Date sent: Fri, 20 Oct 2000 13:39:43 -0500
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: "Greg R." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Information Kills Crime, Can Kill You
> 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.
>
You are right. I left out some analysis. Why should it takes some one
their own initiative to gather and disseminate information that in
large part is part of the public trust? I recall many list members
troubles in gaining access to basic crime information.
> 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.
Yeah, except that MPD does have newer systems than many departments
in other cities. At one point I grew up in Winona and recall the
section of the newspaper that listed all the various arrests in town.
The Internet should be used by the MPD to do exactly the same thing.
I helped staff the Minnesota Government Information Access Council a
few years back. Just because our laws are strongly open access does
not mean government has to proactively disseminate information. I
believe in a government of citizens where we determine the priorities
for public service we receive. It is human nature to control and
restrict information and this carries over into to how individuals
and groups work within government. However, government is the one
institution that we all own and have rights within - creating a
climate of open information sharing within our city is one of the
most important things we can do to restore our local democracy.
Steven Clift
Carag Resident
>
> Greg Riedesel
> SSP
>
>
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