Leadership After a Police Shooting
Police officers train and prepare to use deadly force. They should. Yet in actual encounters between police and subjects, shootings are relatively rare. Yet they do happen, and if a negative public response follows, leaders may find themselves in a tough spot between family members who are understandably emotional and an officer, possibly a young officer, who has done what he or she had hoped never to do.
Leaders do not investigate shootings. As a leader, then, you are not required to make a judgment, so you can show concern without taking sides: for the suspect’s family and the officer and his or her family.
The Bible also has helpful principles for leaders. First, don’t rush to judgment. “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13) Do not take the word of people who weren’t there as to what happened. Let the investigation run its course. If you want more info, call the investigating unit. Ask POLITELY for more info. They are not required to tell you, but they MAY give you some info if you’re courteous. But if they tell you to keep it mum, DO NOT LEAK IT.
Also, put yourself in the officer’s place: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31) Imagine yourself doing a traffic stop, building search, or other dangerous call that police handle daily. Suddenly a suspect presents a deadly threat. You fear for your life. You have only a moment to respond before he kills you, your partner, or innocent people. Think quickly! What do you do?
Whatever you do, don’t punish someone who did nothing wrong just to appease a crowd. That’s what Pontius Pilate did. Jesus had been sentenced to death, but Pilate had to approve the execution. He knew Jesus was innocent, but he would have asked for an uproar by letting Him go. Pilate offered to release a prisoner of the people’s choice. They chose Barabbas, a murderer, and demanded that Jesus be crucified.
“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” (John 19:1-5)
Pilate had Jesus brutalized, obviously to appease the crowd, but the chief priests and elders had incited the people to demand Jesus’ death: “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.” (Matthew 27:23) Pilate then “…washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” (Matthew 27:24) Rather than do what was right, Pilate turned Jesus over to the crowd. The rest is history. But more on that later.
To punish an innocent person to appease a crowd is wrong. If you punish an innocent officer to appease a crowd, other officers will see what you’re willing to do to them. They may go work elsewhere, you lose experienced officers, and recruiting becomes difficult. Or if they stay, they could be so fearful of leaders not supporting them that they do not use force when they should. Worst of all, they may try to resolve a dangerous situation without shooting when they should shoot, and an offender may shoot and kill them.
As for the “more on that later” part, the Lord let Himself be crucified. He died on the cross for our sins: “…the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) “…Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He was buried and rose again! “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;” (Revelation 1:18) To see how to have eternal life in heaven by receiving Jesus as your personal Saviour, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 9/10/2024