watchdog@newspost.com.

Starting now, I want you to keep that address in mind when you see something you think The Frederick News-Post should know about.

It could be something that shocks you, or your neighbors. You may have heard something through the rumor mill.

It could be misspending of taxpayer dollars, or that your cable provider quietly switched its channel lineup during the night. Or maybe your power provider billed you for an energy-efficient light bulb they sent you that was meant to save you money.

It could be that several lights along your street have been out for days, and you're worried how safe you are walking your children home at night.

Whatever it is, fire up your favorite e-mail software and drop watchdog@newspost.com a line.

That e-mail will end up in my inbox. I'll take it from there. Starting Sept. 6, I'll be writing a new column dedicated to keeping an eye on the local community: Frederick Watchdog.

The column will be a hybrid. It will hold a unique place between the objective standards of the newsroom and the subjective take of the opinion pages.

Frederick Watchdog will still adhere to the strict editorial standards of accuracy and integrity. But like the opinion section, I'll be allowed to write in the first person. If criticism is due, I'll dish it out. Similarly with the praise, I should add. (Anyone who remembers the tone of Political Notes when I wrote it will get the idea.)

Think of me as a reader advocate, a sort of public ombudsman.

Each week, part of the Monday Advance cover will be taken up by my investigations. I'll highlight a range of topics.

Some I'll find myself, but for the most part I want you to be my eyes and ears. That's how the best stories are found.

I'm a big believer in the Frederick community's ability to help us police public and private agencies. This is going to be a tough job, and I won't be able to do it without you, hence my urging you to make a note of the e-mail address.

It's also a conversation, not a lecture. To that end, I'm reaching out through social media: Twitter for right now; Facebook later. In my experience, few things equal social media's ability to reach new people.

Follow FNPwatchdog on Twitter at FNPwatchdog. It's a little barebones at the moment, (nothing's been posted yet), but it's a place to begin talking.

So earlier I told you what the column is. Let's talk now a little about what it's not.

It's not a chance to stick the knife into an organization or person, or to even the score.

I'll give short shrift to anyone just looking to trash a person or business just because of bad blood. I'm not going to print a complaint in Watchdog just because you say I should. There are always two sides to every story, and I'll be checking out both. Fairness demands the Watchdog looks both ways, if you will.

I'll also only consider what I believe are legitimate and genuinely worthy complaints. If you're bent out of shape about that ticket you got for doing 60 in a 40 mph zone, I'm not your man. In that case you just need to ease off the pedal, Lead Foot.

However, if you live along a road that's treated like the Indy 500 and you haven't seen a cop in six months, that's something. I'll bet our top law enforcement officers would love to hear about that, too.

Some tips you send might end up in the hands of a reporter of The Frederick News-Post for the full treatment. And I'm not going to devote every column every week to consumer issues. I'll be investigating campaign finance, government spending (with a particular emphasis on the city, county and school board); and I'll be making use of the Maryland Public Information Act and federal Freedom of Information Act to knock loose items in the public interest.

I'll be searching for the outrageous and the ridiculous. If I can get you to say "Holy smoke, look at this" over your breakfast cereal, I've done my job.

In any regard, I won't be pulling any punches.

Cliff Cumber is an assistant city editor at The Frederick News-Post and will be the writer of Frederick Watchdog, which debuts Sept. 6.

E-mail him at ccumber@newspost.com, or call him at 240-215-8606. E-mail Frederick Watchdog at watchdog@newspost.com, or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FNPwatchdog.

Follow Cliff's personal stream of conscience on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cgcumber.

	AT A GLANCE Frederick Watchdog n Debuts Sept. 6, cover of Monday Advance n E-mail watchdog@newspost.com n Follow on Twitter, www.twitter.com/FNPwatchdog n Online at www.fredericknewspost.com/watchdog