CHRONICLE RESPONDS TO CHIEF FONG'S CRITICISM

Police Chief Heather Fong
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Melissa McRobbie and LaurieI sola, Bay City News Service

February 6, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - The San Francisco Chronicle tonight responded to Police Chief Heather Fong's criticism of a series of articles published by the newspaper on the use of force by members of the Police Department.

Fong, at a news conference this afternoon, called the series "irresponsible'' and questioned the articles' accuracy, including the caption on a photo of a man The Chronicle identified as police Sgt. John Haggett.

This evening, The Chronicle released a statement responding to Fong's news conference, confirming that the photo caption was incorrect but standing by the basic facts presented in the articles, the first of which ran on Sunday.

"The person in the photograph is not SFPD Sgt. John Haggett,'' reads the statement, which was distributed by Patricia Hoyt, director of media relations for the newspaper.

"The person in the photograph has never been a member of the San Francisco Police Department and is in no way connected to the use-of-force series,'' the statement continues. "The Chronicle regrets the error.''

However, officials at The Chronicle argued that the mistake does not reflect inaccuracy in the content of the series.

"The photo error, while serious, does not change the basic issues raised by the series about the department's lack of a reliable system for tracking use of force and its failure to hold accountable officers who repeatedly resort to use of force,'' the statement reads.

Officials at the newspaper took issue with allegations by Fong that The Chronicle had turned down her request for information on sources outside the department used for the articles.

The newspaper claims that Fong never made an official request for such information, but that she was told by a reporter that most of the data presented in the series was gathered from San Francisco Police Department's own files.

Fong said the articles painted the department "with a very broad brush'' and alleged that The Chronicle had erred in its facts about the use of force, which she called "a very serious issue that cannot be taken lightly,'' as the subject is "laden with many intricacies.''

The newspaper also responded to allegations by mayoral spokesman Peter Ragone that the newspaper was not truthful when it reported in the series that Mayor Gavin Newsom "did not make himself available for an interview despite repeated requests.''

Peter Ragone

Chronicle officials said a reporter was told by Ragone during the writing of the articles that the mayor would be available for an interview, but was never given a date or time.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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