COLUMN: How the Sheriff’s Office handles public records requests

Submitted photo.

Ellis County Sheriff Johnny Brown.

One of the positions we’ve added since I became your Ellis County Sheriff is a part-time clerk’s position to process the many open records requests (ORRs) our agency receives.

On average, several requests can be received on any given day. Some are simple to fill; others may take several days to complete. The requests may come from attorneys needing documents relating to a criminal case; they’ve been filed by people wanting to check the call record on a property. The media sends us requests for information on everything from minor to major crime incidents. We field requests from people needing documents from a prior arrest to fulfill a background request or employment application. There are any number of reasons someone may need to request documentation from your Sheriff’s Office.

When an open records request is filed with us, the responsive information to that request is gathered together and then turned over to the Ellis County and District Attorney’s Office for its determination as to what is releasable and what is not. If there remains any question, the materials are sent to the state Attorney General’s Office for a final determination. All open records requests are handled according to our state laws.

Open records requests begin with a written request that is as specific as possible about what is being requested, with the requester providing his or her name, address and phone number for contact purposes. Detailed information on how to file an open records request is available on our website, www.elliscountysheriff.com, and is provided under the Other Information tab on the site’s left-hand rail.

After our previous open records clerk took a position with another county, we were fortunate to hire Michelle, who had retired from the Air Force prior to moving here to Ellis County to be near her family. Working with open records requests requires someone who can pay attention to detail and embrace the responsibilities that are involved. Michelle will be the first to tell you she enjoys her job. It’s obvious she likes helping people and working with them. And when questions come up, she’s able to draw on the expertise of our senior clerk, Debra, and my administrative assistant, Janie, both of whom helped handle open records requests for our agency before the volume of those requests necessitated our adding this part-time position that we’ve dedicated to filling ORRs. It’s another way we’re working to provide the service that you expect.

Please, everyone, let’s keep our military and service personnel in our thoughts and prayers. We enjoy our rights and freedoms because of their service and safekeeping of our great nation. Y’all have a Blessed Week.

Johnny Brown has served as Sheriff of Ellis County since Jan. 1, 2009, and is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute. He has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years and holds a Master’s Peace Officer’s Certificate with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.