To the editor:

I am writing in support of Ms. Brown’s comments. A few years ago I spoke with someone from the Barrington Times about my concerns — specifically the Barrington Times decision to publish items from the police report that concern minors.

As a parent of a child with a mental illness I learned the hard way that contacting the police for assistance only leads to putting information for public viewing into the paper. I was told the paper had the right to do this under the Open Meeting Law legislation. So I called NAMI, Bradley Hospital, the Barrington Police, the governor’s office, and BDHA and at each junction I was told there was nothing that could be done. Freedom of the press to publish other people’s pain. In fact, I finally gave up when I was told I my next step would be to call the UN Human Rights organization…can you believe it! 

For a time I seriously considered putting an advertisement in the paper to announce to everyone in the town that I had an upcoming doctor’s appointment…after all mental illness is a medical problem that can present itself with behavioral overtones that sometimes require police assistance, but other medical problems don’t require the police. So I thought… well, if the paper really thinks someone’s medical problem is fodder for the people of Barrington then I guess everyone in the town has the right to know when I am scheduled for my next colonoscopy. I’ll just call the police to let them know but I will also tell them I don’t need help — both are medical issues only as an adult I can drive myself to the appointment, I am not happy about getting the procedure but I’m not going to be a danger to myself or others because I have to go to the doctors. The paper can then put that call into the paper… the people of Barrington need to know! 

But that information is too boring to publish and of course would not sell papers.

The fact is the paper does not have to publish any information from the police blotter that involves minors, that involves partnership violence or any other personal issue…sure, publish information about theft or someone breaking into unlocked car doors…something that impacts the health and safety of the community.

But when a parent has gotten to the point in the care of their child that they have decided to contact the police to get a child to a psychiatric hospital and then that information is published in the paper… please who area you kidding…not anyone with a brain. That type of information is published for gossip.

So the decision to publish such information from the police blotter is in your hands… so acknowledge it! By the way, in my job I travel throughout the state…so I checked out different local papers… no information from police blotters concerning minors are being published. Of course another Barrington gold star. Well, the paper has successfully created an environment whereby contacting the police for certain types of help is not safe. Congratulations!

Carolyn McDonough

Barrington