As reported in an earlier item, it’s unusual enough to learn of a police department visiting a newspaper to advise them to not pursue covering a story. New information obtained from reliable sources in Carlinville, Illinois makes it appear as though local authorities may have visited a local paper, the Macoupin County Enquirer-Democrat, advising them to stay away from Blackburn College in reporting on a racial incident involving Democrat Ken Snider due to allegations of student harrassment although no formal allegations appear to genuinely exist.
Information released from the Carlinville Police Department indicates a particular student called police to report the alleged harassment. However, the student is actually a member of security staff at the college. Blackburn employs students in as many areas as possible.
It’s claimed that the sudent simply went to her supervisor to inform them of her interaction with a reporter from the Enquirer-Democrat. The supervisor is said to have then stated that the reporter was on campus allegedly harrassing students, before directing the student security officer to call police and report it.
The Carlinville police report names the student security officer as the student claiming they were harassed. But based upon reliable sources at the Enquirer-Democrat, there was no indication that the student felt harassed in any way during their interactions with a reporter.
Local police then used that call to visit the newspaper and advise them to not return to the campus to question students regarding a racial incident at the Anchor Inn involving prominent Democrat Ken Snider.
Calls for comment to several contacts at the college and to the student have not been returned at time of posting. The supersisor of security at Blackburn had been out for an extended period due to a medical procedure and, just back today, claimed no knowledge of recent events when contacted, stating he had yet to get caught up on recent events.