Councillor asks why crime reports aren’t published in the local newspapers

By Barbara Taormina

REVERE – In an effort to ensure the community has all available public safety information, Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley this week proposed that the city hold a public hearing on an ordinance that would require certain information from the police department to be made public. “In days gone past, we had the police blotter in local papers,” said Kelley, who suggested that information about local crime, such as neighborhood break-ins, is valuable to the public.

“Even if it’s just general information, with no names or addresses, just general information where residents can go and see information about crime in the community,” explained Kelley.

Councillors agreed to send Kelley’s motion to the Health & Human Services Subcommittee for review although there were concerns. Councillor-at-Large Juan Pablo Jaramillo stressed that the council should look at the proposal through a human lens and avoid doing harm to those struggling with poverty and substance abuse. Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri pointed out that an arrest doesn’t always lead to a conviction, and publishing arrest records isn’t fair to those who were charged but innocent of crimes. Councillors questioned whether local newspapers should be asked to carry police records.

The Revere Advocate no longer publishes police logs and is not inclined to revive the practice. “The Advocate’s position is that we stopped publishing the arrest logs due to the number of people calling requesting to have them removed due to their arrest being found by would-be employers following a Google search,” said James Mitchell, owner/publisher and editor of The Advocate Newspapers, Inc., which publishes The Revere Advocate.

“Since everyone who is arrested is ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ I decided years ago to remove the arrest logs from The Advocate website and discontinue publishing arrests to give those who chose to lead a good life a chance to succeed by removing the online “scarlet letter”. So many I have spoken to throughout the years who ask for my help to have their name removed provided a good reason in making my decision and I’m glad I did. Everyone deserves a chance to succeed in life – why should one mistake follow them for the rest of their lives?” said Mitchell.

With respect to crime reports, which provide the weekly number of crimes reported, such as break-ins, robberies, etc. each week in the city, that could be something provided by the police dept. but it has never been offered. The majority of major crimes reported in Revere must go through the Massachusetts district attorney’s office while under investigation before a news outlet is notified.