Reporting rapes in Mount Vernon
Ed Norris, Baltimore's former top cop turned radio DJ, went after the city's police department this morning for failing to notify the public about a series of rapes, sexual assaults and break-ins in and around Mount Vernon.
He targeted the department's chief spokesman, Sterling Clifford, for a comment he made in today's Baltimore Sun, when confronted with criticism from the community: "I hope people won't be dependent on one specific police alert to lock up before they go to bed at night."
Norris called the comment offensive, juvenile and "snarky" -- unprofessional for the agency's top spokesman.
I find the whole episode troubling. It's okay to be condescending to a reporter, but not to the public. Yes, people whould always be vigilent, but that does not excuse police from doing their job -- and preventing and solving crime and informing the public.
One police rationale for not going public was their inability to establish a pattern. On his show, Norris asked where the cutoff should be. "Ten, twelve rapes, tell me." He said the idea that going public could undermine the investigation also falls flat. A woman who sees someone walking through the alley might not call police if she doesn't even know the rapes are occurring. An official alert puts everyone on a heightened state of awareness, and tips can flow in.
Not to mention that police continually complain that the public doesn't help them. "They can't help if you the police hide the information," Norris said. On releasing details of the attacks, Norris said, "If not now, when?"
Click here to see the sketches of two possible suspects.
Comments
while i agree with both of your assessments concerning the cloaked nature of information emanating from the police dept., i find it hard to justify mr. norris statements when afterward he had henry hill on his show. having mr hill on his show belittles the greater sense of duty which he represents as a voice for a public which needs his rage. henry hill is a bad guy. maybe someday, we'll be able to look back on some of baltimores' arch criminals with an equal eye of respect for times gone by. as it is, there is little need for police spokesmen to respond to the question of why they withhold notice rather than release, to the public, information which could get a greater response from neighborhoods such as mt vernon. i applaud you both for your work but wish mr. norris could have backed up his ire with a little sensitivity to the public which needs a break from gangsters. even famous ones. peace
Posted by: emmet | November 13, 2008 9:17 PM