May 3, 2008...10:06 pm
Emails to Police Private? Think Again!
Not to long ago I sent an email to New Ipswich, NH Chief Garrett “Hollywood” Chamberlain in confidence that was of a private nature and expected he would be the only one reading it, since he was the only one it was addressed to. I was wrong.
To my amazement and horror only a few hours later, I received a reply from the selectman replying to the chief and myself. Immediately I thought I sent the selectman an email. However, knowing I am a bit knowledgeable about the procedure of sending email, I knew I never sent the Selectman anything. Actually it was the selectman’s lack of knowledge or error of what happens when you hit “reply to all” instead of “reply to sender” that triggered his response to the Chief and myself. This in turn triggered my questioning response. I immediately replied to the selectman, as I know the button do that, and he replied back. -No the response was meant for the Chief he said.
He continued to inform me on about how the Chief was under his yearly review and my email was sent to him to show that he was responsive to the citizen’s questions and concerns. How thrilling I thought to be part of such a process that in the end will only benefit one person, and that person is not “I”. It benefited the Chief to the tune of approximately $00,000 in a review bonus of course approved by the town heads.
I would have expect perhaps an email to me from the chief asking if it was ok for my email to be used for review purposes, but non-was received. Why? Perhaps my permission was not needed? If emails must be forwarded for answers pertaining to the TOPIC at hand ok then fine. However not for personal gain.
Maybe this is an example of the arrogance that spills over in Police Departments who actually think I would be ok with it. Since they are sworn to uphold the law, and they in their minds “only”, probably felt they had the right to make that decision – on my behalf. Maybe later on your behalf too. Remember we can trust them, as there has never been a police officer selectman, mayor, prosecutors, lawyer…ordinary person that has ever been dishonest.
Sorry, I don’t share the same belief. I trust my wife, child, my close friends, and my dog (sometimes). I don’t see him on the list, why would he be? -Because he is a sworn in? You’ll have to do better than that. I don’t know him. I don’t even know the Selectman. Nothing personal, but employment type and position does not guarantee trustworthiness.
My response to the selectman, “Always glad to help the Chief out…” Right!?
So if you’re thinking about ever sending the New Ipswich Police Dept anything through an email, don’t. Especially, if it is of a sensitive or private nature.
What you perceive as a sensitive email issue could be sent around the town on their server, for the sole purpose of the Chief’s benefit “monetary as we all know” or any officer’s gain. Perhaps it was just a slip on the Chief’s part, or just business as usual knowing what’s best for all. Since I never had the chance to be asked, here is my answer: NO. It can’t be used and emailed around town- NO sorry request DENIED! Wasn’t the CNN and FOX headlines enough, why did he need my email to prove his value to the town of New Ipswich? Stardom clouds the judgment apparently.
Since email is the least secure way to send info I’d appreciate email only sent to the person that it was intended for to read it. Why should I worry? I mean you can trust them right? Right? Anybody…
Remember I received the response from the selectman in error and would never have known about my email being sent around town. To boot this is the Chief of Police. Shall we now trust the patrolman too, as we all know work independently on a daily basis, without any hand holding, or over sight from the Chief.
The lesson here is once you send an email always assume it may be read by someone other than who it was intended for. If you think you can trust the police to hold anything you send to them in confidence you are sadly mistaken. I can only assume the copy the selectman received never went anyplace else… Except back to me. We can’t leave the sensitivity of emails to one-person’s discretion.
At work the other day I received credit card information on someone I didn’t know, as it was sent to me in error. I don’t work with credit card information at my position. Imagine now, the seriousness of privacy issues relating to the email system and other peoples definition of private, and semi private. I believe the town needs a privacy policy relating to emails only addressed to one person in confidence. Maybe they already have one? If they do, it’s not working.
The email sits on my server with all date and responses intact. The pure fact that I don’t dump the email message on this email is due to the privacy I have for others and my own private inquiries to others.- I could never make this stuff up.
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