Sharjah Police confirm rumors of assailant on the loose - Khaleej Times

When is the best time for police to make information public?

Sharjah police have confirmed that three weeks ago there were four incidents where women were stabbed. There has been no arrest in the case. The statement issued by the police explains their reasoning for delaying confirmation of these attacks.

The statement explained that the police department did not comment on this issue during the last few weeks because it does not have enough information and was trying to collect evidence that would lead to the arrest of the culprit. The police stressed that these kind of cases need time to unravel, adding that the police were working round the clock to identify the culprit. The statement pointed out that the reason why information was not released to the public earlier through the Press was that sometimes, the publication of such information can affect the investigation and help the suspect escape capture.

On the reason for releasing the information now:

The police now want to inform the public about the true scale of the incident and the facts in order to curb the spreading of rumours, which were being circulated by SMS and other means to increase panic among women in Sharjah. It said this fact was deeply felt by the police force as it daily received calls from members of the public and the Press about the attacks.

Every police force faces the question of when to release information to the public. It takes time for any police force to find the policy which balances the benefits and costs of withholding information. And the appropriate timing will always depend on the specifics of the case. Thus, it is inevitable that the public will harbor some doubt about whether the police will take the best option in releasing information. And each individual would like to have the information even if it is not in the public interest to release it immediately.

One of the benefits of making information public early is that it allows individuals to take appropriate precautions.

In the case here, the Sharjah Police seem to believe that the only benefit of releasing information is to reduce panic and squelch unfounded rumors.

Moreover, the Sharjah Police seem to believe that individuals can do nothing to improve their own safety when an assailant is on the loose. But the public is not entirely dependent on government for safety or indeed for most anything else.

The efficient arrangement is to include the public in the provision of personal safety. It's the ethical arrangement as well. This does not mean the police should go public immediately with any information. But the individual's role in safety should be a factor in determining when it is in the public's interest to have the information.