UPDATE: Prior to publishing our recent article on transparency, SMNEWSNET.COM filed two formal complaints with the Maryland Office of the Public Access Ombudsman against the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for withholding public information. The Ombudsman reviewed our complaints and found them valid for mediation — a process designed to resolve disputes through open communication between both parties. However, when given the opportunity to address these issues directly and transparently, the Sheriff’s Office refused to participate. That decision forced the Ombudsman to close both cases as unresolved. This refusal to cooperate demonstrates a clear lack of transparency and accountability from an agency that serves the public. When law enforcement avoids dialogue with both the media and the state office responsible for enforcing the Public Information Act, it raises serious concerns about what else they may be unwilling to share. Public information belongs to the public — not to a select few. SMNEWSNET.COM will continue to stand for transparency, fairness, and the public’s right to know. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Steven A. Hall, has increasingly chosen to distribute crime and public safety information through Facebook rather than official press releases — a troubling change that […]
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