From the editor

To our new readers,

In the July 16 issue of the Arizona Summer Wildcat, I asked the campus community whether we should bring back names to our Police Beat section. Wildcat editors decided to no longer use names during the 2002 spring semester.

After reviewing the few letters that we received, I decided to bring the names of suspects back to Police Beat back in their entirety.

The choice to bring the names back was simple; they're public record. Anyone who wants to find out who did what can do it the same way our reporters do: go down to the University of Arizona Police Department Headquarters, ask the records department for some police reports, and see for yourself.

-Arek Sarkissian II
editor in chief

Wildcat should not hold people accountable

As the parent of a UA student, I am shocked that you would publish the names of students in Police Beat. Anyone arrested or cited by police is afforded the presumption of innocence. Those who "Google" these students in the future only see news of the arrest or citation - not the final disposition. It is not up to you, as editor-in-chief of a college newspaper, to "hold people accountable for their actions." That is the role of the U.S. Judicial System.

Laura Sewell

Police Beat better than "News of the Weird"

I am all for publishing the names of people in Police Beat! Like you, this was something that I looked forward to daily, seeing who among my fellow students and co-workers committed some kind of less-than-brilliant offense. It was even better than the "News of Weird" column that is syndicated in a lot of other papers. Some of the "offenders" might even make the Darwin Awards!

Phyllis Cowman

Police reports used in Police Beat one-sided

Recently you asked the university community to weigh in on the issue of printing names in Police Beat.

Police Beat is compiled from police reports. The reports are the police's side of the story. The reports are specifically written to make suspects appear guilty ÷ that is their purpose, to be used in court against suspects.

People mentioned in Police Beat have not yet been convicted of any crime. Sure, they may be guilty, but they also might not be guilty. It is up to the courts, not the police or the Wildcat, to decide that. In fact, Police Beat generally goes against standard methods of journalistic ethics by not confirming facts presented in the police reports.

Therefore, I suggest that the Wildcat not run the names of persons arrested in Police Beat unless they interview the suspects and publish their side of the story. Otherwise, it is just not fair. The Wildcat might also examine its practice of publishing Police Beat entirely, given that the column is merely an unverified, one-sided version of events, no matter how entertaining that version may be.

Rachel Wilson
Infant Speech Perception Lab

Wildcat should print all names, even its own staff

With respect to Mr. Sarkissian's thoughts on the publication of the names of the accused, the notion that journalists should withhold names based on severity öö based on the writer's judgment öö is unsettling. If the offense is worthy of ink, why shouldn't the name of the accused be printed as well? Minor consumption is no less unlawful than indecent exposure or theft. The arbitrary withholding of information casts a long shadow on the integrity of the newspaper and the journalists in its employ. Print the names on all of the Police Beat offenses, within the confines of the law or advice of counsel, or print none of them. Do not print some and make it appear that you are doing someone a favor. The paper also has the duty to be a watchdog over itself.

Jason Baran
Public Administration & Policy Graduate Student
Former Daily Wildcat columnist

Wildcat justified, suspects not

"This student was caught skateboarding naked across campus back in 1998. His mother was livid because her son's name also came up in Police Beat after a Google search."

His mother was "livid" because her son's name showed up in Google? She should reserve her anger for her son and spare the Wildcat. If the police blotter is a matter of public record, then the Wildcat is justified in printing the names, assuming the Wildcat is as aggressive in printing names of people ultimately cleared of the charges that landed them in the Police Beat to begin with.

Name the players. Jim Told
Ex-UA parent

Not fair to pick and choose names published

I think it would be a horrible idea to run names in Police Beat for several reasons. Beside the obvious reason mentioned in your column, that of students being repeatedly punished for the mistakes of their youth long into adulthood by potentially losing job opportunities, there are reasons that are more personal as well.

There are many sexual assaults every year, many of which are reported in the Wildcat. I do not believe many of these young women would want their names run in association with such an event. Even some of the young women who report obscene phone calls do not need to be further exploited by reading their name in the school paper the next day, not to mention that this would add fuel to the fire to some of these obscene callers.

I know you said in your article that you would "choose" which names would go in or stay out, which could exclu'e the names of persons associated with the cases I mentioned, but what kind of method is that? I do not think it is fair or just to choose names to stay in or out of Police Beat based on any criteria you may come up with. It should be all or nothing...hopefully nothing.

I am not trying to challenge your character as that of a reputable journalist, but what would stop you from keeping the names of your friends out of Police Beat? These are some of the questions the student body may have. The way in which you will choose the criteria for using names should be carefully researched and clearly stated in the Wildcat before you make this decision. In fact, if you had done this before running your column today (July 16, 2003), you may have gotten a more constructive response.

We are Wildcats! We want our university and alumni to be the best in the country. Therefore, why are we handicapping our fellow students just to teach them a lesson that they will probably learn in life? Trust me, if they end up in Police Beat often enough, they have bigger problems than their name running in the Wildcat. I do not believe that it is your responsibility to provide what you think is a "deterrent" to inappropriate behavior by using the campus newspaper. It is your job to report, not judge and punish. I believe journalists have helped to better this country in many ways, but when journalists try to push their beliefs and standards on their audience, then journalism is no longer constructive. This is not Watergate, it's privacy.

Shelley Huff
Retailing & Consumer Studies Student

Some deserve to appear in Police Beat

I never got to experience having students' names in the Police Beat, having just come off my freshman year, but if someone gets in there, they deserve the publicity for whatever stupid thing they did! Personally, I want to be in Police Beat at least once before I graduate, and I want everyone to know about it.

John C. Devins
Business sophomore

Print convictions, not accusations

I think that Arek answered his question, "Don't do anything wrong and you won't get written about, right?" earlier in the article. The answer is "No." The newly-graduated student mentioned first had been exonerated- she had done no wrong, yet was written about.

Include names only in the conviction reports, not the accusations; otherwise, you are just pandering to the public's desire for scandal, not calling miscreants to task.

Steven Gwost
School of Law, Î06

Editor disappointed names missing from Police Beat

As an alumnus and the editor of the Ruidoso News in Ruidoso, N.M., I was disappointed to see names missing from Police Beat when it first happened and am glad to hear you want to bring them back. Police reports are public record, and unless the person is underage or is the victim, his or her name should be part of the report. Sure, it will mean an angry call or three each week, but as long as you have a trustworthy and detail-oriented reporter on the beat, it should not be of any real concern. People want to read names, and journalists should want to print them ÷ they are facts.

Best of luck in the upcoming semester ÷ I look forward to Police Beat and the rest of the news, as always.

Wes Schwengels
Class of 2000