Denver Police All A'Twitter

DENVER -- Cops here believe the public does not always get fair and balanced coverage about the activities of their police force from mainstream media.

In response to this perceived slight the police here have started sending their own version of the story via twitter and even use the social media site to criticize how they are portrayed by the press.

According to Lt. Matt Murray, the head of the police department's communication division, "We feel, and we believe a lot of the public feels that not all sides of stories are told."

The Twitter communication campaign was started when Murray Was unhappy with a story run on a local television station calling into question the use of photo radar - radar that is now being removed from other Colorado cities. Murray attempted to contact the reporter who produced the story, but when she refused to change the story to his liking he took matters into his own hands...or maybe thumbs.

The police Twitter account has approximately 5,500 followers that get filtered tweets written by Murray as quasi-official police news. Murray says, "We are going to continue to provide the public with information so they can make their own decision's" His first tweet about the photo radar story was titled, "UNBIASED???"

The question this reporter has is when did we decide our police force needed to be in the news business? With diminishing resources and the increase in the cost of law enforcement, only health care is growing faster, why are senior police officials and entire departments within the police force dedicated to the spinning of the law enforcement narrative for the public.

Couldn't Denver save tax dollars by letting the news media report the news and the police focus on stopping crime? If the police don't like what's being said about them they should grow thicker skin and stop beating and killing the public they are sworn to protect. My advice to Lt. Murray and the Denver police is to stop playing the victim - you're not. Put down your Twitter and hit the pavement to protect and serve like you are getting paid very well to do. Leave the news biz to those trained and trusted to do it.