Steve Krauchick, who runs the online news site Doing It Local, had a run-in Tuesday evening with a Connecticut State Police officer called to the grounds of Wonderland of Ice near Beardsley Park for what Krauchick writes was the discovery of a human jawbone. The police investigator ordered Krauchick away from the scene. This gets into a fuzzy area of police-media relationships. Krauchick wanted to film. The officer told him to get lost because it could compromise an investigation. Is the trooper correct? Krauchick shares the video (ends with another example of police moving media away) and writes below:
A human jawbone (confirmed by a Nelson Ambulance driver) was found along side a crucifix in a wooded area off Wonderland of Ice. This state police officer took it upon himself to kick me off the property after I identified myself as a member of the press. I asked where I could report and he told me to get off the property or I’ll be arrested. The video you seen is midway between our “conversation” and I knew I had to roll tape to capture his exchange. He knew I was rolling video and that I was with the press.
This took place on Bridgeport property. I went on the other side of the stream on a Bridgeport sidewalk to report the news to you when the officer went to his car to come after me. I left the scene before he got to me. The bigger news is if this is how he acts when he knows a camera is recording him, how does he treat the general public when he pulls someone over?
UPDATE–-One source told me it COULD be additional remains from the ESCU student, partial remains of her were found in Trumbull on Friday. When I told my source what I knew my sources said “they found more parts?” If there were human remains I wouldn’t show it because most of you would be outraged. State Police would not respond to another voodoo/Santeria case in Bridgeport like we have reported in the past. This “officer” abused his authority and prevented me from reporting to YOU what happened in YOUR backyard. I’m not doing it for me. FoxCT is reporting that the bones found were animal but you can trust what the state reports, right comrade? The end of the video shows other Connecticut State Police abuses from 2010, a common thread in the department.
Steve has provided us with a valuable public service with the news updates.
*** Let’s not be too hasty in finding fault with those who are paid good money to “protect & serve” the public in times of early accident investigations, emergencies or securing a crime scene. Their jobs at times can be quite stressful; however giving a civilian or the public a direct order or request to leave a particular area does “not” require being cursed at nor intimidated with the threat of physical harm or arrest either! The public if in the right and acting accordingly should follow direction but not be afraid of actually being arrested should it come to that, especially if you feel you’re in the right. It will take time to prove your case but if it’s a bogus arrest based on pure macho B/S adrenalin and you’re willing to push the complaint to the P/D commission if needed, the paper trail against bad officers hopefully will catch up with them in the future! This short video does not show enough, if indeed needed, to justify being from a local media outlet and having the right to be at those particular crime and accident scenes at that moment! *** CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? ***
I am on the cop’s side on this one. When a cub reporter like Jimmy Olsen here, enters a Crime Scene with his Christmas Video Cam it’s time to pull the plug. No?
They think because they’re the press with credentials, they have the right to walk in on the investigation. Not this time, Clark Kent. Just let the cop do his job!
This is a Crime Scene! They are paid to investigate a criminal action. Let them do their jobs without interference from opportunists!!!
Steve,
I think you are totally off base. What I saw on those videos was not the police impeding freedom of the press. The police have the responsibility to set a perimeter the press must not cross. Your footprints could damage the crime scene and subsequent investigation. Please respect what the police defines as the perimeter. They should give a press briefing at some point. I would hope you press for the briefing, not invading the crime scene.
Local and State police have a job to do. The last thing that needs to happen is a media sensation before a crime scene has been investigated. There are bits of information the American public feel they are entitled to. They are not. Murder, terrorism and war is something the public does not need to know until the government is ready to share. I especially find it annoying when CNN has retired military brass giving strategy during a war. The press needs to let professionals do their jobs. I agree with the police!
As much as I enjoy Doing It Local’s coverage of happenings, I’m with the police in this case. They were establishing boundaries at a crime scene. Any intrusion on the area could potentially result in tainted evidence, in which case it would not be admissible in court and possibly jeopardize the prosecution.
That would have not happened had the reporter been a fine-looking chick instead of Krauchick.