Unaware of City News Policy Not to request crime report
Thursday, November 30, 2006
November 30, 2006
To: Gloucester City Police Chief William Crothers
From: William E. Cleary aka ClearysNotebook
Dear Chief Crothers:
It has come to my attention that the Gloucester City News Publisher and Editor, Albert Countryman was not in the habit of requesting a weekly crime report from your department on what crimes had been committed in Gloucester City over the previous week. In addition, because of my conversations with Mr. Countryman I had perceived your office was refusing to release this information to the public.
Mr. Countryman states in today’s Gloucester City News, (November 30, 2006) and I quote, “ I as publisher, have not actively sought the police report. Personally, I don’t feel it is right to embarrass someone because of a mistake they made.”
If Mr. Countryman had mentioned to me that this was his policy, not to print crime reports, I would never have been critical of you or your department for not releasing this information.
Yours truly,
William E. Cleary