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Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010
The tragic deaths of husband and wife Carolyn and John Tarwacki have reminded us that no community, not even ours, is immune to crime and fear and uncertainty. When such things happen, it’s natural to want to know more, to want to understand the nature of the crimes around us, to want to know what we need to do in order to be safe.
As journalists it’s our job to bring that information to the people. To quell those fears as best we can by providing some of the most complete, comprehensive and accurate information possible.
To do so requires the cooperation of outside parties – in this case the authorities – who might not always have the same objective as the press may have.
It’s a fine line that lies between us, the police and the press. Information is sensitive. Police have information so sensitive to their investigations they might not feel willing to let go of it so easily.
Still, sometimes pieces of information are needed by the people to feel secure, informed.
As local authorities continue to work toward bringing the Tarwackis’ killer to justice, as details yet to unfold – the relationship between these three entities, the police, the press and the people becomes all the more evident and important.
As the sun set Friday evening, those living in the neighborhood of Carberry in Howard Township, likely felt the need to throw a quick glance over their shoulder. They locked their doors and double-checked them just in case. They may have hugged their children a little closer, a little tighter to them as they tucked them in for bed, held tight to their loved one’s hand as they turned out the lights the way people often do when they’re reminded that the unknown lives just outside their front door.
Whatever they did, they went to bed with unanswered questions. And in that need for understanding, comes a need for law enforcement and journalists to work together to bring a sense of safety to the community.
It’s a matter of trust. We the press have to believe that law enforcement will trust us to do our jobs accurately and sensitively and provide us with the information we need to tell the story. Law enforcement has to trust that we the press will carry their information to the people carefully and respectfully. Without a trust between those two entities, the people won’t be able to trust at all.
As we put the paper to bed at the Star Friday night, one question was absent from our pages and almost too easily left out of conversation with police. If they were looking for evidence of what happened to the Tarwackis, that meant a killer was free and fear was waiting for an unsuspecting community regardless of the distinction between a planned and a random act of violence.
The absent question was, should we be afraid?
It is up to we the press and our community’s law enforcement agencies to trust each other and work together to answer those questions firmly to provide citizens with a measure of security and safety even in the most trying of times.
My name is Murphey Shaw and when i read the story i was touched by the tragedy that occurred for those two people and couldn’t agree more about the communication that is needed between the press and law enforcement. Most everyone watches the CSI type shows and find it entertaining to pass the day. What most people don’t realize is that this is an everyday occurrence across the United States and something has to be done quick or this country is doomed. My question to everyone is how long will we go before something is done to protect the law abiding citizen from monsters like the one who stole the life of the Tarwacki’s. I am the boyfriend of a family member of the Tarwacki’s and it hurts to know that her family will have to grieve and hurt and try to find some justification to there loss. My prayers and sorrow goes out to the family members who have to endure this tragedy. I hope the athorities find the individual and try to give some type of justice for them. My heart goes out to them and i am truly sorry for your loss. God Bless
You claim that it’s a matter of trust…and you give two examples: Law enforcement trusting the press to do their job well, and law enforcement trusting the press to treat information respectfully. (Seems somewhat redundant).
Then you conclude with the statement that “Without a trust between those two entities, the people won’t be able to trust at all.”
You seem to have omitted an impart part of the relationship…the other side of the coin. What about YOU, the press, trusting law enforcement to do its job and to know…in their professional judgment…what is best for the community?
You paint a very one-sided picture…creating an image of trust that is directionally only one way. This doesn’t seem to be the best way to build trust, does it?