Too free with freedom ...

What if you were arrested on a traffic offense and suddenly a convicted murderer could access all your information?

What if you were a small town police officer and that same criminal had your name and home address?

What if your 18-year-old daughter was arrested on trespassing chargers and suddenly her picture and phone number were in the hands of that murderer?

Would you really want your sheriff giving all that information out? Under the current Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), he would have to.

The federal law enacted in the 1980s intended to make government more transparent. However, local officials say transparency can be dangerous when too much information is available to anyone.

When Sheriff Jim Reed was sworn into his office, he took an oath to protect the people of Bureau County. Now, however, he is being asked to send out people’s personal information including, names, addresses, phone numbers and pictures of Bureau County females to a convicted murderer. By law, he has to comply.

Former Sheriff John Thompson fought the same requests before he left office in November of last year. After being forced to comply by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Thompson took the matter to former Gov. Pat Quinn. No action was taken to right the FOIA wrongs Thompson and Reed believe are taking place.

Reed said he fully intends to continue with Thompson’s fight.

Reed, Bureau County Chief Deputy Bret Taylor, Princeton Chief of Police Tom Root, Bureau County Deputy Jim Shipp and Bureau County Administrative Lt. Tim Trevier are taking a stand against what they say has become a ridiculous, and at times, dangerous policy in Illinois.

The FOIA states anything that comes through the sheriff’s office, including text messages, emails, arrest or booking records, traffic reports, etc., will be provided to those who ask for it, in whatever format the request indicates.

Before he left office, Thompson told the BCR that throughout the last few years, the FOIA has become an easily abused tool to those in the Department of Corrections facilities. Inmates have been asking for information simply to correspond with government — information that will not help in their appeal process or be of use to them.

Reed agreed with Thompson stating the information and photos being sent to prisoners is being used for nothing more or less than as trading cards in the prison system. Reed asked what else would they want it for, when it has nothing to do with them or their case?

“We need to be more careful about the information we’re putting out there,” said Root.

Reed, who is currently being trained in the FOIA policy along with two other police department employees, identified an array of concerns in the current stance taken on Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act.

Reed questioned why criminals in prison lose the right to vote but not to people’s personal information?

Many departments have had to hire two to three full-time employees simply to process FOIA requests, he continued. Wouldn’t taxpayers rather see their officers out on the street?

Much of the information handled by the police department is of a private and sensitive nature, said Taylor.

The answer to whether a FOIA is valid, said Taylor, should be determined by the state’s attorney. Reed agreed, stating the control needed to be handed back to officials (state’s attorneys) at the local level.

Many find the Freedom of Information Act to be essential to the balancing of government. The total transparency of the government is meant to protect its integrity and its people. Officials are wondering, does it really?

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