Monday, May 14, 2007

Letter to the Editor

In which reader "Sherry" tries to be helpful, gets blowoff:
... regarding your post: from May 10: "A man was shot to death this morning in the 300 block of 23 1/2 Street in Barclay"... well, I heard these gunshots - I live on the 300 block of 25th. A light sleeper, I was jolted by the shots that sounded just as if they were outside of my window. I froze - shocked a bit...I've heard shots in the distance before, but none so close. Anyhow, what seemed like only seconds later, I heard a car ignition start and a car take off. This I am pretty sure was right on 25th. It was 4:07 am by my clock and I jumped out of bed to see if anyone was laying on the ground. I saw nothing. Sitting and not sure what to do...I then heard the sirens - cops, ambulance - the normal. Someone else had called - and after tossing and turning I finally fell asleeps again.

Thursday evening I was reading the Sun and that blurb you linked to on the Sun - and said Ah-ha!! - plus, it kept bothering me and I realized - hey - there's a police camera half way up the block...I'll call 311 for non emergency police issues...I made the call...explaining what I heard - disclaiming it might have been a coincidence, but maybe someone should check the camera since I doubt anyone else might have reported that or whatever -in any case, I got the big 311 blowoff. I may as well have been talking to a recording. The response seemed like a scripted: "M'am, I'm sure the police have investigators on the case and are going door to door." And that was it! Done...I was rather irritated. No one had come to my door.

The next day...I still couldn't shake my irritation. I called the actual police precinct - who referred me to homicide. Called them - and got a whole different reception for my tip. They were actually appreciative and actually asked me the location of the camera and it happens to be just about across from that alley. Anyhow, whether they followup is another story...but I just
wanted to vent. What a mess this system is...not that you didn't already know that. This small and limited experience I had really brought that home for me.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I first want to say hello all bloggers, I have been gone going through personal dramas... but now I am here for a spell again....now that that is off my chest, I know the writer of the letter, and I understand where she is coming from. I have used 311 for various reasons and they always seem to be so non chalant about everything . Maybe their scripted statement should read

" Thank you Ma'am/Sir for your concern, but this is Baltimore, unless there is a body to clean up please be assured we will do nothing in our power to address your concerns"