This police communication issue is being portrayed as though there has not ever been a communications person handling police media and that now there will be one, resulting in a gag effect. But the truth is that the police already do have media protocol - it is just within their own department. For example, when the riots broke in North Minneapolis, we saw the the media relations person on the news, not the officer on the street. Media decisions are already being made by somebody hired to make media decisions. The difference Mayor Rybak is proposing is that the media protocal be within the City structure, not the police department alone. There is not an order to increase media control, just change where the control happens.
It is interesting to note the difference in how this communications move has been portrayed by the Pioneer Press vs. the Star Tribune. I read the Press article and could at least understand the issue and see the potential rationale for making this move. In reading the Strib articles, one would perceive that Rybak was taking a first step in creating a dictatorship in Minneapolis. Same issue; vastly different tone in coverage. I would say the Strib made themselves part of this story, where the Press simply covered the story. I can understand how R.T. felt surprised by the level of criticism received on this issue. He is not proposing a gag rule, but rather a reasonable approach to police communications that is consistent with all the other streamlining efforts the City is undertaking. Michelle Mensing Martin Armatage TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
