CHECKPOINT STORY AIDED CRIMINALS, NOT POLICE

I was shocked to see the story describing the fake checkpoint police
set up on the Northside to catch drug criminals ("Checkpoints phony,
but arrests real," Aug. 8). Why would The Star think it wise to
publish the ruse as it was going on? It is a legal endeavor, so why
not publish it afterward as a tribute to the commitment and ingenuity
the police use to catch drug criminals in Indianapolis?

Why give the guilty a "heads-up" and allow them to avoid being caught?
This reminds me of the publications of bomb-making instructions
post-9/11 and of publishing how easy it was to obtain a gun after the
Columbine incident.

I realize that one of the components of news is timeliness, but there
are times when common sense needs to be practiced and the motive
behind being first should be evaluated to be sure the story is in the
best interest of the people. Isn't that the primary responsibility of
those in charge of reporting the news?

Kati Reeves

Camby