During a phone call with Harrisburg City Councilwoman and Public Safety Chairwoman Patty Kim-Sider, I was informed that on more than one occasion, she requested access to the city’s “METRO” system- a unique and comprehensive crime tracking database currently in use by the Harrisburg Police Department.

Given access to this database, Kim said that she’d be able to view and pass along information regarding EVERY 911 and police dispatch call that happens within our city.

She continued by saying that Chief Keller informed her that she must get permission from The Mayor to gain access to this information.

And when she requested this information from Mayor Reed, he “politely” declined her request- explaining that she’d need someone trained to interpret the data.

Which lead me to think- hey, wait a second…there are COUNTLESS
people who are trained at reading and analyzing crime data for a city- and of COURSE we’d need someone qualified to accurately dissect the data.

But if the data is being WITHHELD from the Public Safety Chairwoman- who IS allowed to see this data?

Surely this information must be public.

But if even the highest ranking police officer and publicly elected Public Safety Chairperson do not have the ability to review this information- who CAN get this ever-so-important information?

The ironic part is that Ms. Kim mentioned that it had been nearly a year that she has been trying to get this information- which is exactly the same amount of time that Dan Miller was brushed off regarding the financial of the Harrisburg Senators.

And you remember what Miller found, right? Imagine what kind of crime info is hidden away in the clutches of the Mayor’s smoke stained fingers.