User:Patchbook

One Wikipedia Users Experience

I am a new user of Wikipedia, and a retired law enforcement officer. I thought the Wikipedia might benefit from my knowledge and experience and so I contributed a short article. Instead my entry into this wiki world was unfortunately filled with immediate unpleasantness.

The Wikiproject-Law Enforcement group membership were using the badge logo of the FBI and to me as a new user it appeared they were an authority of some type. My further investigation revealed otherwise, and also activity that appeared unlawful. My concerns were forwarded to the Wikipedia Organization Legal Counsel, and the US Attorney to settle the issues, but not without considerable controversy. The group has since removed the FBI badge logo, and put a disclaimer that it is not affiliated with law enforcement.

I made many mistakes as a new user, but I shudder to think what a new user without my background would experience. NEW Wikipedia USERS BEWARE!

Patchbook 03:20, 17 January 2007 (UTC)