Damaged DeKalb Sheriff's Patrol Car

[Mike_Walter]

According to information that I've been able to glean, a DeKalb County Sheriff's patrol car (license #6619) was damaged in an accident on or about Feb. 7 near the intersection of State Road 101 and County Road 64 in S.E. DeKalb County. I asked for a copy of the crash report today at the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and was told that the accident was investigated by the Indiana State Police and that a copy of the report would have to be obtained from the ISP. From the pictures below, taken this morning at an Auburn towing service, damage to the car's left rear side is evident. No mention yet in The Star that I know of.

[michael medeski]

"another one bites the dust"

i'm guessing cops fault.....i think james_t should set up a poll for other guesses.

[Mrs.Slotz]

According to information that I've been able to glean, a DeKalb County Sheriff's patrol car (license #6619) was damaged in an accident on or about Feb. 7 near the intersection of State Road 101 and County Road 64 in S.E. DeKalb County. I asked for a copy of the crash report today at the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and was told that the accident was investigated by the Indiana State Police and that a copy of the report would have to be obtained from the ISP. From the pictures below, taken this morning at an Auburn towing service, damage to the car's left rear side is evident. No mention yet in The Star that I know of.



I am not complaining, just curious, why is this important to you?

I am not complaining, just curious, why is this important to you?

[Mike_Walter]

I am not complaining, just curious, why is this important to you?

Because for the second time in a little less than a month an accident involving damage to a police patrol car has slipped through the cracks of local news coverage. That doesn't mean that the most recent accident -- which evidently was less serious than the one Jan. 11 (finally reported Jan. 25) involving an Auburn patrol car -- was deliberately overlooked, but it was missed nonetheless.

[Mrs.Slotz]

Because for the second time in a little less than a month an accident involving damage to a police patrol car has slipped through the cracks of local news coverage. That doesn't mean that the most recent accident -- which evidently was less serious than the one Jan. 11 (finally reported Jan. 25) involving an Auburn patrol car -- was deliberately overlooked, but it was missed nonetheless.

Oh, I see. I wonder why they are "hiding" it from the public for so long.

[Chiguy65]

I'll bet the officer was off duty just like the APD car. Makes you wonder what else they don't tell us...
I'm Just Sayin...

[HoosierHelen]

It would be nice if our local paper would report to the community when any property paid for by taxpayer's dollars has received damage over X $amount?. If this could be made a standard practice, we could all set back comfortably and know that we will be informed of more than just the DUI's and Citizens accident reports. There would be no doubts in anyone's minds as to WHY these accidents are not reported.

I don't make the conclusion that this was more than an honest accident. I also don't know the specifics of the story...isn't part of journalism's job to report the story? I really am not buying the 'lack of space' in the paper as a valid reason for not reporting. I am a supporter of KPC. I will be a larger supporter if they decide that the 'best practice' is to report any damages done to property owned by local taxpayers over X $amount.

[armyda]

What story? Why is it news? Because is it a police car or other public owned vehicle does not make it news. In the past news included stories like: Grandma Stinson had guests for the weekend. Her daughter and 2 grandchildren from Big City, spent Saturday with her and took her out to dinner at Joe's Place.

Sorry, I don't consider that news, just like most car accidents.

[HomeyG]

Three things crossed my mind when I first read his post. First being he wanted to bring to light accidents involving the Auburn Police Department, second being the lack of news coverage by the KPC, and lastly, an attempt to embarrass Auburn's administration or perhaps it was all three.

[krazetrain]

As usual, the lack of transparency by local gov. is reason enough to question everything that happens. Also ,considering that KPC news is a privately owned company, why are the reporting policies different from 1 of their many papers to the next? Also, considering how often these same type of items are never fully disclosed to the taxpayer/public, in a timely basis, along with all the circumvention of the spirit of the "open door law" by the local gov, city & county, shouldn't KPC news be asking these very questions? Fair and unbias or unfair & bias? or is it ,don't let the facts, get in the way of a good story? There is news and there is editorial, but when it is tough to tell the difference, or is it time to by the supermarket scandal sheets instead of the local daily propaganda? I think any damage that occures to OUR publicly owned property, needs to be reported to the public, immediatly. Now, if KPC news, acct. of their own opinions or political leanings, decides not to report such an incident, that is their choice. And when it continues to provide only items that are not politically damaging to their beliefs, it is all the more reason for us all to make a choice on where you choose to get your unbias slant (good luck with that) on local news. Generally, KPC news does a good job, and they are not to blame for a police dept not reporting items to them. Personally, I do have a problem with the paper splashing the page 1 or page 2 items, listing arrests that are made. If they want to list name and charges of those people, fine, but if those people are later found innocent or the charges are dropped by prosecutor/police, the paper should report that in the same space with the heading " charges dropped.or innocent " , instead of near the back page in a multi-name listing of " recent court dispostions.
Mike Walter, I for 1 of the many on this site commend you for trying to do what is right ! It is okay for people to have a difference of opinions, that is human nature, but when political or personal influences are used to quash or spin the facts, in any public matter, it is time to replace those very people, who fear the truth from being told. Indiana and the entire country would be much better off, if we had more officials who weren't afraid of the truth and based the decisions that they make, with the belief that those reasons would be completely transparent. The city of Auburn residents are fortunate to have you bringing the public's business, to light. Keep up the good work!

[Mike_Walter]

Oh, I see. I wonder why they are "hiding" it from the public for so long.

Whom do you mean by "they;" and who said anything about anyone "hiding" the information? The objective fact is that the accident was not reported in The Star. How or why the story was overlooked is something I haven't speculated on here.

What story? Why is it news? Because is it a police car or other public owned vehicle does not make it news. In the past news included stories like: Grandma Stinson had guests for the weekend. Her daughter and 2 grandchildren from Big City, spent Saturday with her and took her out to dinner at Joe's Place.

Sorry, I don't consider that news, just like most car accidents.

Nonetheless, traffic accidents are routinely reported in The Star's "Police Blotter" feature on page A2.

I'll bet the officer was off duty just like the APD car. Makes you wonder what else they don't tell us...
I'm Just Sayin...

There's nothing in the crash report of the incident involving the Auburn partol car
( http://www.kpcnews.net/fence_post/******.t-Patrol-Car-9 ) to indicate that the officer driving the vehicle was off duty. In fact, another officer told me that the driver was not off duty. In any case, the officer's duty status is irrelevant. The important fact in both incidents is that damage sufficient to disable a police vehicle was sustained. That's newsworthy.

[armyda]

The objective fact is that the accident was not reported in The Star. How or why the story was overlooked is something I haven't speculated on here.

Mike,

You are assuming it was overlooked. (as to a coverup, see below)

That's newsworthy.

In your personal opinion. But then again you aren't a reporter or an editor.

neither am I. Unless there is something more that a person (who happens to work for the government) having an accident, I don't consider it news either.

[HoosierHelen]

Mike,

You are assuming it was overlooked. (as to a coverup, see below)



In your personal opinion. But then again you aren't a reporter or an editor.

neither am I. Unless there is something more that a person (who happens to work for the government) having an accident, I don't consider it news either.

I must greatly disagree Army. I consider damage done to a vehicle or any property owned by our local taxpayers, to very much be newsworthy. Why you continue to consider this topic to be none of the public's business is a mystery to me? It has nothing to do with pointing fingers of blame...it is simply a matter of reporting the facts as they relate to damage to public property. How ANYONE could suggest these events of damage to our public property should be suppressed is beyond my comprehension? Go for it ARMY...why should we not be aware of these damages??? Lack of space in the local news?? I'm not EVEN going close to buying into that argument....it doesn't even stand on 2 legs of it's own.

What are the other excuses you are ready to present as to why the public should not be informed when our mutually owned community property has experienced damage and loss in value? I own shares in a local privately owned corporation. We have several company vehicles. When any of those vehicles experience damage or maintenance failure, I do receive a notice as a shareholder in the company informing me as to the nature of the loss and/or expense. (YES..it isi a small locally owned corportion..not on the General Motors size of corporations). Auburn...is NOT too large to be capable of reporting our losses to it's taxpayers. WHY Army do you object to reporting this info?

[michael medeski]

Unless there is something more that a person (who happens to work for the government) having an accident, I don't consider it news either.

so why do they print BS like this?

Intersection crash injures one driver

AUBURN — Both drivers claimed to have a green light after their vehicles collided Monday at 5:49 p.m. at Seventh and Van Buren streets, Auburn Police reported.

One driver, Joyce Saltsman, 56, of Auburn, complained of pain to her abdomen or pelvis after the collision, a police report said.

After interviewing a witness, police concluded that Jeane Aichele, 71, of Kendallville, disregarded a red traffic signal, the report said.

Aichele was driving east on Seventh Street (S.R. 8) in a 2000 GMC Jimmy, approaching Van Buren Street. She told the investigating officer that the signal had just changed to green when she entered the intersection.

Saltsman was traveling north on Van Buren in 2002 Ford Focus and said the signal had just changed to green for her when her car was hit in the in driver’s side.

A witness whose car was facing west, stopped at the intersection, told police that Aichele entered the intersection against red light and collided with Saltsman’s northbound car. Police estimated total damage at $5,000 to $10,000.

please explain why something like that is "newsworthy" and a cop (professionally trained at driving) wrecking a car on duty for the second time isn't.

[james_t]

so why do they print BS like this?

Key is in the headline: "Intersection crash injures one driver". The Star's policy, as was indicated on another thread, is to print personal injury crashes but not, as a matter of routine, property damage.

please explain why something like that is "newsworthy" and a cop (professionally trained at driving) wrecking a car on duty for the second time isn't.

To clarify, the other thread was the Auburn Police Department and this one is DeKalb County, so they're not the same officer, or even the same agency.

I talked to Dave about this and he is trying to track down a report on this for a story.

[HoosierHelen]

Key is in the headline: "Intersection crash injures one driver". The Star's policy, as was indicated on another thread, is to print personal injury crashes but not, as a matter of routine, property damage.



To clarify, the other thread was the Auburn Police Department and this one is DeKalb County, so they're not the same officer, or even the same agency.

I talked to Dave about this and he is trying to track down a report on this for a story.

I continue to vote for our local KPC news to let us know when taxpayer's property receives damage above $x as a standard practice. Who on earth could object to this?

[james_t]

I continue to vote for our local KPC news to let us know when taxpayer's property receives damage above $x as a standard practice. Who on earth could object to this?

I don't think anyone would disagree with that, Helen - I'm just saying that for routine crashes, injury will trump property damage. But a police car involved in a crash is not routine, unless perhaps one lives in Hazzard County.

Jenny may be able to clarify better than me, but I think the delay in this case has been getting the official report from the appropriate agency. Once that is obtained, there will be a story.

[michael medeski]

To clarify, the other thread was the Auburn Police Department and this one is DeKalb County, so they're not the same officer, or even the same agency.

sorry, i didn't mean to infer that it was the same person. i'll reword.....

this is the second time a cop has wrecked a car in dekalb and this is also the second time that it didn't get reported. i thought cops were professionally trained at driving?

Key is in the headline: "Intersection crash injures one driver". The Star's policy, as was indicated on another thread, is to print personal injury crashes but not, as a matter of routine, property damage.

explain this then insert

KENDALLVILLE — Cornerstone Plaza was the scene of a two-vehicle collision Tuesday morning.

At about 6:30 a.m. a 2005 Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by Hollitte D. Greene, 56, of Garrett, backed up and struck a passing 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck, driven by Terry G. Good, 58, of the 1400 block of Knollcrest Drive, Kendallville.

No injuries were reported. Police estimated damage at $2,500 to $5,000.

But a police car involved in a crash is not routine

agreed, especially when it's the second time this year for that area.

unless perhaps one lives in Hazzard County.

at least rosco had an excuse. he was in "hot pursuit".

i'll bet that wasn't the case here or else we would have heard about it.

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

But a police car involved in a crash is not routine, unless perhaps one lives in Hazzard County.

darn straight. anything for my flash.

[james_t]

explain this then insert

That one's from the News Sun. Like krazetrain noted earlier, the News Sun and the Star handle them differently.