Why is the CrimeStoppers of McHenry County so hard to reach? Why is it in hiding? Is it in hiding?
The CrimeStoppers liaison at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department says she doesn't know who the members are. But doesn't she attend their monthly meetings? How could she not know?
Undersheriff Andy Zinke has not replied, even yet, to my September 16th email.
It took a month for the Secretary to reply to my first letter, and she did not provide the requested information.
What happens when a 501(c)(3) organization stonewalls a request? Do they have something to hide, perhaps in connection with revenues and disbursements? Election of officers? Compliance with By-Laws? Will they want an inquiry from IRS? Maybe that can be arranged.
Will it be necessary to file a FOIA Request with the Sheriff's Department to learn the names of the CrimeStoppers Board members and officers? While the Sheriff's Department isn't in charge of CrimeStoppers, they know who is.
Is it really wise to play dumb?
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4 comments:
Last year you were slamming Shop With A Cop, now its Crime Stoppers. What are next Gus, the Boy Scouts and Salvation Army?
Why is the Sheriff the target? Why not Huntley or Algonquin, maybe Marengo or Harvard? They all benefit from Crime Stoppers tips as much as any other Police agency. The whole idea with Crime Stopper is remaining anonymous? Face it Gus, you don’t have a good record in that area. Think maybe they DON’T want to talk to you?
Nota, I want to inform CrimeStoppers for McHenry County of my own experience of calling the tip line, and I know two other people who had similar, unsatisfactory experiences with the tip line.
I want to communicate with the president of the CS group.
MCSD refused to tell me who supervises the tip line. That doesn't need to be anonymous; it's a MDSD employee in charge of dispatchers; shouldn't be a secret.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, they don't have a choice to hide out; they can't. You should see their 2010 Report. It contains no financial information about revenues and disbursements for 2009, and the names of the Board and officers are omitted.
I also wanted to know if their "up to $1,000" reward in the Beth Bentley case is payable for information (only), or only for a tip leading to arrest or indictment, which is the usual case with CS rewards.
In your September 30th blog you tell us you have the mailing address for Crimestoppers. Write the letter and tell them of your complaint and ask your question - if you haven't already done so. Then understand that since they are not a public body they are under no requirement to answer any of your questions any more than the manager of the Jewel-Osco or Walgreen's is. Sure, it might be easier for them to do so than to have to put up with your crap but then again maybe they too have drawn a line in the sand and just don't care about what you say, do or think. Ever consider that? You can "force" a certain amount of "cooperation" out of public officials but only so much. Demanding that they bring some organization with which they deal to "heel" is a stretch. If they file their annual report and make it available they've complied with the IRS requirement. If the report is incomplete or erroneous then you can take your best shot but you take it with the IRS, not with sheriff's office or Crimestoppers. Also, this same blog piece describes the Woodstock Crime Stoppers organization. Could it be that you are barking up the wrong tree (again)?
Darth, thanks for your comment.
I recognize that CS for McHenry County is not a "public body" and, thus, not subject to FOIA; however, as a 501(c)(3) organization they enjoy certain tax benefits and must comply with certain disclosures.
The 2010 Report was a "puff" piece that actually provides little information to the public. Also, it was hard to come up with.
I did write the letter you suggested. The Secretary replied one month later and did not provide the requested letter. Nor did she invite comments on what was wrong with the tip line.
CS of Woodstock is separate, and it is out of compliance with its own simple By-Laws.
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