Lawndale ‘Police Blotter’ Back on Cable TV

Back by popular demand: the “police blotter” format of local crime updates on Lawndale’s community cable television station.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday to restore Channel 60’s block-by-block listing of reported crimes after several citizens complained when the listings were discontinued last month.

“If we’ve got crime here, let’s face the crime,” said Lawndale resident Steve Mino. His sentiment was echoed by several other people who said the detailed statistics kept them alert to possible crime sprees in their neighborhoods.

The broadcasts were pulled last month by City Manager John Nowak, who said he wanted to revise the segments to put greater emphasis on crime prevention.

Councilman Larry Rudolph, who introduced the issue at Thursday’s meeting, complained that Nowak shouldered too much authority in ordering the change.

“It should have been done by council action,” Rudolph said. He called the televised crime listings “one of the best things we ever did in this city to let the people know what’s going on.”

Councilwoman Carol Norman supported the return to the old format but expressed concern that it tarnishes the image of Lawndale. “This is not a high-crime city,” she said. “Citizens do have a right to know, but there is such a thing as overdoing it.”