I See that the AFP website is missing a whole heap of ACT Police press releases from this week. There are a couple press releases from Monday up there, and one from today, but the bunch of press releases in the intervening period have mysteriously not appeared.
Here’s what’s on the website [1].
[2]
It’s a stark contrast to the full list of press releases sent out to media organisations this week:
- Morning collision provides reminder for parents — 17 August 2009 13:54
- Witnesses sought to newsagency robbery — 17 August 2009 16:32
- Police seeking witnesses to weekend assault — 17 August 2009 17:30
- Witnesses sought to restaurant burglaries — 18 August 2009 09:05
- Police arrest man for May armed robbery, Weston — 19 August 2009 08:07
- Police seize $20,000 worth of heroin — 19 August 2009 08:18
- Two arrested during Griffith burglary — 19 August 2009 13:02
- Mobile RAPID nets 320 traffic offenders in first month — 19 August 2009 15:14
- Public help in search for missing young person — 19 August 2009 17:23
- Man arrested after burglary — 20 August 2009 09:03
- Police and Westfield combine in program to reduce registration plate theft — 21 August 2009 09:19
There were also a couple correction notices, an update notice, and a not for publication media diary note.
Not only were most of these press releases not placed on the AFP website, they didn’t show up on the crimestoppers website [3] either.
So what are people supposed to do if they hear a mention of one of these stories on the news, and want more details in case they are able to help? The full details aren’t online, and I’m sure police communications phone lines have better uses than reading press releases to curious citizens.
C’mon guys and girls…it’s not that hard. If you want the assistance of the public, you need to give them some information. Copying those press releases on to your website is the easiest way to do that.
Update 10:44pm: Oh that’s amusing, all of the missing press releases except for the one about the missing boy (who has since been found) have appeared on the AFP website. I’m glad to see them there, but somewhat amused that it seems to take either a whinge from me or RiotACT for them to appear.
Hopefully they will keep posting them online now, as it’s a valuable community service which they have previously proven that they are capable of providing, and I’d hate to have to setup a third-party website to do their job for them. That said, if I was to do it for them, I could do it for the often-late ACT Government press releases as well. I wonder if there’s a viable business model in this? End Update
Samuel