Law and Liberty: The Guaranteed Freedom in the United States Bill of Rights

摘要

Every member of law enforcement has probably been asked for his or her take on the recent controversial issues and events involving law enforcement. When the opportunity arises, a chief of police wants to respond to the public and his or her officers with a wise, ethical answer that will calm the situation and defuse any internal or external rising tension. But how does a chief do that? This can be one of the most vexing problems chiefs face, and it often comes during the most stressful times of their careers. While the basic policies and procedures on answering this type of question are generally consistent across the field, each department may have its own perspective and philosophy concerning when to talk with the public and what information to share after a local, national, or international major event. While all agree that their officers should hold the highest legal and ethical standards as police professionals, most policies lack advice on the specifics of what to say or when to say it, especially when one does not have all the information to give the type of reasoned and detailed answer that police officers and chiefs are trained to give.