Newspaper makes many requests for comment, gets no response from chief
Greg Knight
Staff writer
7/6/2017
EPHRAIM—Many readers have asked, “Why hasn’t the Sanpete Messenger contacted Ephraim Police Chief Ron Rasmussen to get his side of the story?”
Prior to his reinstatement, the city and legal counsel directed Chief Rasmussen to remain silent. As soon as the Messenger learned that, the newspaper ceased attempts to contact the chief.
Once Chief Rasmussen was back on the job, the newspaper tried to reach him. We started on Wednesday, June 28, the night he was reinstated. We left two voice mails. The next day, June 29, we telephoned again. None of those calls was returned.
The Messenger followed up on Friday, June 30 with email to the chief’s city email address and copied City Manager Brant Hanson on the email.
Also on Friday, we talked by telephone with the Police Department secretary. She told our reporter the chief would likely speak with us.
Our reporter went from the office in Manti to the Police Department office. Upon arrival, the secretary said Rasmussen had gone home to take a nap because he was on 24-hour duty.
On Monday, July 3, we emailed Chief Rasmussen a final time, with a copy to Hanson. Meanwhile, we heard from a reliable source that Rasmussen had retained an attorney. We spoke with that attorney’s assistant, left a voice mail for him and emailed him asking if he would comment in Rasmussen’s behalf.
We received no response to any of those communications.
