Blog: Rod Boyce: The editor's desk
The public safety report wouldn't be worth spit without names. At that point we might as well take a count each day and just print the statistics.
A reader asks in comments below a previous post about use of names in our public safety report and expresses concern about lack of follow-up and the fact that future employers who Google a person's name can find these reports forever online.
We are more careful about these reports than some may realize, and we do follow up. We recently changed our police reporting policy and use, mostly, court filings now instead of police and trooper reports. This has eliminated the possibility of reporting arrests that the DA did not follow with a formal charge. Before the change, that did happen occasionally — and most commonly with DUI arrests.
The daily "cops log" now is only used for a heads-up for timely reporting of serious crimes. Few, if any, of these make print without a direct interview with the investigating officer or at least a shift supervisor or public information officer.
We do follow up in print with court judgments, which includes dismissals. I will see about getting those posted online as well.
Many times I have had people in my office to complain about their name showing up in the police report or to ask that their name be kept out of the listing. I try to be sympathetic as possible but I'm not at liberty to select which names go in and which ones do not. Our policy is set and it doesn't matter who you are — just ask the people who work here and have been in the report.
The three most common complaints are:
I'm going to lose my job if you print this: — There isn't much we can do about this and I'm sorry. However, do you intend to hide it from your boss and the people you work with? What happens when you have to go to court or go to jail? I suggest that people tell their employers about an arrest before they hear about it second or third-hand. Perhaps they will be more likely to support you if you explain the situation to them first. As to future job-hunting prospects, employers have much more thorough background search tools available to them than Google. Court records are open, available and searchable online to all.
This is a private family matter: — How many public servants have been killed in the line of duty when responding to private family matters? If the police and troopers show up, it's a public matter.
I don't want my kids to know about this. This will hurt my children: — If the police and the newspaper know more about you than your own children, you have greater problems. If your children know but you don't want others to know because they will be teased, I sympathize, but in an open society families must face issues together. Hopefully you're stronger as a family than going it alone.
A fair response, but the public benefits of printing names -- without which the Public Safety Report "wouldn't be worth spit" -- aren't stated. What remains are the allegations of the police, or as explained, the DA.
To assess whether it is worth risking harm to innocent people's families and/or employment prospects, an explanation is needed of the benefits of publishing the names of the accused for the sorts of crimes commonly covered in the Safety Report.
I think that if someone is getting charged by the DA for a crime that would hurt "future job prospects", that should be a lesson learned. The hard way. And an example for others.
The newspaper is charged with informing it's subscribers, not covering up crimes because they aren't murder, rape, or robbery.
DUIs, assaults, they matter too. Just because the victim pool is smaller, it doesn't mean it should be forgotten.
And you know what would be cool (at least to try out?) on the website? Comments on pictures...
How long is the delay between an event happening and it being reported in the Public Safety report? Maybe a 3 day grace period should be looked into to give people time to come clean with their family/employer before it gets into the newspaper.
If people read the police report and assume someone is guilty, then they are naive. If your in the police blotter and did not do anything or charges are dropped, then the people that really matter to you already know. If your there and you did the crime, good now we know who you are and can make a choice to avoid you in the future!
I also think it keeps the police in check alittle too. at least we know they are doing more than looking for reasons to pull you over because they are bored!
The Trooper's dispatch reports are already available on-line. So, it does not matter if the Fairbanks Daily News Miner publishes "Police Briefs" on their site or not, the information will still show up in a Google search if the Troopers were involved. (I just tried a Google search on the name of someone recently arrested and the Trooper report showed up, but the News Miners' did not.) Court records are also easy for anyone to search. If someone has been arrested or been involved in a court case, even small claims or other minor civil matters, that information is fairly easy to find.
Perhaps, publishing names in the newspaper might serve as a deterrent. Heaven knows, taking away licenses and taking people to court seem to have little effect on some people.
I tend to keep my guard down sometimes but when I read the Safety Blotter it reminds me again of just how vunerable we can be with these drunk drivers, thieves, wife beaters living in our area.. by printing their names and addresses it shows me where I am realitive to the crime and the alleged criminal.
I'm always reminded of the saying "Don't do anything you wouldn't want printed on the front page of the newspaper."
And if you're exonerated, if it comes up in a job search, you should have the paperwork to prove that it was unfounded.
Here's an idea to not get "in trouble", stay out of trouble. Dont want you boss to know you got a DWI? DON'T drink and drive. Almost all charges that would get your one day of fame in the paper (for some of you, your weekly fame) are things that can be avoided. Smart thing to do? Stay out of trouble if you are concerned with getting the public "spotlight"
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