This Wyoming newspaper ditched its police blotter - Poynter

"There's a lot of problems with blotters in general. An initial charge can change really easily. They can up the charge, they can lower it, they can dismiss it entirely. Things can get challenged pretty quickly. Also, people can be acquitted."

"For our audience, it's a novelty interest to see what was going on in town, what little crimes are being committed. Even though we're the capital city, it's still a really small town. There's 65,000 people here."

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle stopped publishing its arrest blotter on March 1, receiving minimal reader complaints despite the feature's traditional popularity in small-town newspapers. The decision reflects efforts to reform crime coverage, as police blotters often contain inaccuracies that permanently affect individuals when charges are reduced, dismissed, or changed. With a small staff of eight reporters, the publication could only follow up on major crimes, leaving outdated records online. Crime reporter Ivy Secrest noted that initial charges frequently change through the legal process, yet blotters rarely reflect these updates. The newspaper made this change after participating in Poynter's Transforming Crime Reporting into Public Safety Journalism course, signaling a broader shift toward more responsible crime journalism practices.

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