Bender Blasts Mayor Craig over S.A.F.E. app, says statements “categorically not true.”

As you knew in advance, we hired a respected team of WMUR news veterans to plan and produce the video. Our team included Josh McElveen, a well respected WMUR reporter and anchorman, ( who attended many of our meetings) and Dan Ryan, a veteran WMUR videographer and editor. These two men are well known throughout Manchester City Government, and had spent weeks in pre-production planning with members of your staff, and especially the police department. On the day of the shoot, our crew was expected and welcome at the Central High School. Judging from the video itself, it looks like the police department participated with enthusiasm { here }. Chief Willard presented a strong case for SAFE implementation nationwide in the video, and to the best of my knowledge, he reported directly to you.

 

2) You asked Ping4 not to solicit contributions for the SAFE Foundation from Manchester businesses under your theory that a dollar donated to SAFE might be a dollar denied to other Manchester city programs. To the best on my knowledge we have completely complied with your request from that moment through today. You told me that you heard from someone that we were raising money in Manchester, but you couldn’t remember who told you. Unfortunately, there is not much that I can do with that input except to reiterate that it isn’t and hasn’t been true. We have had discussions with a national multi-billion dollar company head quartered in Philadelphia, which does have a Manchester office. In my view , that would appear to be the only possibility, unless you can remember who spoke with you. However if all you have is a vague recollection one one incident which you can’t remember, then I would hope that in the future you would refrain from using this vague memory as a justification of your MOU. 

In consideration of the agreement by the Manchester School District to support the availability of S.A.F.E. to the MSD community, Ping4, Inc. agrees that it will not represent in any forum, including company advertisements and social media platforms, that the Manchester School District has selected, purchased, used or endorsed Ping4, Inc. or any of its personnel or products, including but not limited to S.A.F.E., and further agrees that it will not publish or share in any manner still photographs or videos of MSD facilities, staff or students. 

 

Boiling this down to one clear sentence, The MOUs singular purpose is to say that Manchester will implement SAFE at 22 schools, provided that we destroy this two minute video { here }.

 

That brings me back to why I am so offended by your discussion with the school board last Tuesday. I completely understand Joyce, why you would have preferred that the video had been made in any other place besides Manchester, New Hampshire. You could have said that, rather than to falsely accuse me and my organization of having been duplicitous.

 

We have all worked very hard on this project for more than 16 months. We have earned the approval of everyone in Manchester City government and the school system. We have agreed to keep the video off all of our websites. I am committed to stand by that promise, and I will further agree not to produce any additional material featuring MSD in the future. 

 

However, I do not think that it is right to hold the greater safety of your school children hostage to the fate of this video. As you know, the SAFE system could make a real difference in protecting Manchester students should there be a future violent episode in one of Manchester’s schools. 

I hope that you will change your mind, and I am happy to come to your office to meet and talk further with you. 

 

Sincerely,