In response to the "To All Personnel" notice yesterday... and in memory of Steve Swanson, dead and buried... I fully appreciate DEA Watch informing and reminding writers about the DEA Watch Publication Policy. It is very important that DEA Watch regularly re-publish this reminder that educates writers to include the "Six W's"... Who, What, When, Where, Why and hoW" in their reports and wires.

Too many DEA agents and employees are not just ignorant about how to write a complete and informative (police) report, they are inherently resistant to writing complete and informative reports. And the reason why they are resistant to writing full reports citing ALL of the facts is because they are afraid that if they say too much they will give a defense attorney or an LE critic sufficient ammunition to obtain an acquittal or humiliate LE.

I am reminded of the Steve Swanson case. I remember when Steve Swanson (he committed suicide by jumping in front of a Mack tractor-trailer) had the great opportunity to win his case in the media simply by telling CBS' 60 Minutes everything its high-profile staff needed to know. But Steve didn't do that. Instead, he teased the 60 Minutes staff by giving them tidbits of information, then expected 60 Minutes to spend a lot of time and money researching areas that Steve already knew about but refused to disclose to 60 Minutes because Steve was jerking himself off with his self-created fantasy that he wanted the news media to be both his Savior and his Puppet.

Pity on the poor fool who succumbs to this flawed conclusion. Pity on fools like Steve Swanson who died believing in this flawed conclusion.

The basic problem with DEA agents, and public/government employees in general, is that they are too accustomed to the "60 Minutes Syndrome"... because the media publishes a story detailing facts and figures, mental midgets who watch and hear those stories mistakenly believe the media dug up all of the information it reported on its own. Not so. And because of this false impression idiots in LE arrogantly and stingily fail or refuse to provide the media facts LE personnel already know about. Consequently, the media either refuses to research and publish a story (as in Steve's sorry case), or the media publishes an incomplete story that doesn't help the LE subject or person of the story, or LE in general... but let's keep in mind that it has never been said that people who choose LE as a career are 'Baby Einsteins'. Whereas LE may be a science, less than .01% of our people who are employed in LE can be considered 'scientists'. And whereas the media may appear to be working in the public interest by reporting LE cases, the fact is the media is NOT in the business of providing news... the news media is in the business of selling tooth paste and tampons. Show me a news report that doesn't have commercial breaks and I will show you a News Report.

Instead of volunteering all of the facts LE personnel know about a case, most LE professionals will reveal only the smallest amount of information then make the media spend thousands upon thousands of dollars in research time and manhours looking for facts the LE agent or employee already knew and could/should have provided in the beginning but refused to do so. Steve Swanson committed suicide because he was too stupid to tell the news reporters (he himself had solicited to report his story) all of the information he knew. Had Steve or his so-called "friends and pals" been more forthcoming in the beginning instead of teasing news reporters, Steve would be alive today and earning 20% interest on the millions of dollars his PI caseload would have generated. Instead, Steve is dead, wormier and wormier, rotting in his grave.

DEA agents with a beef need to realize and accept that they MUST have confidence in the media person they choose to interface with, and tell ALL THEY KNOW upfront and completely. Had Steve Swanson done so the facts of his case would have been published and the people persecuting him would have dismissed their prosecution case against him.

Steve, and some of his best and misguided closest friends, soon regretted their mistake. In total frustration because they were being fed few documents and parsed facts, 60 Minutes was forced to acknowledge the fact that Steve and his moron pals were 'dicking them around'. Hence, 60 Minutes had no other alternative than to tell Steve (and his pals) to "F**k Off!"

The American news media needs FACTS... full and complete facts to report a story. The news media has little patience for teaser punks in LE whose petty and immature egos require making the media spend a lot of time and money researching information already discovered by the LE punk.

The full, direct and open approach always works better than info-teasing.

I was a friend of Steve's. I will throw back a few on every anniversary of his unnecessary suicide. And when I throw back a few I will lament not only Steve's stupidity, I will lament the arrogance and stupidity of his best friends who stupidly and amateurishly decided that teasing the media by releasing the smallest amount of facts was good strategy. 'Good strategy'???... I can't stop laughing!

Truth, Justice and the American Way have always been the watchwords of our Country and American LE... pre-Watergate. Truth doesn't just mean telling part of the Truth. Truth means telling the Whole Truth! Fools like Steve Swanson and his moron friends opted not to tell the Whole and Complete Truth. They opted instead to tease with the Truth. Consequently, Steve is dead and his moron friends are celebrating a false sacrifice in order to hold themselves blameless for a man's wasted death.

As a DEA Watch "Wise Man" who co-wrote the DEA Watch Publication Policy I caution everyone who wears a badge not to play games with the News Media or the facts. Tell it all. Tell it all in the beginning. Tell it fully. Tell it completely. Hold nothing back.

I and others created DEA Watch to provide you, the reader and writer, an internationally accessible platform to air your concerns. It took us just six days to create DEA Watch and make it freely available and accessible to everyone, everywhere. Publishing your global/domestic concerns or reading DEA Watch costs you and everyone nothing. Needless to say, some people of limited intelligence think they are doing DEA Watch a favor either by submitting wires for publication or by reading DEA Watch. But not a single morsel of food is put on the table of the DEA Watch editorial staff. In its seven years, so far, DEA watch has never displayed any paid advertisements. DEA Watch's contributions last year were less than $50.00 and less than $30.00 this year to date... according to DEA Watch's official annual financial report website that is fully open for investigation by any federal agency. Last but not least, DEA Watch receives no government funding.

Out of all of the billions of people living on our planet, the rare and extensively screened individuals selected for DEA Watch's editorial staff were specifically chosen to accommodate your concerns for improving DEA and the American intelligence community. You have only to accurately and fully report a problem to have it soon corrected. Your wire is your prayer. Pray honestly. Write honestly. Report fully. Honesty is always the best policy.

We are prohibited by higher authority from saying it more plainly than said.

However, if you decide to play the games people like Steve Swanson played, you 'dance with the Devil' and you will, most assuredly, come up dead... in one way or another... Happy anniversary, Steve. You died a foolish and unnecessary death because you opted to Parse instead of Reveal! But in your death you serve as an example and lesson of what not to do and how not to abbreviate a report. Your death was a senseless and stupid waste... but not totally in vain for your death can be useful in preserving other lives should they wisely choose to learn from your suicide.

Save the Gold Badge!

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