Requests for details from Daytona cops by Internet newspaper go unanswered
DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona Beach police responded to a report of a possible explosive device that turned out to be a toy hand grenade tied to a utility poll across the street from the Star Family Shelter in the 600 block of North Segrave St. that had caused traffic tied-ups just after 11 p.m. Thursday, according to a story in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
The story indicated the device was destroyed by the Sheriff's Bom squad. Calls by Headline Surfer to the DBPD's office public information office as well as e-mail messages went unanswered.
Here is a link to the News-Journal story: http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20121207/NEWS/121209820/1025/NEWS01?Title=Bomb-squad-secures-toy-grenade-near-Daytona-Beach-shelter.
Headline Surfer did not receive a press release on the incident and is unable to determine if one was issued to other media outlets.
The 24/7 Internet newspaper has not received press releases from the police department in more than a month since the Internet newspaper announced it had received two journalism awards from the Florida Press Club for an investigative story on Chief Michael Chitwood's promoion of Jim Newcomb to captain despite alleged mistreatment of two women cops under his command.
Because of the lack of cooperation from the Daytona Beach Police Department, Headline Surfer has been unable to report police-related news in a timely fashion independent of having to rely on stories published by other media outlets.