SALISBURY, MD — Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis voiced strong opposition during a contentious county council meeting on Tuesday night, criticizing County Executive Julie Giordano's decision to grant a popular local Facebook page, Eastern Shore Undercover, access to encrypted emergency communications channels.
Giordano recently entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Eastern Shore Undercover, allowing the page to monitor the sheriff's office's encrypted radio chatter, with the stipulation that sensitive information be posted with a delay.
Sheriff Lewis, flanked by sheriffs from neighboring Worcester, Dorchester, and Somerset counties, expressed his grave concerns during a council workshop he says he personally requested to address this issue.
“The purpose of encryption was negated, immediately nullified, all of our planning, our meetings, and our hard work...,” Lewis said. “My chief deputy informed me that all she [Giordano] had to do was give him a police radio, and all this planning would be futile. I chuckled—my response, quote, ‘I don’t think she’d be stupid enough to do that.’ Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you tonight, I was wrong, she was determined and reckless enough to do just that.” Lewis said.
Lewis criticized the agreement on multiple fronts, highlighting concerns about officer safety and the confidentiality of personal information. He also accused Eastern Shore Undercover of being an unreliable source with no formal oversight, also claiming that the page’s owner had made a $3,500 donation to Giordano’s campaign.
“The privacy rights of my citizens are not for sale to Earl Campbell or Eastern Shore Undercover; he can keep his $3,500 donation!” Lewis asserted.
County Executive Giordano, who was not present at the meeting, defended the agreement in an "Executive Exclusive" sit-down video on PAC-14 saying it was intended to promote transparency.
“My thought of the MOU is that this is not going to be a forever thing, and we know that,” Giordano said. “We are waiting for law enforcement to get their policy in order and how this is going to be. I know Worcester went encrypted, and they are updating their website to make sure people have access to the information. So that’s all we are waiting on—this is kind of just a placeholder.” she said.
Giordano also claimed she had reached out to the sheriff’s office about the encryption, though both Sheriff Lewis and the county council said they were not informed until the agreement was made public. The county attorney argued that Giordano lacked the legal authority to grant access to the encrypted communications.
While no final decision was made by the council on Tuesday, they are considering drafting a letter urging the county executive to immediately revoke the MOU and return the encrypted radio access.
Eastern Shore Undercover responded to the meeting in a statement on his page, saying, "Tonight, I listened to lies, lies, and more lies, and it is disgusting to say the least."
The post continued to say, "This meeting wasn't about Eastern Shore Undercover. That meeting was about trying to make the county executive look bad, nothing more, nothing less."
Eastern Shore Undercover promised a full statement tomorrow regarding the council meeting.
NOTE: Giordano also offered other news agencies, including WBOC, the opportunity to post the encrypted radio chatter. However, WBOC did not accept the offer, noting that the radio chatter is not confirmed information from police.
