SLED denies access to budgets
Agency says info must be researched
By Yvonne Wenger
COLUMBIA — Be prepared to wait a while if you want a detailed look at how the State Law Enforcement Division spent money last year.
The agency won't give up the public information without a formal Freedom of Information Act request, which it could take weeks to fill.
SLED denied a request by The Post and Courier to obtain copies of the agency's annual budget for the past five years. So the newspaper asked if just last year's budget would be immediately available.
FOIA
Read the Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Legislature web site
SLED Communications Director Jennifer Timmons said the agency still would require the formal written request. She referred the newspaper to online sources that explain how SLED spent tax dollars.
The versions produced by the agency, however, should be more comprehensive.
The newspaper submitted a written request Monday after going back and forth with the agency last week to get copies of the budget.
Timmons' only explanation for requiring a written request is that providing the budget takes time to research.
South Carolina Press Association attorney Jay Bender said it is not unreasonable for SLED to require the written request to dig up five years' worth of budget documents. Bender said that last year's budget should be readily available without a formal request. For the agency to not provide it is not constituent-friendly, he said.
"It's not illegal, just bureaucratic," he said.
Sen. Jake Knotts, a West Columbia Republican, is a former lawman who has helped advance open-records laws in the state. He said SLED's budgets might contain confidential information that will take time to redact.
Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
bigwhip (anonymous) says...
Typical, so very typical of how OUR government operates. This is info that should be made public every year.
July 28, 2009 at 8:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Commonman (anonymous) says...
Its part of the transparency in government we keep hearing about from our elected officials.
July 28, 2009 at 8:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MC29461 (anonymous) says...
The P&C should take a look at how many politicians' kids are SLED agents. Many have gone to law school full-time while on the SLED payroll full-time (not just worked as a phone boys).
SLED has operated with impunity throughout its history. The late SLED Chief J.P. Strom made no bones about his ability to increase the size of SLED by getting legislators to increase his budget in order to hire one of the politician's kids, knowing that they would probably leave after graduating college.
SLED's success has been based totally on its public relations machine and not law enforcement results. Just scan the various newspapers to see just how many inconclusive findings SLED delivers to local prosecutors.
A clear example is the test score rigging done by the Charleston County School District. As soon as that principle moved to NC, the scores returned to past levels. And SLED could not even make that simple case.
Or SLED Agent Matt Ford's sordid attempt to have a young girl's murder ruled a suicide when her Mount Pleasant police officer boyfriend was a prime suspect.
Or the recent investigation into the Governor's travel expenses to see his girlfriend in South America.
SLED will fight tooth and nail to keep the light of day off of their operation.
July 28, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mattcofc (anonymous) says...
I really wish the legislature would push through a bill for all state agencies to publish their budgets online once they have gone through the approval process. They would no longer have to dig up information on them or deal with FOIA requests for them. Life would be simple and TRANSPARENT!
July 28, 2009 at 11:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Elliott1 (anonymous) says...
I want to commend the Post and Courier for requesting this information. Making you go through a formal request certainly makes it look as if SLED has something to hide. I wish South Carolinians had been informed of Sanford's lavish spending before we elected him to a second term.
July 28, 2009 at 11:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Numba10 (anonymous) says...
Matt---this years budget is online---and why suddenly does the P&C want the past 5 yrs---what are they looking for that is the real question----or are they just pokin
July 28, 2009 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Elliott1 (anonymous) says...
The point of having a free press with access is so that the public can poke. Yes, we, as citizens, want to see the budgets so that we and reporters can (poke?) investigate anything that looks suspicious. This is not like asking for a search warrents to search private property. Then, law enforcement does need a reason. In order for citizens to see public information, we just have to ask, we don't need a reason. This right helps us maintain a democracy.
July 28, 2009 at 1:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JustJennings (anonymous) says...
If you want to see SLED's incompetence in action, just call and report a violation of law by a local government official and see what is done. The reason we have so many problems in society is due to the government incompetence.
July 28, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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