On Fri, 20 Oct 2000, Steven Clift wrote:
> This is one reason why as much detailed crime statistic information
> from the Mpls Police Department must be put online for public access
> as soon as it is registered in the blotter:
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,39551,00.html
Okay, a private citizen obtained through sheer leg-work a very
detailed account of crime in his neighborhood. And by reporting it in his
newspaper, in large detail from the sounds of it, made several
enemies. Someone took their frustration into their own hands and
assassinated him.
> "Protecting people" by withholding legally public information must be
> driven out of online systems by default. "Sensitive" government
> police information must only be kept off the Internet for public
> access if it is legally deemed private.
I don't see where you're getting this, unless there is some more
information that you didn't include here. All the article said was that
this 'neighborhood activist' was frequently more on-the-spot than the
police at a crime scene. He also reported on the crimes in question,
rather than aggregating them into statistical blocks.
I am curious as to what you would want the MPD to do here. Set up
a web-page where citizens can monitor bookings in real-time? Daily crime
statistic breakdowns, complete with the ability to drill down to the block
level? This is all possible with today's level of technology.
Unfortunately, Police Departments in general are notoriously prone to
'legacy issues' that prevent adoption of the latest-and-greatest in
database technology.
Greg Riedesel
SSP
