Shasta County drops controversial media policy amid backlash from sheriff
A day after Shasta Sheriff Michael Johnson in a stinging rebuke debunked any notion his department was involved in the decision to set up a media room for journalists covering meetings, county leaders announced they are getting rid of it.
In a press release titled “Media Room Access Rescinded,” Supervisor Kevin Crye, who chairs the board, said “based on public comments and concerns, the option of the Media Room access will be rescinded.”
Announced last week, the county’s new media policy received harsh criticism from residents, including during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
At that meeting, Crye said Johnson helped fashion the new policy, which included a separate media room for journalists.
On Wednesday, Johnson emphatically denied he had anything do with creating a media room and went on to say it was not a good idea.
Shasta County Board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Crye reacts to members of audience speaking during a board meeting Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
“This was NOT introduced or in any way developed by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. In fact, upon learning of this new development, I questioned why it was even discussed or brought into play. In my time as Sheriff, that ‘media room’ has been exclusively used by department heads that occasionally attend BOS (board of supervisors’) meetings. Because of this option now being introduced, the (sheriff’s office) had to account for other safety considerations that could become a factor when implementing the safety protocol/process,” Johnson said.
Johnson said, “I will not be drug into the frivolous politics and bickering that occurs.”
Supervisors-elect Matt Plummer and Allen Long also were critical of the new media rules.
Plummer said he would like to see the board address the cause of the disruptions during meetings and work on ways to reduce them rather than “focusing on the media.”
“Any time the government restricts the rights of the public it should be obligated to offer a thorough explanation on why it is doing that, and I don’t feel that’s been done,” said Plummer, who beat District 4 incumbent Patrick Jones in March.
Long said supervisors need to focus on the county issues that matter.
“I would not have made that policy and I think we are focused on things that are not a problem,” Long said. “We need to get back to the county business.”
Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson appears before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
A few hours before Tuesday’s supervisors’ meeting, the First Amendment Coalition sent a letter to the supervisors protesting the county’s new media policy and procedures for covering board meetings.
In his statement Thursday, Crye was critical of the media’s reporting of the new policy and said he wanted “to clear a few things up.”
“Public Safety and Security of County Buildings is the responsibility of the Sheriff’s Department. The Media Room was created by County Staff, as an option, to facilitate the media whenever the Board room is being cleared,” he said.
The Record Searchlight has emailed sheriff’s office spokesman Tim Mapes for a statement from Johnson. Mapes declined to comment on the sheriff’s behalf.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County drops new media policy after public backlash
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