I've noticed that all of the other local jurisdictions give lots of detail in their crime reports as posted on the H-M web site, while Hagerstown just posts a list of the bare minimum facts - date, time, crime and location. Everyone else tells us the names of those arrested and details of the alleged crimes, but H-town practically never does. Is it the Herald-Mail refusing to report the full story, or is it H-town P.D. refusing to give the citizenry all of the facts?

Either way, I'd like to see a lot more detail in the reporting of crimes from Hagerstown. Their reports are conspicuously lacking in detail and it looks like somebody's either too lazy, trying to cover up, or worst of all, trying to protect the criminals from the public's right to know.

I have to agree, B.

Sometimes, the basic "who, what, when, why, and where" are not even answered. I read the H-M on-line

only, so I assumed that it was the condensed version. Is it just as short in the newspaper, as well? It is

frustrating.

I don't know. Never buy newspapers myself. Environmentally unsound, plus I'm cheap.

I strongly suspect it's Hagerstown P.D. that just doesn't take the time to report the details. But without the details that everyone else provides, it's hardly worth reading.

The news media, be it print, radio, or television, obtain information daily from respective law enforcement agencies via arrest logs/reports. Virtually all of the reports contain the same types of information, the who, what, when, where and how stuff, and are public record. The actual charging document is also available for review at some point. Why certain information is not reported when it is available is an issue for the media, but I would suspect that column space might be part of the problem for the newspaper.