Reporters in this state can testify it’s nearly impossible to get information about an arrest made by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and other state investigative bodies.
That’s in contrast to the availability of local police and sheriff’s departments, as well as the Mississippi Highway Patrol, which almost always will provide at least basic details, such as when and where an arrest was made and the circumstances behind it.
It’s important to note that we’re not asking for leaked information early in an investigation but only details made of an actual arrest, at which point there should be a solid amount of evidence to back up the charge.
There’s perhaps no news of greater interest to readers than arrests, and it’s also of importance that the state is transparent about why it charges people with crimes. After all, they are citizens with rights, too. If they are taken into custody by the state, of which the state has complete rights to do so if a crime has been committed, then there at least needs to be an explanation why.
With complaints about drugs and crime being among the top concerns of Mississippians, it would also make sense for the agencies to want to share information when they make arrests.
But if they don’t want to cooperate with the press, at least don’t employ at the taxpayers’ expense public information officers who have nothing to do.
Many of them are former reporters looking for a desk job with half the work, if that, and twice the pay. Their main role seems to be writing self-serving press releases of little interest to anyone other than their bosses, while going into hiding and “no comment” mode when something of legitimate public interest arises.
Whenever state leaders complain about a lack of money in the budget, remind them of all this dead weight that the taxpayers are carrying on the payrolls of countless state agencies.
