on in a
matter that has affected us all.
The public is right to clamor ... they, we, have
an absolute right to know matters of public
interest. As a journalist, I have a duty to
obtain that information and report it if I am to
gain that commodity I value most highly; the
public trust.
The servants of the public, those whom we elect
and those whom they appoint, should feel an
obligation to share that information freely with
the public they serve, and by all means at their
disposal.
Even through such a rotten conduit as a damned
journalist. Even if it is someone they don't
know on the telephone. |
Questions or comments about this
letter?
Click here to e-mail!
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Mike,
You are no rotten commodity.
Unfortunately, some with low self-esteem are
compelled to restrict the timely dissemination
of critical public information.
This is rationalized because one time in a place
far far away, a “journalist” abused the
information.
What it really boils down to is control.
Information is power and suppression of
information is control.
Personally, I believe our community would
benefit greatly with a completely open and
expedient society regarding news.
If you screw up and don’t verify your
information, EVERYONE will know in a matter of
minutes and the problem will self-resolve. Your
credibility will be greatly diminished.
I appreciate what you do Mike. That applies to
more than just newsbf.
Keep it up and let me know what I can do to
help. |
Gary Leonard
Bonners Ferry
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Seems to me to be a blatant violation of Idaho
Code.
Title 9, Chapter 3...9-338 (4) "A request for
public records and delivery of the public
records may be made by electronic mail."
Passed in April, 2011, I believe. Everything is
done by computer. So stating records are
unavailable is questionable.
Stating records must be faxed? Why are we paying
for all the enhancements?
Of course if you go to the Sheriff's Department
website it still cites a policy over a decade
old.
As Gary Leonard stated...it's all about control. |
Rosanne Smith
Moyie Springs |
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