EDITOR'S NOTE: This blog post was written in 2011. In December 2013, the Digital First Media company's policy on altering archived articles changed. Our newspapers no longer remove items from its websites, with very few exceptions. Stories posted online that mention arrests will be updated with new information about charges being dismissed or cases being nollied once court documents backing up these facts have been provided to the local editor. For questions about this policy, you can contact Connecticut Group Editor Matt DeRienzo at mderienzo@journalregister.com.


With springtime usually comes a high number of requests from people - mainly graduating students - to have their names removed from old police blotter items and archived stories at www.middletownpress.com.

Some claim their cases were dismissed; others say they are very sorry and can't we just remove it because they are now trying to find a job.

Our policy on altering archived stories is as follows:

We will remove police blotter items and crime briefs from our website if the case was dismissed or nollied by a judge. In other words, if a judge says the police were wrong in arresting the person, which means the arrest never should have been in the paper in the first place, we will remove it. A simple copy of the dismissal letter will be enough for us to remove this item out of our archives.

If there is an old article about a crime or arrest where we failed to update the outcome to show a person was found guilty, the charge was reduced, the person served his time, etc., we will write and update to the story, but the original story will not be removed.

If anyone has questions or concerns about this policy, please contact me at editor@middletownpress.com or Publisher Matt DeRienzo at mderienzo@journalregister.com.