Man Says Online Jail Blotter is Easy Access for Potential Criminals

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- In January the Oklahoma City Police Department began posting the names and addresses of people who have been arrested on its Web site, but one man said they site could boost business for criminals and be an easier way for them to break the law.

"What we've got here on the surface is you've got advertising for prostitutes and hookers," said Brian Bates, a video vigilante.

Bates is known as The Video Vigilante for catching prostitutes and their clients in the act. He said now he's concerned because he said putting suspects' crimes, names and addresses on the Internet is like having an online directory for people looking for illegal activity.

"The problem we got is too obvious. Criminals are going to do this. Criminals are going to go, 'I got to find a drug dealer, obviously this guy is drug dealer, here is where he lives,'" Bates said.

Captain Patrick Stewart defended putting the records online by saying what's available on their Web site now has always been available to the public.

"Is there a possibility that somebody can use it for illegal purposes? Certainly," Stewart said. "The process has always been that the jail blotter's been available, and if someone wanted to see that blotter that they could drive down to police headquarters and get it."

But Bates said posting the information online no longer deters a criminal like driving to a police headquarters does.

"Before you had to drive to the police station, go to the second floor, check the blotter and look at it. Now all you have to do is go to ocpd.com, click on the jail blotter and there it is," Bates said.

Another concern Bates said he has for having the blotter online is often times people will lie about their address. While the document does list a person's name and address it does not list a social security number.