People call the authorities all of the time. To report speeding vehicles or even illicit activity in their neighborhood. Now, with corona virus lock downs taking center stage in peoples lives, those “snitches” are calling the authorities to report parties on their blocks, businesses that are open and not adhering to social distancing, or even that they are open at all. In Missouri, the information has been made public. In fact it was added to a Facebook group by a man named Jared Totsch titled, “Here ya go. The gallery of snitches, busybodies, and employees who rat out their own neighbors and employers over the Panic-demic.’
That’s correct. If you want to know what employee told the police you were operating unsafe, or who called the cops on your party, that info has been put online. In St. Louis County , people submitted online forms and requested their info be kept private. In spite of the fact that the form has marked that it would be a public document, people still submitted info. In fact more than 900 people had their personal info shared.
This leaves employers open to take retribution. If you called you could be fired or given harder work, unpopular shifts or turned down for raises. It could also leave bad blood between neighbors. The family holding a graduation party for 25 people , vs the neighbor that is thinking they are helping by calling police. According to reports, in the cases in MO, several people or businesses were cited as a result of the calls.
Locally, New Jersey and New York have seen their tip lines inundated with penis pictures and photos of public officials not social distancing. There is no dedicated tip line, in Philadelphia or surrounding counties. In Philadelphia, residents are urged to call 311. That number is also to report potholes and broken traffic lights. Recently, people working out at a football field in Roxborough had a visit by local police when authorities got a complaint about the lack of social distancing taking place. No one was arrested or kicked off the field.
The dilemma is open, as to should complainants names be made public or kept out of public view. Journalists and the people who got the police called on them would like to know that information. Others would rather it be kept confidential.