Great moment at work today. Got to clear a neighbor of any suspicion in what looked to be a slam dunk warrant & arrest. I went and talked to her. Literally said this: I’m here looking into such & such, & the video evidence tells this story...but there are 2 sides to every story..

So I need to hear your side so we can figure this out.’ We examined the footage together & she explained it in the only way that was gonna clear it up without drama/arrest etc. And I told her ‘this is why I’m talking to you like this, low key and simply seeking the truth.’

It took a few minutes for her to calm down cuz she was freaking at first, understandably. I assured her on camera that she was not a suspect and there wasn’t anything hanging over her. And my colleague & I talked afterwards about the massive responsibility we cops have to go slow

And to always always always give our neighbors the benefit of the doubt. ESPECIALLY when something appears to be so clear cut or obvious. I told him something seemed off about the totality of the case, so I went back to talk to her. And we avoided drama. Which is our job.

We cops wield enormous powers and we need to exercise these powers not just carefully but thoughtfully and empathetically. Clearing my neighbor was better than a billion arrests. And now I go back to square one on this case and seek the truth.

And of course I’m far from unique or even special in how I do my work as a local cop. I just have a big twitter feed cuz of a mean cat. But I’m increasingly aware of the power of the state & how perhaps we are too cavalier with probable cause and letting courts figure it out...

Our neighbor must get the benefit of the doubt. Always. And I mean always. Especially the least sympathetic ones, the ones who really dislike you or distrust you. Or in ‘obvious’ cases. I’m horrified of making a mistake. So i work slowly even in fast cases. Because that’s the way