SC sheriff's office quoted me $9k for a simple Flock records request | Hacker News Reader

SC sheriff's office quoted me $9k for a simple Flock records request

columbiamuckraker.substack.com

22 pointssc_muckraker6 comments

Muckrock might be helpful with techniques to compel disclosure at a reasonable cost. Do you plan to file suit against the Richland County sheriff’s department due to their violation of SC’s FIOA statute?

I have had so many issues with records requests with this law enforcement agency. Some I've been able to fight. But I'm getting exhausted. And this one quote just pissed me off. It's well known around here they act like this. People around here, they are complacent with how things are. I am not even sure if a local suit would help since a lot of this stuff is up to a judge's discretion.

Check with the EFF (https://www.eff.org/about/contact) if they'd litigate on your behalf, I'll talk to some folks on Monday. Success will be a function of how much pressure needs to be applied on the sheriff's office before they fold and satisfy the request.

Let me know if they seem interested. I'll definitely reach out! Thanks! My email is Columbia.Muckraker@proton.me

I’ve used MuckRock to request records on ALPR systems for years. I gave up several years ago because SC agencies had started rejecting them all under an exemption for law enforcement / public safety.

There’s no appeal process in SC, so they know they can just stonewall you and you’re highly unlikely to try to sue. The law is also just ambiguous enough that you risk losing even if you did sue, so it’s a lose-lose for the filer.

100%. I am getting right now a denial from other law enforcement agencies where they are arguing with me that it's not a public record at all because it's produced by a third party.

I've been an investigative reporter for years, and now 3 years in S.C. dealing a lot with FOIA. There's a lot of ways you can push, but one way they can stonewall you without a good way to pushback is this high cost.

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