Question on the Press and Privacy

[Tecumsehsbones]

The city of New Carrollton, Maryland, has fired its longtime police chief, David Rice. Rice had led the small police department for nearly 18 years as the city’s first police chief.

Mayor Phelecia Nembhard confirmed with WTOP that Rice was dismissed Tuesday for personnel reasons. The mayor declined to provide details about the dismissal, saying that city attorneys advised her not to discuss the personnel matter.

Problems for Rice began late last year when the chief was prohibited from entering the police department building because of a confrontation with a city employee, who filed a restraining order against him.

Mayor Nembhard said that the city would immediately advertise the open position in a search for a qualified candidate to become New Carrollton’s new police chief.

Story

This seems wrong to me.

I get it when a politician resigns "to spend more time with family." Politicians are basically self-employed, and it's up to the press to dig up the reasons.

And I get why the average Joan shouldn't have the reasons for her firing disclosed publicly. Even if Average Joan works for the government.

But the police, and particularly senior-ranking police, are in "positions of public trust," as the phrase goes down here. Shouldn't the government be required to disclose the reasons why persons in positions of public trust are fired?

 

[petros]

Story

This seems wrong to me.

I get it when a politician resigns "to spend more time with family." Politicians are basically self-employed, and it's up to the press to dig up the reasons.

And I get why the average Joan shouldn't have the reasons for her firing disclosed publicly. Even if Average Joan works for the government.

But the police, and particularly senior-ranking police, are in "positions of public trust," as the phrase goes down here. Shouldn't the government be required to disclose the reasons why persons in positions of public trust are fired?

It might ID the victim who wishes privacy.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

It might ID the victim who wishes privacy.

That can be redacted.

It just seems to me that hiding misconduct under a "personnel matters" cover is a little dishonest.

If True Dope's government was doing it (as I'm sure it is), y'all'd be screaming blue murder.

 

[petros]

That can be redacted.

It just seems to me that hiding misconduct under a "personnel matters" cover is a little dishonest.

If True Dope's government was doing it (as I'm sure it is), y'all'd be screaming blue murder.

Redacted isn't enough especially in a work situation where situational awareness is enough to ID a victim and thus a leak.

ie flour, salt, sugar, yeast, olive oil.

What's missing to make pizza dough?

Warm water obviously.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Redacted isn't enough especially in a work situation where situational awareness is enough to ID a victim and thus a leak.

ie flour, salt, sugar, yeast, olive oil.

What's missing to make pizza dough?

Warm water obviously.

You make good points. Not saying I agree, I'd argue that protecting the identity of a victim (if there is a victim) is not as important as letting the public know what the top cop is up to.

But you make good points.

 

[petros]

You make good points. Not saying I agree, I'd argue that protecting the identity of a victim (if there is a victim) is not as important as letting the public know what the top cop is up to.

But you make good points.

Don't be a Gladys Kravits. Personal is personal.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Don't be a Gladys Kravits. Personal is personal.

Were that true, it would be forbidden to disclose the identity of a criminal defendant until such time as that defendant was convicted.

 

[petros]

Were that true, it would be forbidden to disclose the identity of a criminal defendant until such time as that defendant was convicted.

Without Gladys nosing through dockets it would be pretty quiet at noon and five on channel 7 action news.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Without Gladys nosing through dockets it would be pretty quiet at noon and five on channel 7 action news.

I would suggest that the mental health of the country would be well served by more reports on kid's hockey games and fewer reports on the latest lurid torture-murder.

 

[petros]

I would suggest that the mental health of the country would be well served by more reports on kid's hockey games and fewer reports on the latest lurid torture-murder.

Different strokes for different folks just like the CBC.

 

[Jinentonix]

That can be redacted.

It just seems to me that hiding misconduct under a "personnel matters" cover is a little dishonest.

If True Dope's government was doing it (as I'm sure it is), y'all'd be screaming blue murder.

A) He does it all the time and Canadians do.
B) What happens to US cops is irrelevant up here.
And
C) In Ontario said officer/Police Chief would still be getting his full pay until retirement age.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Different strokes for different folks just like the CBC.

I'd really rather not know what you prefer to stroke to.

 

[petros]

I don't watch CBC.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I don't read the paper, I don't watch TV
'Specially when the damn thing's tuned to CBC
--Apologies to James McMurtry and his great song Vaquero