Hot Springs, AR - With mounting pressure to end gag orders in the Hot Springs’ criminal justice system, the top cops of the area sat down with Spa City Chronicle to discuss the importance of the orders in a new interview. Sheriff McCormick and Chief Hrvatin both agree that they are a fundamental part of the criminal investigation and prosecution process.
“We rely heavily on gag orders to hide corruption, incompetence, and any kind of accountability for our actions or lack thereof,” Sherriff McCormick said. Chief Hrvatin expanded on that thought, saying, “Primarily we use them in high-profile cases to assist the public in forgetting whatever heinous crime that happened.”
Both the chief and sheriff say utilizing the unique judicial tool has been quite effective in helping citizens forget, for the most part, when a terrible crime has been committed. “Whether it be a horrible murder, missing person, or just a complete fuck up by one of our agencies, gag orders give us the ability to suppress information available to local news, causing less reporting and eventually everyone forgetting.
Both law enforcement officials want the community to understand how important gag orders are to maintaining tourism revenue and law enforcement unaccountability. “No matter the severity of the crime, rest easy, knowing that both the Hot Springs Police Department and Garland County Sheriff's Office will do everything possible to make our community forget when a horrible crime happens.”