• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Friday, October 10
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    Sovereign Citizen

    Portsmouth Woman Tries “Sovereign Citizen” Defense — Ends Up in Jail Anyway 

    Weird strange news

    TV Fight at Rehab Center Ends With Blood, Broken Glasses, and an Arrest 

    Portsmouth Family Indicted for Shocking Abuse of Corpse Case 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 10/10/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    ambulance

    No Ambulance Available: Nursing Home Call Highlights Ongoing EMS Crisis 

    BAD BEHAVIOR

    Family Feud Turns Ugly: Grandma and Grandson Both Arrested  

    Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    19 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    Sheriff night 1

    Deputies Step In as Teen Meltdown Escalates in West Portsmouth 

    Southern Ohio Medical Center

    Shove at SOMC: Dad Walks Out With Child, Staff Calls Police 

    SCDN File Photo

    Flying Object From SUV Strikes Woman in Farley Square 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 10/09/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    SCDN File Photo

    Bloody Scene at Dollar General Ends With Hospital Trip 

    Handcuffed and On the Run: Foot Pursuit on Gallia Street 

    domestic violence abuse

    Domestic Dispute Ends in Arrest After Man Admits Grabbing Woman by the Throat 

    homeless

    Homeless Camp Sweep Ends in Arrests — and a Troubling Release 

    Police lights in rear view 1

    Repeat Offender Nabbed Again in Wheelersburg Traffic Stop 

    dog animal cruelty

    “Starved” Dog Found Dead in Scioto County : Animal Control Crisis 

    Chase Scoggins

    A Judge Speaks Out: The Story of Chase Scoggins Echoes Portsmouth’s Own Struggles 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 10/08/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    OSP 22

    Scioto County Man Involved in Fatal Gallia County Crash 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics

    Democrats Blast Bryan Davis: “Quit Collecting a Paycheck You’re Not Earning” 

    Robert Horton

    Update in Robert Horton Corruption Case 

    Davis Commish

    No Updates, Just an Empty Seat: Powell and Smith Say Davis Drama is Out of Their Hands

    weird strange absurd

    Parking, Murals, and an Indicted Commissioner: Sparks Fly at Portsmouth City Manager’s Conference 

    Bryan Davis Due Back In Court October 21 

    Sean Dunne Next Mayor of Portsmouth?

    Dunne: “It’s Time for Portsmouth to Speak Up” on Davis Resignation 

    confused woman

    Portsmouth Council Weighs Asking Davis to Resign 

    Turning Point USA

    Student Democrats Deny Role in Petition to Ban Turning Point USA at SSU 

    Turning Point USA

    Portsmouth Politics Escalate: SSU Students Petition to Ban Turning Point USA

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder’s Office Increases Fees 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Powell Responds to Conflict of Interest Questions 

    FOP Endorses Malone, Neff in Portsmouth City Election 

    Bryan Davis

    Where’s Bryan Davis? GOP Says Step Down — Court Says Suspended

    SCDN File Photo

    Where’s Bryan Davis? After Two Missed Meetings, GOP Says It’s Time to Step Down 

    This bench is a different bench located near Jim Dandy's

    Exclusive: The Bench Is Back — But the Political Drama Isn’t Over 

    crisis question

    Where’s Bryan Davis? Commissioners, Citizens Ask the Same Question 

    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

  • Feel Good

    Honoring Scioto County’s First Town — and Its First People: New Heritage Trail Sign Dedicated at Earl Thomas Conley Park 

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

    A sleek blue sedan parked on concrete. Behind the vehicle is a view of the sky with a setting sun over a body of water.

    How To Make Your Daily Driver Feel Like a Sports Car

    A person's hand is holding a miniature wooden house with a green roof and a budding plant on top against a green background.

    How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home

    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

  • Obituaries
    Thomas Marshall Redmon

    Thomas Marshall Redmon, 90 of Portsmouth,

     Larry Randall Williams

     Larry Randall Williams, 82 of West Portsmouth

    Marilyn Rosemary Bailey, 62 of Ironton

    Julia Mae Duke

    Julia Mae Duke, 83 of Piketon

    Dana LaMonte Messer

    Dana LaMonte Messer, 68 of Portsmouth

    Heath Aaron Pollard

    Heath Aaron Pollard, 43 Jackson

    Betty Kathleen Rowe

    Betty Kathleen Rowe, aged 91 of Wheelersburg

    Diana J. Todd

    Diana J. Todd, 81 of Sciotoville

    David W. Bauer

    David W. Bauer, 94 of Wheelersburg

    Dorothy Sue Stringfield

    Dorothy Sue Stringfield, 62 of Portsmouth

    Garry Arnett Hurless

    Garry Arnett Hurless, 83 of Piketon

    William Ratliff

    William C. Ratliff 72, of Portsmouth

    Annetta Collins

    Annetta Collins, 68 of South Webster

    Elizabeth Ann Smith

    Elizabeth Ann Smith, age 62 of New Boston

    Judith Phipps

    Judith Ann (Tackett) Phipps, 84 of Mt. Perry

    Patricia Aileen (White) Attaway

    Patricia Aileen (White) Attaway of Georgia

    Bonnie Lafrida Riddlebarger

    Bonnie Lafrida Riddlebarger, 88 of New Boston

    Fontella Munn

    Fontella Munn, 87 of Lucasville

    Beverly Jane Kessinger

    Beverly Jane Kessinger, 82 of Friendship

    Beth Ann Fite, 68 of Wheelersburg

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

ANOTHER MAJOR SCANDAL- SHERIFF HIDES BEHIND BLACK BOXES AND LOCKED CABINETS TO DUCK TRANSPARENCY

Mark Craycraft by Mark Craycraft
7 months ago
in Public Safety
ShareTweetEmail

For years, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) has provided, by request of the local media, a daily “chief’s report,” a PDF document detailing the previous day’s calls and deputy responses. But what should have been a window into the office’s operations was often obscured by heavy redactions—black boxes covering key details. Local media tolerated the practice for a time, but a landmark 2022 Ohio Supreme Court ruling in Myers v. Meyers shifted the landscape, forcing law enforcement agencies statewide to open their records to public scrutiny. Now, faced with demands for transparency, the SCSO has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the public in the dark, raising questions about accountability and legal exposure at taxpayers’ expense.

The Myers v. Meyers case, in which Ohio media publisher Derek Myers successfully sued the Chillicothe Police Department for access to incident reports, set a precedent that law enforcement could no longer withhold broad swaths of records under vague exemptions. The ruling clarified that witness statements and narratives—barring specific investigative exceptions—must be disclosed, shining a light on how public funds are spent. When local media invoked the decision to challenge SCSO’s redaction-heavy reports, the Sheriff’s Office initially scrambled to comply.

Sheriff David Thoroughman turned to Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman for guidance. After reviewing the Myers ruling, Tieman’s office confirmed that the office’s blanket redactions violated Ohio public records law. But rather than embrace transparency, SCSO doubled down on secrecy. Captain Ron Davis, acting on Thoroughman’s behalf, contacted Sundance, the company managing the county’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, which logs all calls and generates the chief’s report.

RELATED POSTS

Portsmouth Woman Tries “Sovereign Citizen” Defense — Ends Up in Jail Anyway 

TV Fight at Rehab Center Ends With Blood, Broken Glasses, and an Arrest 

Portsmouth Family Indicted for Shocking Abuse of Corpse Case 

In emails obtained through public records requests, Davis pressed Sundance to remove the report feature entirely.

“I definitely need it removed as we do not use it but the media is demanding copies of it daily and it has too much on it,” Davis wrote. “Our prosecutor is saying that if it’s in our system they can request it, so removing it as it is not pertaining to us would be the only way to solve that.”

Sundance balked, explaining that the report was a core component of the system used by dozens of law enforcement agencies. The best they could offer was to “hide” the button that generates it. SCSO seized on this workaround, claiming they could no longer produce the report—even though it still exists in the database.

Legal experts liken the tactic to locking a filing cabinet and tossing the key, then shrugging and claiming the contents are inaccessible.

“It’s a deliberate attempt to sidestep the law,” said Emmett Robinson, the Cleveland-based public records attorney who represented Myers in the Supreme Court case. “The records don’t vanish just because you disable a button.”

Please Support This Local Business

Robinson, a Harvard Law graduate and Jeopardy! champion, called SCSO’s actions “dishonest” and a “disservice” to both the media and the public.

“Intentionally altering a computer system to hide information doesn’t exempt the sheriff from his duty to disclose,” he said. “If anything, it heightens their legal risk.”

Under Ohio law, public officials who flout records requests can face statutory damages and attorneys’ fees—costs borne by taxpayers, not the officials themselves.

The SCSO’s maneuvers reveal a troubling mindset: a willingness to prioritize secrecy over accountability, even for mundane calls like trespassing complaints or cats stuck in trees.

By clinging to opacity, Thoroughman’s office isn’t just defying a court ruling—it’s inviting litigation that could drain public coffers.

“A court is more likely to penalize this kind of gamesmanship,” Robinson warned, noting that the intentional nature of SCSO’s actions could lead to steeper consequences.

As Scioto County residents foot the bill for this stonewalling, the Sheriff’s Office stands on shaky ground. The chief’s log remains in the system, a digital skeleton in the closet that no amount of button-hiding can erase.

What began as a routine public records dispute has morphed into a saga of evasion, exposing a sheriff’s office more interested in shielding its daily deeds than serving the taxpayers who fund it. In their zeal to conceal, Thoroughman and his team have opened the door to lawsuits that could cost far more than the transparency they so desperately seek to avoid.

Tags: David ThoroughmanFeaturedLawNewsletterOhioPoliceScioto CountyShane TiemanSheriff
Please Support This Local Business
Please login to join discussion

TRENDING NOW

Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

19 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

October 9, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 10/08/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

October 8, 2025
Sheriff night 1

Deputies Step In as Teen Meltdown Escalates in West Portsmouth 

October 9, 2025
Southern Ohio Medical Center

Shove at SOMC: Dad Walks Out With Child, Staff Calls Police 

October 9, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 10/09/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

October 9, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.