Our police department believes foot patrols are not as effective a deterent as having a patrol car driving around the city. Seems like a visible police presence on the street should be reconsidered. BTW: to complete the description of the criminals it should be noted that they were both black women. The Patch doesn't seem to believe in complete descriptions.

Race and gender are necessary to describing criminals--also things like height and weight. If I want to be on the alert, they help--a lot. To deny this info from the public is just plain wrong.

Racer and Debbie:

Our descriptions of suspects are provided by the Birmingham Police Department and their reports. Per Patch policy, we only report suspects' race when there is a very detailed physical description — such as specific clothing, hair color or distinguishing markings. When police only provide very basic information (such as weight and height), we will omit the suspects' race — IF it is provided — until we learn more information. To not do so, we believe, is inflammatory.

In addition, you will notice that we do not provide suspects' race when they are "white" or any other race. We would not simply say a "black man" just as we wouldn't say "a white man." Both are unhelpful. Please email me at Laura.Houser@patch.com if you have more questions about this policy.

I feel that this racial sensitivity has gone beyond the level of common sense and the desire not to offend others. It's gotten to the point where unless you are white, you can't speak of or discuss another ethnic group. It's absolutely asinine. Maybe people should get thicker skins. Besides, I've been hearing about these two black women who've been on a theft spree since around 2009, when they first went to the shopping center on 14 Mile and John R over by Oakland Mall and literally walked out of the Ulta store with $400 in stolen beauty products. Yep, same two women - one a heavyset black female between 30-40 and about 5-4, weighing over 200 lbs. and wearing blonde weave/wig, and a younger, very slim black woman around 5-6 and 120 lbs. and with long black hair. They escaped in a gold SUV.

Time to take these two off the streets!

Apologies, I meant to say, "unless you are NOT white."

I just read the Eagle (10-31-12) account of the above crimes. They provide numerous identifying clues about the criminals, including the race. If I am to believe the Patch, they did not have access to the many clues the Eagle did. OR is the Patch handing the community a load of mularkey? I await the editor's response.

Debbie: Per Patch's company-wide policy, we only include race when it is used as part of broader description, when there is a reasonable expectation the person can be identified.

Inflammatory, by definition, means arousing passion or strong emotion, particularly anger or suspicion. Naming a suspect's race (such as if they were black) with little else to describe them could arouse suspicion of all black people.

Again, if you have any more questions about this policy, email me at Laura.Houser@patch.com. I would happy to discuss this if you're still concerned.

Could there possibly be a more lame policy than that of the Patch? You have gender, height, weight and in most cases dress as descriptors of these criminals. The Police believe the descriptions are both accurate and helpful in the attempt to solve these crimes as do other local publications. Yet, the Patch doesn't? Why bother printing the article at all...I am sure some find just the publication of crimes to be "inflammatory". The Patch's editorial position is ludicrous, senseless, shallow and NOT in the best interest of the respectful and law abiding citizenry they supposed serve.

Readers, I have complained about the policy to the national corporation at patch.com. From what I can tell, the company is owned by AOL. I think the president is Warren Webster.

AND FOR YOUR FREE VIEWING PLEASURE:

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http://www.butthurt.co/obama/2016