Being a Crime Desk Journalist

How time flies.

I have been working as a crime desk journalist for six months.

Rushing to murder scenes and accident sites are part and parcel of my job. It is also a “normal” affair to be scolded or yelled at by grieving victims’ families. But more often than not, we simply get ignored.

Some people ask me whether I feel upset having to face gory or tragic scenarios every other day.

I don’t, seriously. That’s because I understand the meaning of my job, and I know where my responsibility lies.

When one’s beloved family member has passed away, it is understandable that while coping with sorrow, no one wants to face endless questioning by an “annoying” reporter. But journalists are human beings too, and we do feel sympathetic as well. But we have a job to do, and our job is to cover the news and inform the public.

What has happened has happened.

Many a times, questions like: “what really happened, what could have been done, can the public be educated or learn something through this piece of news”, can only be answered with the aid of media reports.

These are meaningful lessons I have learnt from my job. As 2006 has just begun, I did a reflection of my past year being a rookie journalist: three experiences were in particular most “unforgettable”.

1) Most terrifying

When I was still very new on the job and was on one of my first few night shifts, I got a call at 3am. I was sleeping soundly when my phone suddenly rang. I nearly jumped out of bed. What I heard a few seconds later virtually scared me out of my wits.

“Hello Yvonne, I don’t want to scare you, but a murder just took place at Commonwealth Drive. Would you like to come down now?”

What? Murder? At 3am in the morning? Are you joking?

When I rushed to the murder scene, the accused has been brought away by the police. Everywhere was dark, quiet and peaceful (well, what do you expect at the wee hours of the day?). There was no bloody and gruesome scene as I had imagined on my way there.

That was the first murder case I covered.

2) Most maddening

There was this case where a 62 year old cobbler used a fake $1 cheque to con a 21 year old Vietnamese bride into having sex with him, on pretext of marrying her. He used to set up his stall in Bishan Central, and I was sent down to interview residents in that area.

I held his photograph which was published in newspapers and went around interviewing people.

It was then when I met this disgusting old man. He looked at me from head to toe and said “excitedly”, “So you are the Vietnamese bride? How were you cheated exactly?”

For goodness sake! I told him repeatedly that I am a journalist but he simply lived in his own world and continue to throw me “revolting” looks. Yucks! If I had not been sent on a mission, I would have given him a good dressing down for being so abhorrent!

3) Most unexpected

Unexpected assignments dot my life as a crime reporter. But the most “unexpected” thing that has happened to me so far is neither a grisly murder case nor a grave accident.

It was when a victim’s family member showed concern for me. I guess most crime reporters are so used to being “ticked off” while on their job, that to be “cared for” seemed too unbelievable.

In that particular case, a man had suffered a sudden death and I was at his wake to find out more from his daughter. I was at a loss of words to console her, but to my surprise, she actually showered concern on me at the end of the interview.

“It is so late and you still have to cover news? It must be hard on you.”

When I heard that, all feelings of fatigue vanished. I felt warmth in my heart.

I love my job, and these little things give me the drive to strive harder on.