THE STORY HAS THREE VERSIONS...

Law enforcement actions are always under serious scrutiny; we are always under a microscope and there is always someone that Monday morning who quarterbacks any actions taken. What that person doesn’t understand or doesn’t take into consideration, is what the training officers go through and the time it takes to react to certain actions. While on scene, we don’t always have time to think about potential actions; we have to act, and act immediately to overcome whatever the situation is to maintain order. That being said, Officers do make mistakes, we are not robots and sometimes situations aren’t handled correctly. Other times, situations are handled correctly but escalate so fast that the actions taken can be seen out of context and misinterpreted by the public. 

I am not justifying all wrong doing on Officers' behalf, please believe there have been plenty of situations where the Officer is clearly in the wrong and did not take appropriate action. All I am saying is there is always three sides to the story: the Officers version, the opposite parties version, and the truth. That last one tends to be overlooked in a time of emotional response. Some people, aren’t ready for the truth, they want to believe their version even when there is significant evidence pointing to the truth. 

There are also outside forces that tend to sway public opinion; I am talking about, the Media. The Media can be the best and the worst at the same time when it comes to Law enforcement. The best because it can be used as a means for articulation and communication with the masses concerning incidents. On the other hand, it can be the worst because the Media is always out for it's own best interest, thus it can influence the public to support or rebel against certain actions taken by Law enforcement. 

This is shown through how the story is presented; leaving certain factors out, or not showing a whole video, only depicting the bad events, and etc. Remember there is always three sides of a story and the Media wants to tell the one that leads the Media to more profits in the end. See how that works; t can be used for good, but also for bad! 

I like to think of Law enforcement’s relationship with the public on a pendulum of sorts, swaying from one direction to the other constantly. One side being Good-Supportive of Law enforcement, while the other being Bad-Rebellious balancing on a want for change in Law enforcement. This tends to lead to politics behind the scenes and affects how modern law enforcement is carried out. For the boots on the ground workers looking up for guidance from command, it doesn’t make a difference where the pendulum is; we are going to come to work, put on the uniform, and respond when needed to help people. There is always be someone to respond when a citizen calls 911, and that will never change! 

I challenge you! The next time the Media puts out a story concerning a Law enforcement critical incident, be open-minded to discovering all three versions of the story, and come to your own truth based off the evidence presented.

The Story Always Has Three Versions...