Thursday, April 24, 2008

Hatchet Crime Log: Underappreciated

We here at GW blogspot endeavor to keep the mainstream campus press (i.e. The Hatchet) in check, but we also give credit where credit is due.

I want to take a moment to say how much I love your crime log. Its awesome.... the first thing (sometimes the only thing) I read each week.

Its actually trashy gossip in a sense, but if there anything we've learned from the media at large lately, its that trash sells (and I for one am buying). While going through it weekly I do my best to put names, places and rumors together in hopes of figuring out if I know the guys who were throwing water balloons out their dorm window, the UPD officers that worked the Tonic champaign caper, or what couple was charged with lewd acts in a car on campus...

But its always such a bummer to get to the last line and read "The subjects were not affiliated with the University" (as was the case with the backseat romantics).

Kudos Amy D'Onofrio. Thanks for keeping us all informed about the often comedic actions of UPD, homeless folks, those pesky "unaffiliated" individuals and of course my friends and neighbors. Can you add a few more details in the future? Perhaps some pictures? Names? just kidding about the last one... well, kinda...

Suggestion: do an end of year 'best of the crime log' article. If you don't I just may.

DISCLAIMER: I realize the crime log also serves as an important public service and also don't mean to diminish any of the serious incidents that are reported.

Updated: fixed typo in title...

3 comments:

Greg R said...

They do that already. Every year during CI they have the best of the crime log and I think in the beginning of the year too.
My favorite was last year when "said student knocked on the door of a female resident, yelled "Happy Birthday" and threw a chunk of ice at the resident, injuring her."

Anonymous said...

Thanks! I loved doing the crime log this year, and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. I do hope you read the other stories in the Hatchet though-so much work goes into them.(I know this blog loves to
criticize the Hatchet, so it's been interesting hearing what you guys have to say, especially about the HellWell arrest I reported on)

I certainly can't take all the credit for the crime log though-every week Chief Stafford, or Inspectors Balazik and Trimarchi of UPD have been up bright and early to discuss cases with me. And of course by no means am I perfect writer, so I have to thank my editors at the Hatchet for keeping the crime log readable for all of you (especially Metro editor Eric Roper, who is the new editor-in-chief for next year)
As for including names in the log, if you look at what Editor-in-Chief Jake Sherman wrote here http://blogs.gwhatchet.com/2140g/2008/02/19/reporting-on-campus-crime/
that should answer that question.

Though I won't be doing the crime log next year, I know it will be just as great, so keep reading the Hatchet!

Thanks,
Amy D'Onofrio

James said...

Guy who was having sex with a tree is my favorite from this year.