A number of law enforcement agencies around South Dakota are planning to cut back on the amount of information they release due to a new voter-approved law in the state.
Both the Department of Public Safety and the Sioux Falls Police Department have notified media organizations Amendment S, also known as “Marsy’s Law”, limits the amount of information they can release to the public.
Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Tony Mangan issued a press release on Tuesday, citing a specific part of Marsy’s law which “prevents the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family.”
According to Mangan, DPS officials say a review of the new amendment by state government attorneys found that vehicle crash record can no longer be made available.
Due to this, the Office of Highway Safety’s Accident Records Reporting website has been suspended. In addition, Mangan says the South Dakota Highway Patrol will no longer release names of people involved in fatal or injury-related vehicle crashes.
On Monday, Sioux Falls Police Department Public Information Officer Sam Clemens issued a similar press release to the media. It stated the department will no longer provide name or specific address of a business or a residence where a crime has taken place. Instead, the department broke the city into 17 regional “beats”, and will identify the location of crimes based on those.
Amendment S was approved in the general election on November 8 with nearly 60 percent people voting yes.
“Law enforcement agencies to release less information due to new law”…..
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!