[Scan-DC] ONE of Wagga's most controversial Facebook pages, Wagga LiveCrime

Alan Henney alan at henney.com
Sat Jun 15 01:22:31 EDT 2013


The Daily Advertiser

June 15, 2013 Saturday

ONE of Wagga's most controversial Facebook pages, Wagga LiveCrime

BYLINE: Caleb Taylor

SECTION: EARLY GENERAL NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 385 words

ONE of Wagga's most controversial Facebook pages, Wagga LiveCrime, has been blasted by the city's crime manager Rod Smith who says it just feeds the community rumour mill. 

The page, currently "liked" by more than 8000 people, offers continual updates involving criminal activities information gained through listening to the region's police scanner and available through website Broadcastify.

Despite the page's administration saying it attempts to "connect the community", Inspector Smith said posting the information could breach privacy laws or possibly escalate incidents.

"Broadcasting sensitive information puts officers at risk ... there is no useful purpose for this other then to feed the rumour mill."

Inspector Smith said information posted on the page was often incorrect.

"Posting in real time is dangerous ... what is broadcast over the scanner isn't necessarily what is happening."

Speaking anonymously to the Advertiser, a member of the page's administration which consists of three people who also control Albury LiveCrime said they were delivering on a community-held expectation.

"People want this," he said. "They don't want to wait three days to receive news from a primary source."

The administrator defended the page, saying they also posted relevant community information.

"We post extreme weather activity and other 'community relevant' information," he said.

He said administration edits details to minimise any effect the posts could have on police.

carrying out their duties.

Despite being launched in August of last year, the page continues to polarise even 'likers', with comments maligning its 'professionalism' to fierce defenders of the level of transparency it provides.

Inspector Smith said police were due to get encrypted radios in the coming months but administration isn't so sure if it will mean the end of the page.

Wagga mayor Rod Kendall said he questioned the reasons why people would need to be kept informed of criminal activity in real time.

"I think it might attract sightseers or people who just don't need to be at the scene," he said.

The page mostly posts information relating to break-and-enters, assaults, vehicle accidents and house fires.

The administrator said no "vigilante-type" incidents had occurred as a result of the postings, which was confirmed by Inspector Smith.


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