Upstreams are news tips or information from YOU. You can provide news tips, photos and videos. You can report ANY incident that you believe is important.
Your information may be developed and published, or may be shared in an attempt to get more information.
CARDINAL NEWS DOWNSTREAM INFO is either …
- your new tips shared to the community in a Notify Cardinal News article, or
- news published by CARDINAL NEWS
IN OTHER WORDS …
Upstreams are from you.
Downstreams are from CARDINAL NEWS.
UPSTREAM METHODS
There are three available upstream methods offered for your style, preference or convenience (Complete an easy form, comment in a news tip category, or comment in an existing NOTIFY CARDINAL NEWS article).
1) You can use an easy form to report a news tip to CARDINAL NEWS. There are two main easy form options to provide eyewitness reports to CARDINAL NEWS: FASTEST and FAST.
FASTEST is an easy form that is easier than sending an e-mail.
FAST is an easy guided, detailed form for comprehensive, extra details.
2) You can use the comment section and submit a comment in any of the TIP CATEGORIES: FIRE; POLICE; MULTI-VICTIM EMS; DISASTER; POLICE ACTIVITY; GOV, BIZ & ALL. Other UPSTREAM categories appear in the UPSTREAMS menu.
3) You can also submit a comment in a specific incident post that CARDINAL NEWS has already posted in any article on NotifyCardinalNews.
DOWNSTREAMS
Articles on NotifyCardinalNews.com and Arlingtoncardinal.com are considered downstream articles. The downstream articles may be REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION or REGULAR NEWS ARTICLES.
CRITERIA
The following information describes priority incidents that will usually be placed in the front page main downstream for NotifyCardinalNews.
PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENTS:
The NotifyCardinalNew timeline will usually have incident information that requires additional help from witnesses or other individuals that can provide tips.
The NotifyCardinalNews timeline might include …
Major incidents (fires, hazmat, crashes, mass casualty incidents, crime scenes, bomb threats or suspicious unattended packages) that are active or in progress, or have recently occurred.
Major crimes in progress; shootings; active shooter; shots fired; assaults and fights; riots, threats involving firearms, knives or other weapons; thefts, burglaries, robberies, and dangerous criminal at large.
Threats involving schools or churches or other public areas, such as shopping malls and theaters.
Reports of other police activity, such as pursuits of suspects or vehicles, major investigations after the crime occurred, crime-related canvasses, traffic stops with road closures, and suspicious persons.
Less serious incidents, such as outdoor fires, smoke, less serious crashes or traffic incidents, search and rescue operations, odors, gas leaks, situations involving hazardous incidents.
Older incidents that are no longer active, but need an explanation.
CONTENT EXCLUDED FROM ALL TIMELINES (DOWNSTREAMS):
Personal medical-related incidents — especially at private residential addresses
Psychiatric emergencies, including suicides and drug overdoses that occur at private residences and do not involve a public spectacle.
Verbal disputes that do not involve weapons or do not lead to physical altercations.
CONTENT DELAYED FROM THE MAIN DOWNSTREAM (MAIN TIMELINE)
Information about active incidents that may pose a security risk to first responders or victims.