You Make The Call

Last week I ranted about the idiotic reporters that populate this town. One tool especially drew my ire; an ignorant woman who asked the police commissioner, “So he wasn’t just going there just to get coffee? He was actually checking on that Dunkin’ Donuts?” The quote drew the ire of most of the department, and after being soundly thrashed on Domelights - a police website for and about Philadelphia Police officers - the offending reporter revealed herself as Christine Olley of The Philadelphia Daily News.

Below is the reporter's response to the criticism she received on The Dome. My question, dear readers, is this: should she be forgiven for the comments, or is this a canned, insincere apology. You make the call . . .

On Wednesday 10-31-07, I was at a press conference where P/C Johnson released surveillance video of the man now known as John Lewis. I asked the Commissioner a question and after listening to my recording of the press conference numerous times, I realize unequivocally that the tone that I used and the way that I phrased my question was offensive, rude and wrong. I'm sorry to everyone that heard what I said and everyone that I offended. My original intent with what I said was to try to convey that getting a cup of coffee, something that is as normal as can be can't even be done in this city these days with the thugs that prowl the streets.

I know that Officer Cassidy wasn't there to just get a cup of coffee as I asked. I know he was there to check that store because it had been robbed before. The only reason that I even asked it in the first place was because the clerk who was behind the counter during the robbery said Cassidy wasn't even on duty yet. I can't take back what I said but please forgive my mistake. I learned a big lesson a hard way, it doesn't matter what your original intent was for anything, if you don't convey that with what actually comes out of your mouth, then it's completely lost.

Please don't let this affect any future good will that I may have with your department, I made a mistake and I'd really like to move on.

- Christine [Olley]

Well, what do you think? As of this posting, there have been no responses on Domelights to Olley's comments . . . yet.