Page 30 - Top Cover Issue 4

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Trouble Shooting

Written By Nadia Cohen, Freelance journalist

TRIGGER HAPPY GUN COPS!

Gunned Down In Cold Blood !

Gun Toting Undercover Killers!

hese headlines spoke movingly of her son’s ‘execution’,
virtually write and is claiming compensation. Rodney
themselves whenever was a notoriously violent drug dealer with
a Firearms Officer three firearms in the car. !e marksman
is involved in a fatal feared he was reaching for one of the
shooting. !e media weapons and fired eight shots. Four of
Thave a knack for the bullets hit Rodney in the head and he
making the Police sound like crazed died instantly.
serial killers at worst, bungling Keystone “!e Yard didn’t do themselves any
Cops at best. favours by trying to have the inquiry
Invariably the grief-stricken family held in secret on the grounds that it
of a subject will speak movingly of could compromise intelligence sources,”
their loss, either in a carefully staged said Daily Mail columnist Richard
press conference or a well-orchestrated Littlejohn. “!ere was no need for them
interview with a newspaper or TV crew. to default to secrecy. !ey had nothing
!ese appearances are guaranteed to be ashamed of. Candour is the best NADIA COHEN
to capture the imagination of the disinfectant, especially in a potentially
public, leading to huge outpourings of toxic case like this.”
sympathy. After a three-month inquiry, the judge interests of fairness and accuracy. But
But Firearms Officers are rarely ruled that Rodney was killed unlawfully however hard we try to get comments,
afforded the same luxury while caught and the Officer – who had been putting when met with a wall of silence, we end
up in the serious business of public himself in the line of fire for two decades up publishing all we have.
protection. – may now face prosecution, even though “A spokesman declined to comment” is
For obvious reasons of personal safety a previous independent investigation the most damning way to end any article.
Officers remain anonymous, relying decided that he had no case to answer. It makes people suspicious – few readers
on the private support of their family, And, as usual, nobody is responding to think it was simply that the Press Officer
colleagues and the PFOA. However, the avalanche of criticism being heaped did not get round to returning the call.
this shroud of secrecy can result in the on the Officers who acted as instructed, In my experience it is always better to
painting of a very one-sided picture, according to their rigorous training. craft a carefully worded statement than
and it goes without saying that press !e family of Mr. de Menenez also to say nothing at all. A shamed MP with
assumptions are not always right. launched a savage attack on Police tactics photographers camped out on their lawn
With almost twenty years experience in and vowed they would not rest until his is far better off appearing at the front
newspapers and magazines, I have been killers were brought to justice. Back then, gate, saying a few well chosen words
faced with this reporting dilemma many as now, no attempt was made to salvage through gritted teeth, than vanishing
times. From Jean Charles de Menenez the tarnished image of the Metropolitan behind the curtains.
shot at Stockwell station in 2005, to the Police, although former commissioner Hiding away looks guilty. If the public
more recent incident involving Azelle Sir Ian Blair did point out that the Officers do not know the truth, how can they
Rodney, time and again the public only involved would have won a medal had de engage in a positive way?
hear one version of events because that Menenez been a terrorist. Treating the public with the respect
is all we journalists have to report. As a reporter, one always attempts to they deserve, giving them the full facts
Rodney’s mother Susan Alexander tell every story from both sides, in the and letting them make their own mind