The Greenwich Post Decides To Drop The Press Releases And Report The News
The Greenwich Citizen Is Still Lost In Cyber Space
The Greenwich Citizen Is Still Lost In Cyber Space
Today, the Greenwich Post decided to leave the stop printing puff pieces and entered the brave new world of hard journalism.
It is not easy for a free weekly newspaper whose website depends heavily on reprinting summaries of police reports to question police actions. Nor has the Greenwich Post had a record of investigative reporting in town.
Often, the Greenwich Post readers are left in the dark about many members of Greenwich Society, especially when it comes to teenagers, the poor and minorities.
Unfortunately, the Greenwich Post's website is a major contributor to the biased image that everyone is a spoiled rich snob in Greenwich.
Often, the pages of the Greenwich Post are covered with press releases about society balls, galas and yachting events with an occasional press release about a polo match.
The Greenwich Post was too frightened of the police and the powers that be to report the story, even though students have protested by sitting in the student center and not going to class and by wearing T-shirts with the infamous phrase “Don’t Tase me bro” on them. (By the way, none of the other mainstream media has been courageous enough to cover this fact. Greenwich parents have had to learn about this from internet posts.)
Even, when the Greenwich Board Of Education sent a press release out two days after the incident, the Greenwich Post's response was to join stick it's head even deeper in the sand. (By the way, the Greenwich Public Schools did not put this press release up on their website and share this press release with parents. I guess the Greenwich Public Schools do not want parents to know that a weapon was used three times in the student center,)
It actually, takes a bit of public shaming to get this free weekly chain newspaper like the Greenwich Post to cover real news in Greenwich.
Please see:
05/19/08 - Beat The Press - The Greenwich Citizen, The Greenwich Post Have Their Heads In The Sand
05/21/08 - Today's News Links From The Greenwich Post - these so-called "News Stories" look like press releases
For far too long the Greenwich post has often, treated it's readers like mushrooms, they are left in the dark and fed a bunch of high society dung.
Sadly, Greenwich post columnists and reporters avoid controversial issues that effect the everyday single family home-owners of Greenwich and their children.
Many Greenwich families say that Greenwich Post columnists or reporters play it safe and stick to the press releases, because they fear that truthful reporting could cost them their jobs.
Please see:
05/02/08 - Where The Heck Is Chris Fountain And His "For What It's Worth" Column In The Greenwich Post Real Estate Section
However, the Greenwich Post editor has finally assigned a reporter to cover the controversial police tasing incident at Greenwich High School, and guess what the article:
Too much?
Police say officer acted properly in Tasing teen
By Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter
Controversy is swirling around an arrest at Greenwich High School last Tuesday during which Officer Carlos Franco used a Taser to subdue an 18-year-old high school student.
The mood at the high school is one of concern from some students and confusion from others, but the Greenwich Police Department stands behind Officer Franco....
However, the story was somewhat on sided the story mainly quotes Captain Pacewicz and police reports and fails to question police statements.
For example, Greenwich Post Ken Borsuk writes...
Capt. Pacewicz said school officials, including Assistant Headmaster Richard Piotrzkowski, were present during the incident and they considered the level of force “appropriate and required.”
Who were the other school officials that were present?
And why didn't Ken Borsuk pick up the phone and call Assistant Headmaster Richard Piotrzkowski, instead of getting his supposed response third hand from the Illegally Appointed Greenwich Police Captain Micheael Pacewicz who's legal mess is costing the single family home owners of Greenwich over 1 Million Dollars.
Why didn't Ken Borsuk pick up the phone and dial or send Assistant Headmaster Richard Piotrzkowski an email at richard_piotrzkowski@greenwich.k12.ct.us
If Ken Borsuk is going to engage in compliant reporting and is too lazy to attempt to speak to all parties involved he should at least qualify the remarks of Captain Pacewicz.
Perhaps Borsuk could have said Pacewicz "alleges", "contends" or it's Pacewicz's understanding that Assistant Headmaster Richard Piotrzkowski and all the other unidentified school officials present during the incident and they considered the level of force “appropriate and required.”
Or if School officials did not want to comment about a weapon going off at Greenwich High School maybe Borsuk could have interviewed former school officials about the incident.
Please see:
05/20/08 - Former Greenwich School Administrator And Others Speak Out About Greenwich Police Use Of A Taser On A Greenwich High School Student
It's not like Ken Borsuk was under some kind of deadline to prepare his article. After all he had nine days to get it right.
Also, in the article, Borsuk writes, " Because Victor struggled and refused to obey police order, Officer Franco said, he had to use the Taser. During the Tasing, Officer Franco alleged that Victor lunged and attempted to hit him, but after the Taser was used three times at its low-current “drive stun mode,” Victor complied with the verbal request and was handcuffed."
But the one sided Borsuk doesn't ask the teenager if it was true if he lunged at and attempted to hit officer Franco.
Nor does Borsuk, tell his readers that the whole incident was caught on tape and that the Greenwich Public Schools and the Greenwich Police Department are refusing to release the video.
Please See:
05/21/08 - Greenwich Police Departments Repeated Use Of A Taser On A High School Student Has Struck A Nerve - Concerned Parents Want To See The Video
05/20/08 - Caught On Tape - Police Officer Franco Giving 140 Pound Boy Up To 50,000 Volts Three Different Times
Will Ken Borsuk have the journalistic balls to file freedom of information requests to both the Greenwich Public Schools and the Greenwich Police Department in order to get copies of the video?
If Ken Borsuk does have the journalistic balls to request a copy of the video will he post it on the Greenwich Post website for everyone to see if the 140 pound water balloon boy really did take a swing at Franco?
Also Ken Borsuk's article repeatedly uses the Pacewicz's description about the taser being set to "low current" .
How about if Borsuckto his neck and then to his chest and finally to his leg as he squills like an pig.
Maybe we should video tape, Borsuk should let an enraged security person apply this "low current" his neck and then to his chest and finally to his leg as he squills like an pig.
Then we could put the "low current" video up at the Greenwich Post Website instead of Officer Franco's taser video.
Another, disappointing aspect of Ken Borsuk's article is that he did not bother to look into the background and history of Officer Franco.
Please see:
05/20/08 - School Resource Officer Carlos Franco Says Greenwich Police Department Is Racist. SRO Carlos Franco May Not Be A Happy Camper At GHS
There are many other problems with Borsuck's amature attempt at completely covering the high school tasing incident the most for example how the police gave this teenage water balloon boy a $50,000 bail as an additional punishment.
Please see:
05/21/08 - Why Didn't David Curin Get A $50,000 Bail For Assualting A Lady On Greenwich Avenue?
Clearly, this bail was uncalled for, and is out of the norm for other much more serious crimes in Greenwich.Two days ago Frederick Krumeich, 18, of 50 Hunting Ridge Road was arrested and charged with
- third degree burglary
- fourth degree larceny
- risk of injury to a minor
Just yesterday, a Greenwich man was arrested for being intoxicated, according to police he hit his ex-girlfriend in the head, face and neck while in the back of a van. The police also say the man got out of the back of the van and attempted to assault the driver of the van and grabbed onto the driver’s side window as the van began to pull away. When the crazed man released his hold on the window he fell to the ground and injured his ankle.
The man was released on a promise to appear and was due in court May 22.
Sometimes, the Greenwich Police Department will give a bail of $2,000.
Last Friday, Keith Roger Williams who is from out of town was arrested for third degree strangulation, third degree criminal mischief and disorderly conduct on Reed Lane because he attacked a woman in front of her children.
The victim was trying to leave with her children when Williams pushed her from behind knocking her face into an open rear door of her car, swelling her lip. Then Williams put her in a head lock and restricted her breathing.
The woman's children were crying out for help.
Williams was released on a $2,000 bond.
Perhaps, Keith Roger Williams should have received the $50,000 bail instead of the Hispanic water balloon boy that mouthed off to police.
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