Baltimore County police and too slow news
I'm always reluctant to write Crime Scene columns like I did on Sunday, criticizing Baltimore County police for lagging days, even weeks posting crime news to their website. It comes off as an angry reporter whining and demanding special treatment. That's certainly the sentiments on some of the comments from readers:
Please let the police do their job and stop whining. I am sure you would like them to announce the local theft at 7-11 too. It is impossible to announce every crime. They do get to decide what crimes should be public while an investigation is going on. ... Why don't you mind the scanner a little more and stop whining about what is spoon fed to you.
Obvious case of the baby not getting his bottle when he wants it. Don't try to make this out that the county police are endangering the lives of residents by not telling the paper about every crime as it happens.
One of the few notes of praise I got came from none other than a Baltimore County police officer who distributes a weekly crime report in the Towson area. It's just the sort of compilation of crime citizens need and want, and I wish it could be repeated throughout the county and in other jurisdictions:
Mr Hermann, read your article in Sunday's edition of the "Baltimore Sun" and I appreciate the favorable words you used on my behalf. Thank you, reading those words or hearing from community members who like receiving that weekly report reinforce in me the need to send out that report every week.
Thanks, Sgt Stephen Fink
So let me try and explain again:
I tried hard to differentiate between news we get at the paper and news delivered to the public. I tried to limit the criticism to what the county posts on its public website. Some killings were not posted for months; other crimes weeks weeks old and only were posted when police wanted help.
My argument was that people need to know about crime when it happens. Some of the crime the media knew about and reported, but the county cops still didn't add it to their official list. I find that deceiving and irresponsible. Check out the county's iWatch website and tell me if you feel adequately informed.
It is a public safety issue. I agree it can be a tough call when and how to divulge certain crime information. But homeowners want to know when a string of burglaries has occurred in their neighborhood. Police may want to hold back on the information to find the suspect, but at some point they have an obligation to let people know. We run into that frequently with suspected rapists -- citizens need to know to keep safe.
My last point before I let the readers have at, and have at me, is that I get emails and calls constantly from people who saw the police helicopter hover the night before, or saw a bunch of police cars race by their house, and they turn to the morning paper and wonder why there's nothing in there about it. These are some of the same people who say I'm whining when police don't bother to tell the public about crimes as serious as murder.
Comments
Here, here. I empathize with the comment about the choppers circling, with radio silence from the papers about it the next day. It's happened many, many times since I moved into my house last year, and I haven't been able to find out any details for any incident. I keep watch over my little corner of Baltimore, and if I had better information, may be able to assist police at some point.
Posted by: Baron of Baltimore | March 29, 2011 11:29 AM