If we aren't careful, a second casualty of the Nathaniel Jones case could be Cincinnati's sensible policy of promptly briefing the public when someone dies at the hands of police.

As recently as Monday, council members called for getting the word out quickly to squelch rumors and unrest. Yet just two days later, some tongue-lashed City Manager Valerie Lemmie and Police Chief Thomas Streicher for not "fully" informing them first, ahead of the media. Five members, including Vice Mayor Alicia Reece, moved for new controls on city officials talking to journalists, and new Councilman Chris Smitherman lectured that he is the chief's boss and accused Streicher of insubordination. He was wrong on both counts.

Before council members' heads get too big about their "boss" status, they should remember their bosses are the voters, and after the police shooting of Timothy Thomas in April 2001 triggered rioting, council rightly concluded the public shouldn't be kept in the dark for days without an accounting.

Council shouldn't dump the new policy of openness. It has helped keep the Jones case from being distorted even worse, here and worldwide, but council's antics show the policy is still a work in progress.

A few suggestions:

• Council should stick to making policy and not swamp the manager and chiefs with impossible demands in crises. Smitherman demanded the manager obtain an "independent autopsy" and supply the autopsy report "today," as if a city manager and not the county coroner has authority to do autopsies.

• City officials should report the facts, not draw conclusions on guilt or innocence, until investigations are complete.

• They should clearly label early findings as preliminary.

Mayor Charlie Luken said council's proposed muzzling of the chiefs and other city officials would erode the city Charter. Manager Lemmie said if she had to ask council's approval for everything, her leadership role would be eroded.

If the 2002 collaborative means anything, council should quit micromanaging, spare us the posturing and join in substantive issues such increased training for dealing with out-of-control suspects and assessing if use of force rules should change as more officers arrive on a scene.