Your Tuesday evening update on Salem news
Good evening from your team at Salem Reporter.
Well, the fight goes on to get you the facts.
Salem city officials seem determined to keep Salem Reporter and citizens away from the truth about the case of Steve Bellshaw.
He’s the former deputy police chief with the Salem Police Department who retired in February with a $53,500 bonus. At the time, he was under a cloud of misconduct allegations.
We reported today on the latest developments, but allow me to give you a sense of the obstacles.
City officials conceded there was no investigation of the allegations. They said that’s because the third-largest city in Oregon couldn’t find investigators to do the personnel case.
Salem Reporter asked for records about that effort to see what in fact was done to recruit a personnel investigator.
They are secret, the city says.
We asked for records showing how the city came up with $53,500 as the figure to put in Bellshaw’s pocket.
That’s confidential information, the city says. No one in the public can have it.
The city leaves the impression that hiding something not good behind the walls of its city attorneys. The sense these officials are creating is that if a city attorney touched a document, it should never be disclosed to citizens.
That’s a recipe for mischief. Public officials could tuck all sorts of embarrassing or even fraudulent information into a legal folder and stiff arm the public.
Your team at Salem Reporter isn’t giving up. Trust in government is what allows government to function on behalf of the citizens. You, the citizen, deserve the truth. And mind you, no law prohibits the city from releasing most of what we think you’re entitled to see. It just doesn’t want you or us to look.
The public interest in good government is at stake at Salem City Hall. We won’t relent and we’ll keep you informed.
-Les Zaitz, editor, Salem Reporter ([email protected])
Here’s a bit of today’s news. Catch all Salem Reporter’s stories anytime on our website.
salemreporter.com
Salem officials have yet to explain why Deputy Chief Steve Bellshaw retired under a separation agreement in February. The city said Friday it wouldn’t disclose records supporting its own claim…
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Salem officials have yet to explain why Deputy Chief Steve Bellshaw retired under a separation agreement in February. The city said Friday it wouldn’t disclose records supporting its own claim…
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Marion County Commissioners on Wednesday will consider plans to direct federal funding to developing homeless shelters as well as an emergency rental assistance program.
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Marion County Commissioners on Wednesday will consider plans to direct federal funding to developing homeless shelters as well as an emergency rental assistance program.
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Erickson’s 2016 defense attorney blamed her ‘mistake’ for court documents that referred to drug charges.
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Erickson’s 2016 defense attorney blamed her ‘mistake’ for court documents that referred to drug charges.
4 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Following a trial, a federal jury determined a Salem police officer used excessive force when he shot Eleaqia McCrae twice with rubber bullets during a May 2020 protest, causing permanent…
3 Oct 2022
salemreporter.com
Following a trial, a federal jury determined a Salem police officer used excessive force when he shot Eleaqia McCrae twice with rubber bullets during a May 2020 protest, causing permanent…
3 Oct 2022
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