A dog was killed and the Cobourg Police Service remains quiet – again.
Today’s Northumberland has asked questions regarding the incident, but Cobourg Police has refused to give any information pertaining to the incident.
Today’s Northumberland has heard from numerous sources a dog was killed at a home in Cobourg recently.
It’s also believed there is a person that has been charged in connection with the incident – but the police remain quiet and refuse to answer any questions.
If there are charges – simply put, police should be releasing details.
When asked if there were criminal charges, Communications Officer Lisa Munday stated, “we are not releasing information on this event.”
The policy change by Cobourg Police over the last several months regarding press releases and the lack of transparency has failed – miserably.
No other major police service in the province has this type of policy and for good reason.
Cobourg Police has taken it upon themselves to decide whether the name of the accused shall be released to the public.
It appears now, that not only they decide if a person’s name is released, they are deciding which incidents should be released.
Serving the public isn’t all about show casing the public relations police do in terms of baseball and collecting food. It’s about informing the public of not only the good things that happen in this town, but the bad ones as well. It gives people an indication of what is going on in the community and how safe it actually is. The public has to trust the police to release items of importance.
Come budget time it lets the taxpayers know that it’s money well spent on the service.
Today’s Northumberland has no doubt about the management of the service. We stand by them.
But, the pubic deserves to know the names of the accused in any criminal charge. From drinking and driving to other offences.
Maybe we should start thinking about victims of crime.
Releasing of names has been taking place for decades. Now should be no different.
Given the seriousness of charges, police would most certainly release the name of the accused if it was a murder or a person charged with committing an offence against a child.
But given the rational of Cobourg Police – for a person charged with murder, it would be very rare that a person charged with murder would make bail. So there is no risk to the public. So why would a person’s name be released before being convicted?
The same could be said for a suspect charged in a offence against children. Until such time as a conviction, there is no need to publicise the name of the accused. Yet in both circumstances, given the seriousness of the crime, the name would most certainly be released.
Which brings us back to the original point.
Any police service should not the one who critiques what is or isn’t news.
Media are not the police, and the police aren’t the media.
Give the public what they deserve – the facts.
Anything less is a disservice to the community they serve.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
