We had a chance Monday to put to the test some of the new “community-based” journalism we have been preaching about so much in the past few months.
I got word of the SWAT team surrounding the house in Trainer just before
11 a.m. I knew both our reporter and photographer were already working a July 4 assignment.
I quickly reached them and told them to head to Trainer.
Then I did something else. I put out a pitch via social media for anyone in Trainer who may have had photos of the incident or any other information to contact us.
It paid off.
The first photos we had from the scene, showing residents being evacuated and the SWAT team getting into place, came from freelancer Brian Locke.
You can see some of his work here.
The fact is we’re can’t be everywhere. That’s even more true on a holiday when we are operating with a short staff. Inevitably, a big story breaks out on a holiday. Monday’s standoff in Trainer certainly would be included in that category.
What we want is to “engage” readers and have them join us in this news-gathering operation. If you see news, pick up the phone and call us. Email me at editor@delcotimes.com. There aren’t many times during the day that I am not monitoring those accounts. Reach out to us on our Twitter (@delcotimes) and Facebook pages.
Yesterday we were able to post some key information and images from the scene in Trainer hours before we would have been able to otherwise.
That’s because of citizen journalism. It works. And we’re going to be doing more and more of it.
Just ask Brian Locke.
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