Today’s Herald-Sun has a story about the Durham Police Department’s failure to get out a timely alert regarding a spate of robberies that might also have led to two murders.
Police realized early this month that an unusual string of robberies was occurring, but delayed issuing a bulletin for fear of creating what Durham’s police chief on Thursday termed “public hysteria.”
Only when bodies began being found did Chief Jose Lopez decide to say something publicly. Not a good start to one’s tenure as police chief in Durham, but, I have to say, completely in keeping with tradition.
The only time I’ve seen the department jump on a case with alacrity was when three white lacrosse players were accused of rape. Back then you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a cop or a district attorney. Wanted posters with 46 faces were produced by the department within hours.
The public couldn’t be “warned” fast enough. Hysteria, which followed in the form of spittle-flecked left wing academics and lefty pot bangers, was not considered a problem.
But now? (sound of crickets chirping)
