Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Woodstock Police reports to City Manager on Beth Bentley case

Is there progress in the Beth Bentley case? Is there any movement at all?

You will never know it from the monthly report of the Woodstock Police Department to the Woodstock City Manager and the City Council, including the Mayor. Why they accept such a report, I don't know! What are the reports of the Police Department for July, August and September?

The report for the month of July 2011 reads:

"The Investigations Division continues to aggressively follow-up (sic) on all leads and investigate the Endangered Missing Person Benedetta 'Beth' Bentley case. The Investigations Division maintains contract with the Illinois State Police and all other Police Agencies involved in this case for updates and sharing of intelligence and information."

The report for the month of August 2011 reads:

"The Investigations Division continues to aggressively follow-up (sic) on all leads and investigate the Endangered Missing Person Benedetta 'Beth' Bentley case. The Investigations Division maintains contract with the Illinois State Police and all other Police Agencies involved in this case for updates and sharing of intelligence and information."

The report for the month of September 2011 reads:

"The Investigations Division continues to aggressively follow-up (sic) on all leads and investigate the Endangered Missing Person Benedetta 'Beth' Bentley case. The Investigations Division maintains contract with the Illinois State Police and all other Police Agencies involved in this case for updates and sharing of intelligence and information."

Notice any similarity? Notice anything strange of unusual about the monthly report from one month to the next? Don't you think that, if there had been anything at all done on this case in one of those months, the P.D. might have said so?

I'm more than curious why the Mayor and City Council have not directed the City Manager to obtain an in-depth report from the Police Department on just exactly what the taxpayers are getting for their money in this case. How many leads have been investigated in the past 3-4 months? How many hours have the detectives put in on this case in the past 3-4 months? How many contacts have there been with other agencies, and with which ones?

4 comments:

Know better said...

or, the case has gone cold and there really is nothing more to say.

Gus said...

billy, not sure that's it, because they denied my FOIA request, saying release of information could hinder ongoing investigations. That excuse is probably good for 15-20 years.

Know better said...

Indeed it is and should. Ongoing does mean new leads come in. The PD could be in a world of hurt to the investigation if they release info, and then two weeks from now the big break comes, but now its too late because the info they gave out hurts the new lead. PD's have to think about the future and not about your curiosity.

Gus said...

billy, you're right - IF this is an active investigation. It has always been called a Missing Person case, yet the PD released virtually no information - ever - that would have helped the public find Beth.

You really think they are investigating fresh leads? If they are, they could so indicate to the public.

Right now, the public thinks WPD has forgotten Beth Bentley.