Paper hires armed guards after mapping gun permits

A newspaper just north of New York City that published maps on its website showing the names and addresses of pistol-permit holders in its coverage area has reportedly hired armed guards at one of its offices.

The Journal News, a Gannett Co. Inc. publication based in White Plains, N.Y., hired the armed security guards days after posting the maps in the wake of last month's deadly rampage at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., the Rockland County Times reported.

According to police reports obtained by the Times, The Journal News' Rockland editor, Caryn McBride, filed at least two police reports after receiving numerous "negative" phone calls and emails about the maps.

One email writer questioned "what McBride would get in her mail now," according to the Times. The police found that email "did not constitute an offense."

The Journal News published the maps for two of the three counties it covers, Rockland and Westchester, and has faced difficulties getting the same information for the third county, Putnam.

The security guards were scheduled to watch the paper's Rockland office through Wednesday, the Times reported.