The Thin Blue Screen Of Death
It's understandable that the Metropolitan Police Department would be frustrated that a robbery suspect whom they have arrested three times has been continually released with little reason. But does that frustration warrant an email carpet bomb of newly confirmed D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles?
The Post reported yesterday that Inspector Edward Delgado asked recipients on the 3rd District Substation listserv to send emails to Nickles asking him not to release a juvenile who is allegedly responsible for a string of 21 robberies. Delgado urged residents via email (a full copy of which can be found after the jump), to "[f]lood the email system today because time is critical in this matter." Nickles received almost fifty emails about the arrest, but admits that he simply "told [his] secretary to put them in a pile."
The story represents both the pros and cons of authorities using the Internet to disseminate community information. On the whole, D.C. policing is much better due to the increased lines of communication between police and the community — and most of the reaction on the listserv itself has been positive, with residents saying things like "[l]ooks like Mr. Peter Nickles is hopping mad about all of the e-mails he has received. I don't care."
Photo by Sanjay Suchak.
However, one needs to ask whether or not Inspector Delgado (and Assistant Chief Diane Groomes, who encouraged the email as an exercise in communication) crossed the line with the electronic protest. While the email was certainly warranted to inform the community about the arrest of a repeat offender, the plea for email action seems awfully specific and likely led Nickles to brush the resident's requests aside. In a city with so many incredibly active listservs, the consequences of such pleas demand extraordinary consideration.
Of course, the most unfortunate aspect of this story seems to be that it's yet another example of the District's broken juvenile justice system. Obviously, there's an issue if the only choice for authorities if a juvenile who is mentally unfit to face trial is to release him or her back into the general public.
That aside, the question stands -- did Delgado's request for action violate the unspoken ethical boundaries that exist between authorities, the Internet, and the public?
Good Morning NeighborsI write this email to inform you that the Third District made yet another arrest for robbery, however the circumstances surrounding this latest robbery you will find upsetting. The facts are reported as reported below:
In the earlier this year the Columbia Heights neighborhood experienced a rash of violent robberies. This particular suspect approaches people from behind and hits his victims. Once the victim is down, stolen are cell phones, money and IPODS. The suspect was also identified as committing six (6) robberies within the METRO Rail System. Once this suspect was developed as a viable suspect in the METRO robberies, DC Police began to look at the suspect on several robberies as well. The suspect was was subsequently identified in thirteen (13) robberies in Columbia Heights. The suspect, who was a juvenile, was released from jail because he was found to be incompetent to stand trial.
The suspect was released back into the Columbia Heights Community where he committed another 6 robberies. The total number of robberies at that time stood at nine teen (19) robberies. Well the suspect was released back into the community and was placed in a halfway house where he absconded and came back to the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Well, I was never notified that he was released or even absconded from the group home. Recently, he committed yet another robbery, this time within the grounds of Cardozo High School. This is a total of twenty (20) robberies that this suspect has committed and I am concerned that if this person released again he may commit more robberies or worse harm one of you. I find this lack of accountability by the juvenile justice system to be a travesty and a disservice to the community.
Please view the enclosed OAG Organizational Chart and I ask that each of you write an email or letter to the Attorney General Peter Nickels and every supervisor, manager, and attorney under the “PUBLIC SAFETY CLUSTER”
Please remember that the email address is the First Name then a dot then the last name @ DC. Gov
(Ex. Edward.Delgado@dc.gov)
I expect each of you to flood the email system today because time is critical in this matter. Let them not release this criminal yet again into the community. You can refer to this juvenile as M.A.R., they will know whom you are talking about. I also ask you to forward this email to which ever person you think will assist in this matter. Remember flood the system….