Our Crime Suspect Photo Policy

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By centraldistrictnews.com

Published: 07/31/2009

The last week has seen two separate comment threads that have included lengthy discussions about when we do and don't publish photos, so it seems like a good time to clarify the exact thinking behind those decisions.

Generally, our policy on photos follows a general philosophy: we want to give our neighbors all relevant information that will help them be safe, make informed decisions, and understand what's happening around them in the most objective, non-sensational way possible. For people involved in violent crimes and other persistent criminal activity, we think it's important that people be able to recognize the players on sight. That's especially true as we talk about things like the new drug enforcement strategy that relies on an engaged and informed community to help steer drug dealers in a more positive direction, and report them if they break their end of the deal.

We will publish a photo for a suspect in a crime only in the following situations:

When a suspect has been officially charged with a serious crime, such as a crime of violence, related to a violent gang, or a property crime such as burglary that is directly affecting neighborhood residents
When police release a photo for a person they're looking for that threatens the public's safety
If there's video or photo of someone caught in the act of a crime
If a photo is available (*see below)

We will not publish a photo for criminal suspects if:

They haven't been charged with a crime, unless there's a very serious public safety reason to do so
They're alleged to have committed a minor crime that doesn't directly affect the public's safety or property. For example, it's hard to conceive of a reason why we'd publish the photo of a drug user/buyer, as they're addicts and not directly threatening other people. But a repeat burglar would be fair game.
It is of a juvenile, unless there's a very serious public safety reason to do so

* Photo Availability: The state department of corrections is the only official source for photos of criminal suspects, and those are only available if the suspect has previously spent time in a state prison. This drastically limits the opportunities for obtaining a photo, as many suspects have pleaded down to lesser sentences if they have been previously convicted of a crime.

Last week several people pointed out a racial imbalance in photo availability, in that no one has seen a photo of the suspect in the Leschi murder, who is white. It's a totally valid point, and we looked far and wide for a photo of him but have so far come up blank. Rest assured that we will publish one if it ever becomes available.

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Comments:

hamiltonlindley on 03/24/2020:
He has blue eyes. Cold like steel. His legs are wide. Like tree trunks. And he has a shock of red hair, red, like the fires of hell. His antics were known from town to town as he was a droll card and often known as a droll farceur. Hamilton Lindley with his madcap pantaloon is a zany adventurer and a cavorter with a motley troupe of buffoons.

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