This is the "Letter of the Day" in today's Winnipeg Free Press.
The media's proper role
Luba Gallinger questions why Winnipeg police deserve more scrutiny than other public employees (It's no fun being recorded, Aug. 26).The answer is quite simple. Unlike any other civil servants, police have been given the power to arrest and/or apply physical force against citizens who in their estimation pose a threat. For this reason the judgment and actions of police must always be held in question and -- when it is warranted -- in the unnerving eye of media attention.
In light of some startling recent abuses, the media and public are naturally more inclined to suspend belief in our peace officers, and therefore examine their conduct more closely. The media's job is not to act as a cheerleader for a disgraced police force -- that would amount to a dereliction of duty. It is the responsibility of the police to re-establish their credibility and public trust when members of their fraternity choose to dodge responsibility for their actions, cover up the crimes of their brethren and use intimidation tactics in situations where they are seemingly uncalled for.
