Writog? A writer-photographer. Citizen journalist. Unless indicated otherwise all content, text and images, here at www.writog.com (C) Copyright 2006 - 2024 Luke T. Bush
Pages
▼
Sunday, August 20, 2006
[Headline Suppressed Due To Security Concerns]
“I run a very open department,” declared Plattsburgh Police Chief X during an interview that may or may not have occurred, depending upon final approval by the Office of The Official Censor.
“I don’t agree with the viewpoint,” he continued, “that we are a secretive police operation.”
Chief X was asked if that was true, then why are some transmissions heard on a police scanner mention a mysterious “Channel 5” where the public can’t listen in, or that officers are told to go to a “landline,” i.e., use the phone, another way to keep the public from listening in?
“Well,” replied Chief X, “we at least leave a few of our transmissions open. Anyway, why do you own a police scanner?”
Changing the subject, this blogger asked the chief if there was any conflict of interest due to the fact that he’s married to a news anchorwoman at the TV station.
“Mrs. X,” he stated, “has no conflict with me. Anyway, there’s the newspaper.”
But the newspaper, this blogger noted, at times runs incomplete news items about car accidents and other such events because the PD would say details about the incident were not available. The word on the street was the paper was intimidated by the police department, unwilling to challenge the department’s efforts to hold back information from the public. In fact, the paper was the PD’s “bitch.”
“I will never confirm or deny,” stated Chief X, “any so-called ‘bitch’ relationship with any local publication that is supposed to keep the public informed on the activities of municipal entities that operate by extorting tax dollars from its citizens and then wasting said dollars.”
On another subject, Chief X was asked why the Plattsburgh Police Department doesn’t like citizens taking photos, especially during a fire or ambulance call. This suggested that the PD was trying to hide something from the public.
Police Chief X sat silent for a moment as he polished his nightstick.
“You own a camera?” he asked, the interview coming to a sudden end.
I inquired about the police logs that the PlattsPressRepub prints up everyday. The PD was actually quite helpful, it's just that they don't have any type of "system" available to disseminate the information more efficiently.
ReplyDeleteThe Los Angeles Police Dept recently began blogging. Their blog is used as a policing tool and a means of communication with the public. IMHO it is quite successful and if a department of that size and scale can do it, there is absolutely no reason it can't be done here.
I was told that the PlattsPressRep calls in everyday to inquire about injury and felony incidents which are relayed verbally. Now, I'm not saying they were lying, but isn't that just a bit lame on the parts of both parties? Since there has been no regular demand for that info, they have not had the need to do anything else.
I asked if the previous day's log could be PDF'ed and distributed each morning at a set time? Nope. I asked if the Plattsburgh PD would be open to a free hosted blog which I would set up and donate. Nope. I was invited to stop in or call each day to get the information like the PlattsPressRep. Not quite motivated enough.
Luke, try a softer approach, especially with the Law. They won't be able to resist.