Give the police this: they're consistent.
But just as it was wrong for them to refuse to name the man who allegedly ran over Henry Waye on George Street last March, killing the boy, it is wrong for them to decline to identify the driver who plowed into Jeff Dziob at his Rosemary Lane home yesterday. Dziob, 38, died, leaving a wife and two children behind.
The police said she's in the hospital so they can't identify her, a totally irrelevant point.
Telling the public who was behind the wheel during an accident is not the same as accusing them of a crime. It's just telling the community vital information that we have a right to know.
All of this unnecessary secrecy just breeds gossip and discontent.
The police need to reconsider a dumb policy.
Update Tuesday, 9:50 a.m. -- Channel 3 in Hartford identifies the driver as 49-year-old Fran Ablesk.
The TV station also has another story about a standoff with police in Bristol last night.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
35 comments:
The chief never speaks to the press when something happens in town. Is it fear, incompetence or the fear of revealing his incompetence that prevents him from doing so?
Bristol has no police dept we have a tall guy who they call a chief whos total misfit but he donates to politicans so hes in.then the rest are so tired from all the overtime they cant function . then you have politicans that are afraid to get involved.
Bristol Police doing something wright never happen. These guys have no knowledge of the law and how to handle it. What do you exspect from a town that has a chief that has more sexual charges against him and never was disciplined.So dont look for results on this case. The women was drunk but the cops couldnt figure it out. We were there and this was poor police work at its best. What a disgrace bristol police are.
7:37 you have it wright. This guy is incompeten .Hes just buying his time for a big retirement.
It is very embarrassing as a city when the Chief of police never makes comments in public on serious safety issue or tragic deaths. The public wants to hear from the Chief to know that everything is safe, and not hear it from a spoke person. The mayor needs to address this. Last time I checked that is what he gets paid to do.
Support the Bristol Police. I believe they generally do a terrific job. I am proud of them and the work they do. For all they do for me and have done, I "have their back" any time they need the help.
Chief DiVenere is a great guy, a great cop and a great chief (perhaps one of the best). I'm proud to know him.
Steve,
I couldn't agree more. Releasing the name doesn't change innocent until proven guily.
Knowing who the driver is does not bring back the young husband and father. It satisfies our modbid curiousity. Why create drama needlessly and see conspiracy in everything?
My thoughts and prayers to all affected in this tragedy.
I don't remember what her name was, but Channel 3 reported her name.
This is true 7:58 the politians and personal director cover his ass. No justice in Bristol with this police dept.They cant play there cards yet thats the answer we get. Because they screw up from the start. In Bristol we have dunken donuts security guards not police.
Looking at todays Press its just a repeat of Waye case poor police work. The state should be called in on this one. BRISTOL POLICE DEPT SHOULD BE DISBANNED for total failures everytime.Even the news casters see the incompetence in the dept. Have you had a chance to meet any these guys we call cops what a joke.
hey if she goes into rehab it'll be another 6 months or so before they finish the investigation. the bristol police dept. is a complete joke
No it's decades of Ann Baldwin running through city hall and the police department waving her arms over her head and screaming "Be careful, we could get sued."
The Annie effect may last for a long time even long after she's gone.
Where are you Mayor Ward?
Chief of Police is to busy with his new girlfriend to worry about daily police bussiness.
Not releasing the name of this individual is the responsible thing to do. This is especially true in the case where the driver may have been intoxicated and/or suicidal. Given the tragic circumstances, the shocking nature of the incident - the loss of a young husband and father during the Christmas holiday in his own garage, releasing the name of the person behind the wheel would be totally irresponsible. The angry comments on this blog are just a small sampling of the hatred waiting to be unleashed. Letting things simmer down and focusing our thoughts and prayers on the bereaved family is the most important thing right now.
ok, did anyone ever stop to consider that there is already an arrest warrant for Manslaughter waiting to be served on her once she is released from the hospital. The DUI warrant can come later, because search warrants need to be prepared to seize her blood alcohol level from the hospital, THEN, an arrest warrant is prepared for the DUI aspect of the case. So, for the persons that "were there", there is no incompetence in regard to the fine officers and detectives that stayed up all night, and had the arrest warrant prepared before noon the next day. I'm not defending or slamming the Chief or administration, or the rational or lack thereof of the name not being released. I just know that the backbone of that PD, the patrolman and Detectives, bust their butts and they DO give a damn.
Poor police work at best,along with no leadership and incompetence is BRISTOLS M-O.
It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt...or dies.
Thank you 11:40 you are correct they worked all night and once again screwed up check around and of course got plenty of whats that word im looking for .I got OVERTIME i win the prize overtime to screw up give those facts.Lets here from the chief and his fan club Ward COCKTANE Tim and of course dave mills our lastest city hero with all the answers.
There are a lot of good honest Police Officers in Bristol.Just ask Mayor Ward when he was arrested for DUI.That Officer should have received a key to the city for that.Chief Divenere needs to be let go because he is nothing but a yes man for the Mayor.That stunt with Chris Michaud should have been enough to fire both of them.I understand sticking up for your fellow officer but not when an officer is breaking a law that they swore to uphold.Higher standards.Divenere and Michaud give our honest and hardworking officers a bad reputation and they are not the only two.
3:20
Is Ward really GAMBRINOUS???
this blog has a bunch of the sickest, most warp-minded, sinster bastards that anyone would ever think could exist - I hope that none of you ever have to experience anything such as the incident of this past weekend.
In spite of yourselves,if this type of thing were to happen to you or your family, I think that this community would still demonstrate appreciation for all of the professionals who perform so admirably under the worst of circumstances and for those whose compassion assists those victimized by tragedies such as these, even you. Thank goodness that you are but a mere miniscule of society.
I would say "shame on you" but self-centered, self-serving, selfish people, such as you, can't possibly feel any sense of human characteristics, such as shame or emotion, so it would all be for naught.
Sleep well, if you can.
The chief should be asked to resign.He has not done anything to promote his dept hes a complete failure to the city and
Steve the bigger secret is the budget at city hall .Where were the shortfalls and who had the surpluses. Names of people in tragic events are important but may need to be held off from release. If you do not like the policy go to the police Bd. and get it changed there.
The police board is made up of friends and family members so were will one go with it Must be another union hang up Why do we protect a dept that has total failure.
7:42
I thought that that was the role of the opposition, the Republican Party.
Where are they: this could be a winning issue for them.
But it appears that they have been bought off.
December 30, 2009 10:10 AM:
TJ Barnes, Gary Schaffrick and Henry Raymond are the "leaders" of the Bristol GOP.
'nuff said.
11:49
Boy, is Mocabee going to be pissed that you did not include him among the losers, oops, leaders.
The police are doing their job so as not to jeopardize their investigation and subsequent charges. I agree the larger secrecy is with the school board budget and the mayor's secret plans to raise taxes!
I don't believe it's the police department's job to provide newspapers with stories whenever they demand it. Policemen are busy enough with all they have to deal with. Reporters can wait.
7:29 - refer back to 4:24
Mocabee WHO???
I guess I don't see the problem with the police sitting on this information.
It's one thing if the individual was still at large and a threat to the community (i.e. where the police needed community help in finding a violent offender who was on the run). It doesn't sound like that was the case here.
I understand that, in some cases, it's within the community's interest to hear this information from the police as quickly as possible. Here though it looked like, at most, this was an inconvenience to the news media.
On the other hand, I could see where the early release of a suspect's identity would cause problems to the criminal justice process.
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