12/05/02  The Sonic Caper

To:  Dallas City Council                                                    12-5-2002        Dallas City Hall, Dallas, Texas SUBJECT:  Now-Famous Sonic Robbery RE:  Late Release of Crime Scene Video                       (As Being Shown on Network News)

Hello Council Members:

In the past thirty days, a robbery was committed at a Sonic food establishment.  Live video was taken at the scene.  The video is of fair quality, compared to many which materialize.  

In view of the horrible crime rate history within the City of Dallas, WHY ON EARTH WAS THE VIDEO SUPPRESSED from public viewing for nearly thirty days?  Was our police department waiting to see if the video would make it to the History Channel?

It could well be that folks who were in the area at the time of the crime may well be far from our city now.  Showing the available video closer to the time of the event may have resulted in more information than the investigators now have.  It could be that the investigators have been assigned to the many eating establishments in our city checking on how many smokers were endangering other eaters.

It is rare when crimes are committed and good photos are available for use in catching the offenders.  Why not use that evidence as soon as possible to try to reduce the record breaking crime stats that our city has produced historically?  Or, does the press have to step in again and raise such questions of the City Manager and Police Chief?

Regards,

Rad Field
Dallas, TX, Dist. 11