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Print This StoryEditorial: Madison Police's Stance Leads To Loss Of Confidence, Jeopardizes Trust
Neil Heinen Weighs In On Zimmermann Investigation
UPDATED: 3:09 pm CDT May 13,
2008
By Neil Heinen
Editorial DirectorThe Brittany Zimmerman murder investigation is profoundly troubling on many levels.Certainly, the fact it's the third of a string of recent unsolved murders apparently involving strangers is disconcerting as it should be. Let us never be blase about murders in our community. But the Zimmerman case has shed further light on a significant trend in the Madison Police Department -- secrecy. And this policy of secrecy is causing the public to lose confidence in a police department that is risking its credibility.Increasingly, the public and the news media serving as the voice of the public, finds the Madison Police department divided into camps -- those who think no information at all should be made public, and those who think as little as possible should be made public. The results include questions, rumors, fears, misinformation and the risk of an eventual loss of trust.What a price.There are legal, ethical and limited public safety considerations. We understand all of them. But the current position of the Madison Police Department, and by extension the city, is that open records, the public's right to know, and open government are no longer important. We'll have more to say in editorials to come, but suffice to say for now – we disagree.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
Editorial DirectorThe Brittany Zimmerman murder investigation is profoundly troubling on many levels.Certainly, the fact it's the third of a string of recent unsolved murders apparently involving strangers is disconcerting as it should be. Let us never be blase about murders in our community. But the Zimmerman case has shed further light on a significant trend in the Madison Police Department -- secrecy. And this policy of secrecy is causing the public to lose confidence in a police department that is risking its credibility.Increasingly, the public and the news media serving as the voice of the public, finds the Madison Police department divided into camps -- those who think no information at all should be made public, and those who think as little as possible should be made public. The results include questions, rumors, fears, misinformation and the risk of an eventual loss of trust.What a price.There are legal, ethical and limited public safety considerations. We understand all of them. But the current position of the Madison Police Department, and by extension the city, is that open records, the public's right to know, and open government are no longer important. We'll have more to say in editorials to come, but suffice to say for now – we disagree.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
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