This happens less and less frequently and Vermont State Police officials
have publicly announced their intention of making the state police the
most transparent department in state government. That's impressive and
to be congratulated.
Last week, Mike Donahue, director of the Vermont Press Association, was a
speaker at a two-day meeting for VSP Command staff in Waterbury. During
that meeting, Donahue explained that he monitored the number of
releases from each barracks over the course of a 21-day period.
He explained for those present the sheer number of press releases issued
from each of the state police barracks. There were great differences in
numbers of incidences reported from each barracks.
The data is informative - if it is just that. In 21 days there were 34
emailed press releases from the St. Johnsbury barracks, followed by 29
from the Middlesex barracks (which serves The Valley), 19 from
Williston, 16 from Derby and so on down the line to 4 from Rutland and 1
from Bradford.
If the data is just data, it is interesting. If the data is somehow an
attempt to manipulate which barracks is the busiest or most in need of
the limited amount of state funding available for law enforcement then
the baby may have been thrown out with the bath water.
Vermont media efforts to get open and accurate and timely information
from the law enforcement community have been greatly enhanced by the
listserv.
But the safety and well-being of the state's citizens is not enhanced if
law enforcement officials are required to dance for dollars by making
their coverage areas look busy - as judged by the quantity of press
releases issued for incidents. Writers are often paid by the word. Law
enforcement officers should not be.
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