Woodstock Early Bird has been following up on several incidents in the Village and Town which has led her to the only source of information: Woodstock PD’s “Twitter” feed. The officers on duty are not required to update the feed real-time (which is the point of Twitter) but, it is our understanding that one officer “updates” the feed once a week.
Once again, Woodstock Early Bird is getting on the case here that citizens are not getting timely or adequate information about what may or may not be going on in their town. Here are a few examples from the past week:
1. Apparently there was a residential burglary on Saturday, June 2nd. It was not reported on a Twitter feed until three days later with a suggestion to residents to keep homes and vehicle doors locked. Would it not be important to let folks know as soon as possible that there is someone “out there” of whom they should be aware and on the “look-out” for?
2. In trying to find information about the incident at the Prince and Pauper, we see that on Saturday, June 2nd, “Officer Assisted Ambulance”. Nothing more. Where did this happen? What time did this happen? How many people were transported (if any)? These are the basics of information of which we have the right to be informed. Woodstock Early Bird has learned there are no laws that require police to issue press releases so, yes, on one level, they are “good” with a three-days late Twitter report of “officer assisted ambulance”. However, if asked, they are required to provide information to the public. Is this “less is more” approach to keeping the public informed really what we want?
3. According to the June 5th “updated” Twitter report, on Friday, June 1st, “Several officers and liquor control responded to an underage party”. Where? How many people were involved? Were any juveniles actually found to be drinking or drunk? Woodstock Early Bird has a report from a very upset parent who was called at 2:00 in the morning to “Come pick up your kid…he’s been drinking.” Upon finding the location of the party, the parents were treated rudely by police and liquor control. The juvenile, who said he had not been drinking, demanded to “blow” for a sobriety test to which he came up ZERO. The “kid” had not had anything to drink. Police and liquor control had simply run every plate in the area and called the parents assuming guilt of one and all. What are/were the actual statistics on this incident?
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 