13 Responses

WP_Blue_Mist
  • Tiffany Edwards Hunt Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am

    Curious to me why the Big Island Chronicle just scooped the police website. Where is the press release stating this Hilo girl is missing? We need to be much more quick-footed and proactive about missing children, regardless of the circumstance.
    Twice now this week I’m having to dog the police for the poor public relations. Sadly, this one is not about police declining to pass out candy from their Pahoa substation on Halloween night. This is about a girl who is missing and could be in harm’s way. The public needs to be put on notice. A press release should not only be posted on the police website, but forwarded on to all bloggers, radio folk, newspapers and television stations. Definitely not the time to be dragging your feet…

  • Go Lakers Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 am

    Would this not be Chris Loos job. Wouldn’t she 1)set communication rules and procedures (interanlly and externally) but also 2) advise police on pr consulting on how to be more involved in the community.

  • Melissa Fletcher Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 4:47 pm

    I’m pretty sure I just saw this girl today at the new Island Naturals. She’s a lovely girl, kind of hard to miss. When I left she was sitting out front with a younger boy with long, sandy brown hair.

  • Damon Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    Thanks Melissa,

    I wouldn’t doubt it if she is in the Puna/Pahoa Area right now.

    I heard a rumor and tweeted it earlier that she could be in Kona.

    I have since then heard other things that makes me realize she could be here in Pahoa/Puna right now.

    I’m glad I’m hearing reports she is ok.

    Now let’s bring the Ohana together before she may find herself in trouble.

  • Find Meghan Olcott » Blog Archive » Big Island Chronicle Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 6:08 am

    [...] http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/?p=10526 [...]

  • Judi Steinman Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 8:52 am

    Mahalo to everyone for coming together. Meghan is an amazing young woman and I hope she is able to get word to her mom that she is okay. Let’s continue to keep our eyes out for her and get the news to her mom, who can’t eat, sleep or think until she knows her daughter is safe.

  • Heather Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am

    We are so anxious to get Meghan home! Please let us know if you see her!

  • Geoffrey Ulrich (Meghan's Cousin) Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 10:37 am

    Remember to take a pic with your cell phone camera if you should spot her and email it to brenda@findmeghanolcott.com
    or call the police or the the Center for Missing and Exploited Children hotline:
    1-800-THE-LOST
    (1-800-843-5678) 24-hours a day.

  • Tiffany Edwards Hunt Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    Following up on my criticism of the police… just noticed a press release dated today posted on the police department’s website:

    The Hawai’i Police Department is searching for a 15-year-old Hilo girl reported as missing.

    Meghan Olcott was last seen at her Hilo home around 10 p.m. Sunday (November 1).

    She is described as Caucasian, 5-foot-5, about 128 pounds with blue eyes and red or auburn hair. She wears braces with orange and rubber tension bands and was last seen wearing shorts, blue Teva footwear and a gray hooded sweatshirt with “Washington, D.C.” on the front.

    Police ask that anyone with information on her whereabouts call Officer Nicole Leyson at the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

    I guess the news outlets that don’t read this blog or didn’t receive all the forwarded emails from family friends the last few days will now broadcast Meghan Olcott’s disapperance… four days later.

    Come on, 5-0, it shouldn’t take several days to put together a four-paragraph press release stating a teenage girl is missing… Hello, Amber alert?

    No, Go Lakers, this is not Chris Loos’ kuleana. If you read the top of the release, it was put together by Sergeant Darryel Tolentino… Chris Loos might be the one who puts the release on the website after looking it over and making stylistic changes to the sergeant’s release…

    But I really can’t say for sure what is the procedure for information dissemination within and from the police department. It doesn’t make sense at all to me that it takes more than three days to put out this simple, bare-bones release that is supposed to be alerting the public about a missing girl…

    If this were my child, I would be F R E A K I N G, not just that she is missing, but that police are being lackadaisical.

    I guess people are taking for granted that she is considered a runaway. ??? I really truly do not get it… it’s quite bothersome to me, as a resident, as a mother, and as a once-troubled teenage girl…

    A press release such as the one above should be up on the police website within a couple of hours of the report being taken. Period.

  • Judi Steinman Says:
    November 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    The great news is that Meghan is now reunited with her mom! Mahalo to everyone for the care and love that you expressed in helping to bring this family back together. It takes a village!

  • Melissa Fletcher Says:
    November 5th, 2009 at 1:12 am

    She’s home then – Confirmed? If so, thanks for the early update, Judi! It affects us all, doesn’t it? When we think one of us/ours has been taken in a scary situation; when we think of needing help ourselves… We can all help by paying attention, slowing down, seeing each person we meet in a day… Say ‘hello’, find something out about them…connect! What a concept~

    Right on Tiffany for your eyes wide open and warning on this one~

  • Doc Says:
    November 5th, 2009 at 7:53 am

    Very glad for the happy ending! Get used to it mom, probably won’t be the last time.

  • damon Says:
    March 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    *cough*

Leave a Comment

Please note: Comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.