Florida Sheriff’s Office wants family to pay $314K to look for public records

The family of a pedestrian hit and killed by a Jacksonville police officer in May — searching for public records related to the officer’s work history — was asked to pay more than $300,000, and that was just the cost of the search.

While we all know what asset forfeiture is, what do you call this?
Extortion?

Florida has some shady Law enforcement dealings...

Seriously, $300,000 for a database search?

jacksonville.com...

a reply to: iWontGiveUP

Now this is a problem. We are transparent... you just gotta give us life changing amounts of money to see that side.

To me this is nothing more less than preventative in nature.

a reply to: iWontGiveUP

Sounds to me like they aren't doing their jobs.
Fire them.

I don't like sheriff's departments getting paid extra to deliver foreclosures.
I don't like to pay cops to inspect a new vehicle purchase.
What the hell do we pay them to do?
Their fricken job!

A little more than meets the OP's eye:

Officer Tim James, who was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 11 times before he was arrested in June on charges of beating a handcuffed teenager, hit and killed Blane Land with his police cruiser about a month before the incident that led to his arrest. Attorney John M. Phillips, who is representing the Land family, asked for records relating to James’ driving history and civil rights complaints.

The request was routine, but the outspoken attorney was shocked by the cost — which would have covered the first of three potential estimates.

“When Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office kills someone and then sends you a $314,000 bill for public records, when they know they kept a bad officer on the force,” Phillips wrote in a Monday evening Facebook post that went viral, garnering 187 shares as of Tuesday night.

a reply to: Snarl

Thought i C/P the entire article in quote

Thanks for adding

a reply to: iWontGiveUP

I call this obstruction of justice, blackmail, theft and more, therefore grounds to have the feds come in, arrest the entire police department and replace them, until all suspects have been either cleared or had legal proceedings concluded against them.

As I have stated , police officers should have to take psychological tests every so often .
To ask for 20 cents for public records is extortion . Do folks not see the key words there?
Public Records

Definitions of Public


Definitions of Record

a reply to: iWontGiveUP

Why do you think they don't track shootings.. if it looks bad on them.. they don't want to know.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I think think the State of Florida should step in first before calling in the Feds.

Feds should be the last resort. If the family files a grievance(or whatever it would be called) on the issue with the local courts and they don't get help, then go to the State to fix the mess.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: iWontGiveUP

I call this obstruction of justice, blackmail, theft and more, therefore grounds to have the feds come in, arrest the entire police department and replace them, until all suspects have been either cleared or had legal proceedings concluded against them.

I call this a hyperbolic star farming comment.

FDLE has some very, very good investigators. Part of their job is investigating police and public official misconduct. Seems like a slightly more natural starting point than your nuclear option.

a reply to: watchitburn

Personally, I think that is a waste of time, as well as a jurisdictional nightmare. If a cop farts in the wrong direction, and the slightest obstruction is placed in the way of either civil action against the department or policeman in question, or a criminal charge, the feds should be all over that department or officer like flies around a corpse, IMMEDIATELY! The very same DAY!

FORCE these police agencies to understand their place, servants, not political figures or untouchable sentinels, but servants of justice and nothing else.

Learned their lesson from the NPS I guess..

FYI I always considered Jacksonville a hole, never enjoyed any time spent there.

a reply to: Shamrock6

A person wronged by the system should be permitted to not give a damn whether their response is proportional, and call the nastiest, fastest, most capable persons to deal with such a crisis. The FBI and local law enforcement are notorious for having poor relations with one another, for whatever reason. It makes sense that if a local law enforcement agency is drawing ranks, you call someone who automatically and without any question, can pull rank on the entire agency itself, and dismantle their defences. Another branch of the local police, from just down the road, do not have that same power to tear down blue walls.

a reply to: Shamrock6

I call this a hyperbolic star farming comment.

Lol funny coming from a cop.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Either way it would fall to the state police to investigate first if I am recalling the protocols correctly. Sounds like someone is trying to deter them from embarrassing the department and probably trying to stave of a lawsuit, however they did a horrible job at that because all this will do is attract attention to the whole deal. I'd say the family is in line for a pretty nice payday...which will come out of the tax payers pocket, so the department only ends up emabarrased...nothing more. These type of lawsuits should be direct deductions from department budgets. Bet if they were we would see more cops lose jobs over this type of conduct as it effects the bottom line of a department's ability to get their jobs done and get paid.

a reply to: TrueBrit

That would be the state police...the feds don't come in until all state level options are exhausted.

a reply to: TrueBrit

You're not wrong.

But still, no one should want the Federal Govt involved in any legal actions/disputes. It's not like they have a history of being effective.

a reply to: RickyD

State police and locals often have much better working relations than FBI and local law enforcement officials. This means an increased possibility that all the state police will do, is add another layer of defence to wrong doers. Citizens should not have to jump through hoops like those, in order to attain what is rightfully theirs, be it a payout, or evidence being withheld, or an officer winding up in jail for being a scumbag.

a reply to: watchitburn

Well no, of course no one should WANT that. But there should be as few steps between a citizen and justice as possible, and having to mess with local, THEN state, and only after a protracted period of being screwed by both (as happens on too many occasions to ignore) THEN get in touch with the FBI. I am sure what the family WANT is for the death of their loved one to be investigated without obstruction, all evidence pertaining to the performance of his killer divulged at no expense to them or anyone else, and for any jail time that would normally be given to a regular citizen, to be inflicted upon the driver of the police car, assuming his guilt in the matter of course.

And for what its worth, I think if people were given a choice as follows:

Get the Feds involved

or

Let and injustice continue

... most folk would grudgingly choose the feebs.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Yes and no...if the state police get involved it would be because the district attorney's office opened an investigation. With that type of scrutiny as well as being promoted by social media and likely local news they won't want to share the hot seat. Could they still try to cover for the sheriff's department, sure...but doubtful. I have seen in more than one instance when my cousin worked in the commonwealth attorney's office where I am from that once state police were called in things got handled in short order. One instance the entire police force was removed while state stepped in to cover for the duration of the investigation, which resulted in many arrests and the resignation of the chief. The other instance the officer in question ended up being arrested as well, however this was not as serious as the first instance, which was evidence tampering. You seem to have a really jaded outlook on the subject though...especially for someone who doesn't live here, and has probably not had much if any real experience with such situations relating to US law enforcement.