Stone-walling a blogger just doesn't work

Check out McHenry County Blog (www.mchenrycountyblog.com/) this morning, where Cal Skinner writes about the decision of the Public Access Counselor in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, who ruled in a February 14 letter against Sheriff Nygren in Cal's request for SWAT training records for Deputy Eric Woods. Woods, as you'll recall, is the deputy who was injured at the sheriff's department shooting range when an unsafe practice was conducted by the SWAT team.

Woods was off work for several weeks and incurred what was probably significant medical expense - paid for, of course, by the sheriff's department (or workers' comp).

Sheriff Nygren called Woods' injuries "road rash". I'll bet Woods isn't laughing over that one.

The Public Access Counselor ruled that the Sheriff's Dept. improperly denied Cal's request, the appeal for which was dated April 29, 2010. That's more than nine months ago! All Cal wanted to know was Woods' previous SWAT training dates. Then the sheriff's department started a little do-sa-do and tried to dance all over the square to avoid providing the information. Will it now continue to deny it and force Cal into court for the information?

In a comment on Cal's blog, "AZ Supporter" asked what Cal hoped to learn, asking "That accidents happen"?

I answered that one for him with my own comment:

"No, AZ Supporter, accidents don't "happen". Woods' injury at the range that day wasn't an "accident." OK, it was accidental. Nobody intentionally shot on a metal target, expecting his round to ricochet and strike Woods. It was an accident "waiting to happen", due to carelessness and failures in training and supervision.

"Look at the stupidity and wasteful expense in fighting Cal's request. It's mismanagement at the extreme and an effort to stone-wall. Sure would be interesting to know how high up the decision was made to deny information. Above Lt. Miller, who was on the scene and therefore should not have participated in the denial? Was Undersheriff Zinke involved in the denial? How about Nygren?

"There is a whole, new FOIA request, Cal - all the documentation at MCSD surrounding the denial."

Is Cal trying to put to rest the rumor at the time of the injury that Woods' was being subjected to hazing or initiation? Was the day of the injury his first practice with the SWAT Team?

Good going, Cal. I hope you get the answer to your original request!