View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2006 > April > 10
Monday, April 10, 2006
When e-mail takes on life of its own
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
E-mail is a great thing. It allows us to instantly distort anything and everything that once upon a time was a resemblance of truth. Please do not misunderstand me, (let the e-mail do that) I am a great proponent of utilizing e-mail for crime prevention purposes.
It has been the greatest tool for disseminating police information. It has been a godsend to me. You know what they say: No godsend comes without little bumps in the road. I have, as in everything else in my life, gotten on the information highway by way of the slow-learning curve that leads to the entrance ramp of uh … life, whatever.
Distribution of e-mail comes with great responsibility. Between 2001 and 2006, I sent out hundreds of e-mail reports that contained police activity as well as lookouts and crime prevention tips and warnings. The list of recipients grew from about 30 to more than 1,200 residents in north Fulton County and as far away as Australia. (It became obvious that the Australians just like the sarcasm and tacky humor — a good trait.)
As the list of recipients grew, so did the popularity of the reports. Soon the Atlanta Journa-Constitution offered to set up a blog. Not knowing what a blog was, I said “sure.” Until then, just about all of my e-mail from readers was positive, with the exception of the occasional death threat.
Soon after the blog was underway I realized that there are a lot of people out there who have opinions on just about everything and not necessarily things they know anything about.
At first I was amused, then angry, then amused again. (Currently amused still.) I also realized that Yanni lives in the hearts of many people and a mere bit of alleged domestic violence on his girlfriend and arrest did not take away the fact that his music is love and tranquility and fabulous hair. (I got your point.)
What we do know is that e-mail takes on a life of its own and therefore has to be watched like my dog, who despite my wife’s assurance that the poop detail has been concluded, poops in the one yard where everyone is standing around talking to the neighbors. (Referring to last week’s reading, my dog has not been blessed.)
E-mail is a great tool in crime prevention, but those who receive it need to realize that as it grows, it becomes embellished until it reaches a point of total fiction, or urban legend. Good information begins a slow, but consistent meltdown. They way I figure it, accurate information starts a process of embellishment based on several factors, mainly tabloid mentality. It has only hours to live an accurate life.
For example: If I sent an e-mail of a grisly murder, with all the stuff murders are composed of, after several generations of e-mail rounds, it will still remains much the same because it really can’t get much worse. People don’t embellish backwards. Robberies and burglaries and suspicious people are another matter. The intent of such information is to give accurate descriptions of events and those involved. If the e-mail starts from the police department, it has a decent chance of going 2-3 generations around the loop before it starts coming apart. If however, the e-mail originates in or around the Metro Atlanta Hysterical E-mail Network, it becomes a work of fiction within 1-2 loops around the block.
Here is dramatic proof:
8:30 a.m.
Beth e-mails Chad, her neighbor, from her office:
Chad:
FYI
Last evening, a man was seen walking in the neighborhood, selling magazine subscriptions for his college golf team. He was asked what college he attended and who the coach of the golf team was but he couldn’t give a good answer. I think that he may be trying to scam people for money. Would you please pass this on to the others in the neighborhood?
Thanks,
Beth
9 a.m.
Chad e-mails Bob, who lives in a nearby subdivision:
Bob:
Beth sent me an e-mail about a guy selling golf magazines to college kids in the neighborhood. She believes that he is the coach or something. She thinks that he may be trying to scam golfers in the area. None of the residents were ripped off. Please pass this along. Thanks,
Chad
10 a.m.
Bob e-mails Angela, whose husband Richard likes to play golf:
Angela:
Chad sent me an e-mail about something to do with a guy who stole some golf clubs and then tried to steal some magazines and then tried to kill his coach because he couldn’t get into college. Apparently he has taken some nuns hostage.
Noon
Richard gets the e-mail from Angela and sends it on:
To: Entire company e-mail list and Bob.
Good afternoon:
Apparently several nuns who worked as college coaches were murdered today in my wife’s friend’s tennis partner’s neighborhood. From what we know, they were murdered with her husband’s golf clubs. The clubs were stolen, too. The bag was autographed by Arnold Palmer. Please send along.
6 p.m.
Frank, who is Richard’s tax accountant, sends the following e-mail to the police department:
Dear Madam and Sirs:
I heard that Arnold Palmer was killed today by a deranged college student, posing as a nun, who was trying to get an autograph on his golf clubs that, incidentally, were stolen from someone at a magazine store. Several college kids witnessed the incident.
On the downside, the accuracy needs a bit of maintenance. On the upside, it’s great entertainment.
Remember: Just the facts.
