Crime Fighter, Social Servant, Order Maintainer, Crime Preventer

This article will discuss news articles related to police officer’s roles such as: crime fighter, social servant, order maintainer, and crime preventer. This article will also discuss how each article in the news media depicts the related role and whether I believe it is a “real” or “image” depiction.

Police Role Descriptions in the Media Relating to: Crime Fighter

In the article “Texas police shooting stirs debate,” a police officer is depicted as using his gun unnecessarily in a shooting that took place in moving vehicles.

“Charlie Wright kept driving, even after being shot twice early Aug. 23 by an officer who believed the 19-year-old was trying to run him down in the driveway of a gated apartment complex” (Abshire, 2008).

According to the story, Wright was pulling into a driveway where the officer shot him twice through the passenger side of the vehicle. Wright claimed he didn’t see the officer until the latter started shooting. He said he then drove away to get away from the shooting.

This is the media’s examination of the story.

Members of the media were not there and did not see whether Wright actually attempted to drive over the officer, nor were they involved in the heat of the moment regarding the suspect’s behavior. According to the author, “And while the Garland police policy on deadly force doesn’t mention shooting at vehicles, other local departments restrict or discourage it and some experts call for limiting officers’ discretion in those situations” (Abshire, 2008).

How convenient for this policy to surface as if the officer didn’t know better in regard to his actions. The media brought in expert statements concerning the actions of police officers, but this is the media’s negative view of the necessary police action which took place regarding a suspect who was armed in his vehicle. The media has taken this officer’s behavior in correcting the crime he was fighting as a situation that entailed mistakes and police issues of wrong-doing.

I believe this is a biased imaged article depicted by the media.

Police Role Descriptions in the Media Relating to: Order Maintainer

I do have to say in this article, “Montana state trooper chases down drunk driver“ (regarding the state trooper) an image picture is created by the media in regard to a state trooper’s humor regarding an arrest.

In this story, the driver of a car is passed out behind the wheel with an empty bottle of vodka beside him. The car is stuck in the snow with the motor running. When the officer checks on the driver, taps on the window, the driver comes awake, panics and throws the car into drive. He uses the accelerator and gets the car up to 50 miles per hour, but it is stuck in the snow, wheels spinning, not moving. The officer starts running in place next to the car, making the driver think the officer is keeping up with a car moving at high speed. The officer tells him to “pull over,” which he does.

Police officers can have a sense of humor because they are human beings just like everyone else. The mindset of the public is usually on the strict orderly presentation of the police in dealing with public order. But police officers do have a sense of humor and so does most everyone else.

Police Role Descriptions in the Media Relating to: Crime Preventer

In the article titled, “Spanish police arrest major drug trafficker,” by arresting this criminal, police prevented more crime from happening, hopefully. “Vallejo-Guarin, also known as “Beto el Gitano,” has a history of violence, money laundering and corruption, the police statement said” (Heckle, 2008). “In June 2001 the South District of Florida accused Vallejo-Guarin of being one of the principal sources of Colombian cocaine in the United States between the years 1990-1999, the statement said” (Heckle, 2008).

Facts regarding the arrest have been depicted in this article. Even though this article does, of course, carry its own biases toward the criminal aspect of the arrest of this known criminal, still the facts are presented about the actual arrest involved.

In this case, while the suspect wasn’t actually involved at the time of arrest, he was a known fugitive with a $5 million reward on his head from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He was guilty of “hiding out” in a series of hotels at the time of arrest, but was not actually caught in the middle of drug trafficking.

I feel this is a “real image” regarding the police role in capturing the criminal and the arrest. It may be a bit vague, but still the arrest is brought forth and the reasoning behind it is given.

Police Role Descriptions in the Media Relating to: Social Servant

Depicted in this article, “Calif. cops deliver baby at gas station,” an actual situation where police officers serve the public and deliver a couple’s baby is known. The details of this article are non-biased and create a good feeling about the police as the actual truth concerning what police officers do to help the public is determined.

This article is a “real image” of how the police assist the public everyday in the heat of any moment. The police always are there to help the public and protect the public in all its demands.

This article also shows the skills of police officers and their willingness to help the public in demanding and unusual circumstances by showing they took it upon themselves to deliver a baby safely into the world.

Conclusion

While it is true that members of the media – like everyone else – can be biased, the truth is most journalists who write about police matters tend to spend a lot time with the police and can formulate opinions that seep into their articles. This of course corrupts the articles and is inappropriate and can cause serious problems for the safety of the police.