Oct 20, 2009 5:24 pm US/Eastern
Paper Claims Worcester PD Is Shutting Them Out
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A tense relationship between the only major daily newspaper in New England's second largest city and the city's police department has reached a boiling point. When the latest edition of the Telegram and Gazette hit the street, it said "Police Vow to Shut Out T & G."
It reported Worcester Police officials "signaled that they intend to boycott" the paper over coverage of police bonuses for academic degrees and quoted a news release about the department's revised media policy.
WBZ's Ron Sanders interviewed the department's chief, Gary Gemme.
Is the department boycotting the Telegram & Gazette?
"No. One of the issues we're trying to get the community to focus on is exactly that type of reporting because we released a press release that essentially said we were going to work with all media...and nowhere in that press release did it say 'boycott' and that's the battle we've had over the last 9 months with the Telegram and Gazette."
Chief Gemme is referring to T & G stories critical of what the paper called "his refusal" to release documents about misconduct allegations against one officer and a story about the chief's brother earning overtime pay as a department mechanic.
"There's been a clear shift by the Telegram to attack police officers out on the street...when you look at the stories objectively, they're based on innuendo, unverified facts."
Gemme says in the news release "the (T & G's) dark and dingy work environment, and declining circulation is the cause of their shift to information based upon hyperbole, fiction, and innuendo."
Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien, for whom the chief works, does not agree with the tone of Gemme's criticism, says it will be handled internally and the city has a policy of transparency.
"The chief is well aware of my administration's policies and he will abide by those policies which is both a moral and legal obligation," said O'Brien.
The chief echoed that policy but said he wants the T & G to know "they're not the only horse in the race.
"If we have to get our message out through other media, then that's exactly what we're going to do."
While the Telegram and Gazette stands behind its reporting and the chief stands behind his media policy revision, he says it may be time for meeting between city officials and those from the paper to reach a better resolution.
The paper's editor, Leah Lamson, said, "I want to focus on how we can have a better relationship with the police department," and said there may be a meeting soon.
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