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4 TOP cover aUtUmn 2012
SCienCe On the Street
Written By dAve blOCkSidge
QUestioning What We Believe is ometimes we learn that the deceased seemed not
to pose any threat to police at the time shots
DiFFicUlt at the Best oF times anD were fired. Sometimes the number of shots fired
by police seems excessive and news breaks that a
For many people this Becomes couple of bullet tracks went through the side or
especially toUgh When they hear Sback of the deceased; a weapon is found close to
the body, but not in the suspects hand. With limited information, it
that a police oFFicer has Fatally is very easy to rush to a conclusion that at best the police have been
incompetent, at worst a tragic unlawful killing may have occurred.
inJUreD a sUBJect Who Was For the media perspective any headline news bulletin needs to
grab the readers attention – we acknowledge that ‘truth’ should
‘apparently’ UnarmeD never spoil the readers enjoyment of a good story or interrupt
creative licence – ‘bad news’ sells and most tabloids don’t carry a
Behavioural Science section.
As I sit writing this article, news is breaking that two New York
Police Officers have just fatally wounded a gunman at the Empire
State Building. In the process they have inadvertently wounded
nine civilian bystanders. A negative media commentary is
now appearing in press reports from all around the
world. The assumption: poorly trained officers have
repeatedly missed their target. As a result these
‘incompetent’ officers presented a greater threat
to the public than perhaps the gunman.
Deliberately or not, within these critical first
few hours the media is framing a perception in the
minds of the public, an anchoring effect if you like
– the creation of a story for what possibly occurred
– yet as I watch Sky News there are no clear facts
available for us to consider. The media now cycles
the same news report over and over and then, as
sure as day becomes night, the retired Police Officer
rushes to present himself to the camera – the ‘arm-
chair’ expert has not gone away – and now gives us
