Sheriff's office goes beyond law

Web posted December 18, 1999

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By Phil Hudgins
Senior Editor Community Newspapers Inc.

It started out as a convenience: It was easier and quicker to e-mail press releases.

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But convenience has become a routine procedure. Now, in urgent cases, the Columbia County Sheriff's Department e-mails press releases to all newspapers and electronic media in the area. The response from reporters has been tremendous.

``Obviously they love it,'' says Capt. Steve Morris, who heads the department's patrol division and serves as public information officer.

``I think we've spoiled the reporters around here. They get what they want from us, and then they go downtown (nearby Augusta) and have to deal with other sheriff's departments.''

The Columbia County Sheriff's Department is one governmental agency that follows the state's open-records laws -- and goes the extra mile -- according to an open-government survey conducted in the fall.

But it hasn't always been so easy, Capt. Morris said.

``We've had some real bruises (with the news media),'' he said. ``But we finally decided that they have a job to do and we have a job to do. And if we make their job easier, they'll make our job easier. ... We have progressed to the point where we think it's very important that we get along.''

In the long run, he says, the cooperation has benefited both the department and the media.

``We might as well give (requested information) to them,'' Capt. Morris said. ``They're going to find it out anyway.''

Other agencies and governmental bodies, the survey shows, are doing well in providing information to the public. For example, 65 cities and 26 counties have Web sites, and some, including the La Grange City Council, post minutes of meetings on the Internet.

When surveyor Mark Rice of Columbus called Sue Olson, secretary to the La Grange city manager, to request a copy of the approved minutes of the most recent council meeting, she said, ``Sure, but the minutes haven't been approved yet. They'll be approved at tonight's meeting, but I can give you a copy of what we have now.''

She did not ask for the surveyor's name or his business affiliation.

Others were equally cooperative.

The governmental bodies that were least cooperative, according to the survey, were county school boards. Only 47 percent of school officials surveyed presented the information requested: a copy of the latest employment contract for the superintendent.

But the information came routinely in some counties. In Mitchell County, surveyor Jon Reidel of Albany requested the contract from a secretary in the office of the board of education. The secretary asked no questions.

``The woman promptly made a copy of it and gave it to me,'' Mr. Reidel says. ``I said thanks and left.''

That, participants in the survey say, is the way the open-records law is supposed to work.