EPD Fireworks

Just in time for the Fourth.
First it broke on heraldo:
◼ Eureka Police blog spawns lawsuit
Then the Times Standard
◼ Employee of EPD files suit against coworkers

A civil lawsuit between employees of Eureka Police Department is unfolding and involves a local and now defunct blog, accusations of defamation and 99 unnamed defendants.

EPD Communications Supervisor Tawnie Hansen filed suit against EPD Support Services Manager Devora “DeeDee” Wilson and 99 anonymous users for allegedly falsely stating on a blog that Hansen had an illicit sexual relationship with EPD Chief Garr Nielsen, according to the complaint filed with the Humboldt County Superior Court.

And it also became the cover story on The Journal
◼ Broken Blue Line link to be updated, not online yet
a sad and sorry mess - and now it looks like all kinds of dirty laundry will be aired, invasive depositions will be taken, and all kinds of things will become public on both sides alike.

The "Above The Law" Blog - from what I could see, was, like so many things here, an attempt to get a story and a message out - that message being how EPD employees were feeling, and how they felt like they were being treated, and what they saw going on internally. It was inside gossip, perhaps facts, as they would have been relayed by co-workers as discontent and frustration reached the breaking point. How many had tried to talk to reporters prior to starting such a blog would be interesting to know.

How much was true, any or all, was and is impossible for those of us on the outside to tell. I doubt many read it without cringing a few times.

Now that watercooler chatter, and internal folklore is about to be splashed all over the local press - a story that has a bit of everything.

Summer reading. Gonna be hard on all involved. And very interesting for all us bloggers.