As the media continues to report on the events in Ferguson, police officers continue to feel frustration and anger at how our profession is being portrayed. Here are seven truths about the situation that may serve to put things in perspective and allow you to focus on what is important.
1. There Will be More
As long as police officers are using force to make arrests, there will be incidents that gain the attention of the media and the public on a local, national, and international level. There is nothing you, your department, or the profession can do to change that.
You have the duty to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Know the law and be willing to apply it. Train diligently and with purpose. Some officers will be swayed and use incidents such as Ferguson to — out of fear — do less work. Some will be afraid to use justified, reasonable force when necessary out of that same fear.
What the media, politicians and public do is out of your control. Worry about the things that you can control.
2. The Truth Will Come Out in Time
Information on the Ferguson incident came from a variety of sources. Some of that information was then been refuted. As a police officer, you know two things:
1.) Everyone else can talk about a case except the police and that gives everyone else an opportunity to tell their “version” of the story.
2.) Eventually we will get our chance in a legal proceeding.
This never changes, regardless of the severity of the crime or the amount of media attention that it garners. The truth will come out in time and we have to be prepared to deal with the results -- good or bad.
3. The Public Will Listen to Those Who Speak to Them
The media knows that we cannot disclose information and that we conduct investigations before coming to conclusions, but that doesn’t stop them from sticking a camera in the face of law enforcement officials and “demanding answers.”
Why? Because it looks good on camera and gives their viewers something to watch. The media always has to feed the ‘information machine.’ The shorter people’s attention spans get, the more often the machine must be fed something new.
In Ferguson, the media focused on interviewing people who wanted to talk about police misconduct and racism in the first week or so. When that got old, they switched to people from Ferguson who said they had no problem with the police or racism in the city and wanted the agitators to leave because all they were doing was causing trouble for their town.
Having something to report, it seems, is more important than waiting for the facts.
4. The Media, Politicians, and Community Activists Will Always Play to the Crowd
As long as there is a crowd — or a TV camera — there will be those who rush to be a part of it. Some run in to further their agendas, some just to be seen. It is human nature and we aren’t going to change that. Just remember, they are politicians.
5. The Public Does Not Understand Use of Force, Let Alone Deadly Force
One of the things that we can do is try to educate the public about our jobs before these incidents occur. That is your department’s job.
Keep in mind that you also communicate through social media. Several officers are already in trouble over their postings. Remember that you’re a professional on duty, off-duty, and online.
I had a number of discussions on social media with strangers who seemed shocked that my responses were polite with the intent of trying to educate them about law enforcement versus an emotional, biased, profane tirade by an angry out of control cop, which I think they expected.
Did I change their minds? Maybe, maybe not. But I certainly didn’t meet their expectation of an angry, foul mouthed, “jack-booted bully.”
6. Good Police Officers Will Continue to Fight the Good Fight, Despite Everything Else
Regardless of the outcome of any use of force incident that gets media attention — here is my advice: Put on your big boy pants, get over it, and let’s get on with doing our jobs the way they should be done.
We know we have room for improvement in our profession, our departments, and ourselves. What are you doing to fix what you can fix?
Don’t start slacking off using these types of incidents as an excuse: “I’ll show them! I won’t even do my damn job.”
Why? Because then they win. Criminals love lazy cops. Understand that although these incidents occur from time to time, the chances that it will happen to you are small, but also be prepared. If you are involved in a deadly-force situation be prepared to isolate yourself from the media and friends until the situation is over.
An anonymous caller identified themselves as a friend of Officer Wilson and gave their version of what happened in Ferguson. In my opinion that should not have happened. While we all probably cheered a little when the “truth” came out, the only people you should be talking to after a use of deadly force are your attorney and those who cannot be called to testify at trial: clergy, counselors, doctors, and spouses.
7. You Cannot Control What Happens, Only How You Choose to React
Get over it and get on with it. Frustration, anger, and a sense of helplessness are common in these situations.
They are legitimate emotional responses, but remember that you have a job to do. A job that, despite what the media tells us sometimes, is valuable, honorable and necessary. You joined this profession for a reason, knowing that sometimes it can get rough — you are tough enough to rise above it all and go out and do your sworn duty.
