The Blog Peoria Project

Yeah, I was denied the right to look at police reports today

MY TWO CENTS: I went to Peoria Police Headquarters this morning to look at the police reports. No problem. I looked at police reports. I wrote them up on my computer. I handed them back and went home to publish them.

That was this morning.

I went back this afternoon. No go. I looked familiar to everyone there, but they couldn’t be positive I was a real reporter unless I showed them an ID showing what news organization I belonged to.

Well, there is no such paperwork. I’m a member of the press because I function a member of the press. I gather news and I write it up. And I sell subscriptions.  Just like the Journal Star — except I am Web only.

I suppose I could print up some official looking press pass. That ought to pass muster.

The Journal Star could have, of course, given a press pass to the worst criminal off the streets and he would have full access.

Dumbness. Just dumbness.