When Cops Lie

President Trump’s letter stating his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey implies that public confidence and trust in law enforcement officials matters. While Mr. Trump’s choice may be controversial, the importance of public faith in law enforcement is probably an idea that few would question. The public relies on law enforcement members to maintain order in communities across America, which is why their failures are so significant.

On April 29th, former officer Roy Oliver shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards while leaving a party. Initially, police stated that the car Edwards rode in was backing up toward the officers “in an aggressive manner.” However, authorities later said that body camera footage revealed that the vehicle was driving away from the officers at the time of the shooting, according to a report by The Associated Press. Given that ex-officer Oliver was the shooter, it seems likely that the initial, false statement came from him.

In 2015, Officer Michael Slager fatally shot Walter Scott five times in the back. As The Post and Courier pointed out, federal authorities said that Slager lied to state investigators. Slager claimed that Scott was coming at him when he fired. Video evidence contradicted Officer Slager’s account. In 2014, former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shot Laquan McDonald 16 times. According to a Chicago Tribune report, the police car video contradicted the officers’ account that McDonald advanced on them in a “menacing way.” After shooting Levar Jones at a traffic stop, former South Carolina State Trooper Sean Groubert told his supervisor that Jones “kept moving toward [him]” after Groubert asked to see Jones’ hands. Video evidence did not support Groubert’s story.

The point here is not that all police officers lie. The point here is that any police officer can lie. Additionally, when a law enforcement officer lies, it naturally raises questions about their past actions’ legitimacy. One could argue that a police officer who commits an illegal act and faces possible criminal charges has as much incentive to lie about it as any other citizen. Avoiding an undesirable consequence like prison time, for instance, is a compelling motive. Moreover, one cannot ignore the seriousness of a law enforcement official’s false statement while also believing that their role is essential to maintaining public order. No one is above the law. No one is above lying, either.

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