In the Fishbowl, Part II

In our July 18^th article, The incredible, Ever-Shrinking Digital Fishbowl, we introduced the case of Chicago PD officer Robert Rialmo who, in the aftermath of a strange and tragic shooting, has managed to thrust himself again and again into the public eye in an era of constant newsfeeds and ubiquitous video coverage.  While few of us will ever find ourselves in a situation such as Rialmo’s, we nonetheless exist and operate in the same environment, and many of us do find ourselves caught in moments that may not be our best. 

In this digital fishbowl we must be constantly on guard against not only our own worst impulses, but against those that might merely look bad, be misinterpreted or deliberately twisted, or place administrators in a position of defending actions that may be completely legal and ethical but visually disturbing.  Guess what guys and gals… more and more, if you’ve caused the department discomfort in any way don’t let a boss sidle up behind you while you’re standing at the bus stop.

Of course, in the urgency of crisis, when decisive action is necessary and force or forcefulness an unfortunate part of that necessity, do what you must.  Make sure it is appropriate and defensible.  Preservation of life and safety – yours, your colleagues, innocents around you, and, as much as you can and are able, suspects/offenders – must be protected and force applied to that end as needed.  But absent that urgency, we all need to slow down and realize the heavily surveilled nature of the world around us and how quickly our actions can be called into question.  For older, more experienced veterans like myself, some of the ways and words we used need to be permanently shelved.  For younger officers raised and comfortable in a time of selfies and social media, it’s time to take on some of the social reserve of your older colleagues. 

And for everybody, adopting the assumptions and practices we outline below will go far in keeping you out of the digital fishbowl. 

Understand WHY we can get caught in the fishbowl, even when we know better

In “The Power of Emotions to Override Rational Thought” (Psychology Today, November 7, 2016), Bernard Golden, PhD describes how “child logic”, driven by emotion, can hijack the decision-making processes of otherwise intelligent, mature individuals.  Like much younger children are known to do, decisions made using child logic are informed by a sort of “magical thinking” that impairs judgment, illogically expects fairness, minimizes the likelihood of harmful outcomes, and reasons that even if a bad outcome results it can just be undone. 

The psychology and science behind why we do this is complex and would take far too long to explain, but just understand that it happens all the time, grandiose confidence is the downfall of many (especially in a profession where supreme confidence is valued and cultured), and unless you are aware of the possibility of all of what can go wrong before it goes wrong, your words and actions – even innocent acts like going out to a bar, as Rialmo did after having his face and name plastered all over the media for months on end – will quickly get you in over your head with the expectation that “everything will be okay”.

Assume you are being photographed and videotaped everywhere

Quick… think of somewhere you absolutely know you will not under surveillance.  Go ahead, we’ll wait.

Okay, outside your own home it’s likely the answer is nowhere.  Stores, restaurants, museums, sporting events, and just about anywhere else in the public sphere can be assumed to have security video rolling at all times.  Even high traffic intersections in most large cities now have looping video covering them just in case something happens that might be of interest to us later.  Maybe you’re fine out in the countryside or strolling through a park, but are you sure?  And even if there’s no state or institution owned cameras around, once you’re engaged with someone else as an officer or involved in a dispute as a citizen, you can be sure someone will notice and may decide to whip out there Super Pocket Junior Photojournalist Kit to record it for posterity (and YouTube). 

We are in the true era of Big Brother and it is the citizens who have embraced the role wholeheartedly.  Assuming you are being photographed and videotaped everywhere prompts the brain away from relying on “child logic.”

Exhaust politeness

This one is simple, but something I’ve had to work hard on and continue to hone.  Most of our interactions with the public start off politely enough, but a small but significant number involve one or more citizens who, shall we say, just don’t get it (or refuse to even try).  Sarcasm or snark ensues, voices become terse, tender feelings are bruised, and calls to bosses and IAU follow. 

The days of lighting someone up as an antidote to their stupid are all but gone and it’s time to accept it and move on.  It’s time to exhaust politeness, as long as it is safe to do so.  At the very least, have a plan and process to politely and professionally disengage from the deliberately obtuse and obviously manipulative; police administrations are increasingly conflict-averse and don’t care that you saw right through the BS and responded with an old-school approach most of them used and modeled for years.  To be fair, they can’t be blamed; public perception affects their operations and bottom line in different ways and we need to accept and understand that, as well. 

Pick your battles, and fight them wisely

Again, simple but easily forgotten.  Know when and how to pick your battles.  Not every slight need be avenged, not every minor violation addressed, nor every challenge met.  Sometimes no response is the best response. 

Much of what gets us in trouble are overreactions to “contempt of cop.”  Know when to let things go and when something needs to be addressed, and then have a plan in place to maximize your control of both the situation and your responses. 

Sometimes picking your battle means choosing the time and place rather than having it dictated to you.  Can getting a complaint and warrant to serve later accomplish the same goals as grabbing someone up right now! when the latter is likely to devolve into an epic cluster?  Might simply handing someone a citation for a minor offense, with a warning that failing to show up in court will result in a bench warrant for their arrest, be better than wrestling them into handcuffs where you, they, or someone else could be hurt?  Having and using different tools minimizes the possibility of ugly outcomes.

Record yourself first

Be in the habit of recording yourself first.  If you are equipped with cameras and microphones, use them.  Like most cops, I was a skeptic at first, but no longer.  Embrace the tool and accept the accountability that comes with it. 

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By now we all know we are living and working in a digital fishbowl.  If you are on this page and reading this, you understand that.  Surviving the fishbowl requires self-awareness and effort, yet cops will continue getting themselves in trouble.  Don’t be one of the unlucky ones who overcome common sense to put themselves in the line of fire.