Letter to News 12 from the Yonkers PD Commissioner

[Oswegowind 17]

Just want to share this with everyone on here. I hope NEWS12 reads this and realizes it is going to get more and more publicity and people will begin to lose trust in their reporting!

“Fair and Balanced Media Coverage?”

By Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett

The issue of accusations of police brutality by members of the Yonkers Police Department was a prominent topic in the local media this past summer. This coverage was highlighted by the announcement in late August of a Department of Justice investigation into claims of systemic excessive force and discriminatory policing by the YPD. This agency is fully cooperating with this inquiry.

As expected in a free society such as ours, News 12 extensively covered this issue. The public certainly has the right to know of any and all matters of concern. In addition, the police have an obligation to work with the media to keep the community informed. Also, unless engaged in editorial commentary, the media is required to report the news fairly without a hint of bias, opinion or sensationalism. This is the basis of journalistic integrity. Moreover, there should be a cooperative relationship between the media and the police. When this occurs, the public is the primary beneficiary.

During the height of the coverage of the issue of allegations of abuse by the YPD, it was noted that News 12 was misusing file footage when covering stories involving allegations against the police. Specifically, there were at least two examples of misused file footage. Typically, the segment was shown in the following manner: When the reporter would announce a story on allegations of police abuse, the screen would show a YPD radio car parked adjacent to crime scene tape by the KFC restaurant on Nepperhan Avenue. Once concluded, they would then show file footage of an African American male with an apparent head injury on the ground being handcuffed. The problem with both of these segments is that neither has anything to do with allegations against the YPD.

The first segment filmed at the KFC restaurant was filmed in October 2006. It was in the aftermath of a homicide. A known Bloods gang member shot and killed a Yonkers man, possibly in a case of mistaken identity. What does this tragic incident have to do with allegations of police brutality? Why would News 12, whose slogan is “As local as local news gets.”, continually show this footage? What about the victim’s family? Why should they have these painful memories constantly dredged up for the sake of sensationalism? While the YPD Detective Division worked diligently on this case and eventually arrested the murderer, it was totally unnecessary for News 12 to treat the victim’s family in this callous and shabby manner.

The second example is equally outrageous. The incident depicting the African American male with the head injury being arrested did not occur in Yonkers. It is coverage of an arrest being made in Queens, New York at the scene of the Sean Bell shooting in November 2006. What does this arrest have to do with Yonkers or the Yonkers Police Department? Why would News 12 apparently attempt to delude its audience by implying that the suspect being handcuffed was the victim of police brutality inflicted upon him by the YPD? The segment was carefully crafted to eliminate showing marked NYPD radio cars parked at the scene. Is News 12 intentionally deceiving its viewers? Or is it merely poor reporting?

To make matters worse, when we noticed that News 12 was engaging in this misuse of file footage at the expense of the YPD, First Deputy Chief Charles Gardner and I met with the station’s two anchors, Ms. Janine Rose and Mr. Brian Conybeare at their headquarters approximately two months ago. They each agreed that both segments were inappropriate. Mr. Conybeare stated that he, too, realized that the footage was from the Sean Bell shooting. He expressed his outrage that his instructions to cease showing this footage had not been followed by his staffers. In addition, the Chief and I expressed our concern that, in general, much of the News 12 coverage seems to be slanted against the police. Ms. Rose emphatically stated that the station does not have a bias against the Yonkers Police Department. Both anchors assured us that both segments would no longer be shown when covering stories of allegations against the police. They said that these segments would be purged from their computer system.

Unfortunately, these assurances were short-lived. While, thankfully, News 12 has stopped showing the KFC homicide file footage, the Sean Bell shooting footage was resurrected last weekend in relation to a follow up story on the aforementioned Department of Justice investigation.

In a subsequent telephone conversation with Ms. Rose, I once again expressed my dismay that the public is being misled and that the YPD is being unfairly portrayed by this seemingly biased coverage. She attributed the continued showing of the Sean Bell scene to an inexperienced editor and problems with the network’s computer system. I advised her that this explanation was questionable. I strongly recommended that the station issue an on-the-air apology to the public and to the YPD. I insisted that the News 12 “come clean”; i.e., that they admit that they have continually and willfully used misleading file footage when covering stories involving allegations of misconduct by YPD members.

During the News 12 Yonkers Edition broadcast later that day, Mr. Conybeare made a passing reference to the issue. He did not issue an apology. He described it as a “clarification.” He stated that the use of the inappropriate and inaccurate file footage was “inadvertent”, not intentional. He implied that it only happened once. Mr. Conybeare did not admit that the station has been engaging in this practice for an extended period of time.

Simply put, Mr. Conybeare’s “clarification” was unacceptable. News 12 has done a disservice to the men and women of the Yonkers Police Department. More importantly, by engaging in practices that are intentionally misleading, it is my opinion that News 12 has violated the public trust. The community relies heavily on the local television, print and internet media to provide accurate, timely, intelligent and unbiased coverage of news and issues that affect them and their families. Substance should always take precedence over sensationalism.

As police officers, we expect to be held to a higher standard. We understand that we operate in the public spectrum and are therefore subject to intense scrutiny. It comes with the territory. We also fully understand the public’s right to know. Throughout my tenure as Police Commissioner, the Yonkers Police Department has had a very open and cooperative media policy. However, we reserve the right to express our concern and outrage when a media outlet engages in misleading, inaccurate and/or contrived coverage of issues that affect the city or the police. “As local as local news gets”? The public and the police deserve better.

This was written by the Yonkers Police Commissioner as support for the members of the Yonkers Police Dept who serve this city to the best of their individual ability's day in and day out.

As I have personally ranted in the past about their shady news and their disregard for truth in reporting on this site, I guess I am not the only one seeing this crap come to life all of the time!

Edited November 24, 2007 by Oswegowind

[SgtGumby311 0]

Let's see when, or if, The Journal News does something with this as well.....

[FirNaTine 370]

Folks, this surprises you all? I always heard it was Janine Rose who put the squash on all Channel 12 News Commentators wearing the American Flag pins on their lapels post 9/11. I can't believe Brian Connybeare even works beside her! What a Hypocrite! :angry:

[PVFD233 68]

Alot of credit to the commisioner for standing up for his dept, and a great way of doing so.

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

Good article/letter by the PC. Too bad PC Kelly can't find a set of balls the same size to stand up the libral media in NYC.

[Future Fireman 4]

Good article/letter by the PC. Too bad PC Kelly can't find a set of balls the same size to stand up the libral media in NYC.

So what, a set of golf balls will do the same damage as baseballs if you hit the right spot!

Mike

[helicopper 1,050]

Great letter! It's about time that someone started holding the media accountable - for whatever its worth.

Just out of curiosity, where was this printed/published?

[scopino 0]

Go chief, protecting your department. You can tell News 12 is backpedaling

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Kudos to the Commish standing up for his department. Takes balls to stick it to the media. He did so professionally as well, citing some good examples without slinging unnessecary mud.

[bob803 1]

Last week I noticed the second occurance the Commish was talking about. They did mention that is was from the Queens incident. But again the damage was done.

[DR104 141]

WOW!! There is a lot of big words in there, I hope all the people that read it at Snooze 12 will be able to understand it. Way to go commish!!! I have the "phone company TV" so I do not get the rerun- only tell one side of the stories Snooze 12

[Oswegowind 17]

Great letter! It's about time that someone started holding the media accountable - for whatever its worth.

Just out of curiosity, where was this printed/published?

Published on the Department website...