Covering a police officer killed in the line of duty
This column is part of the Indianapolis Public Editor project, a pilot program designed to test whether the presence of a public editor who analyzes local coverage can elevate audience trust in journalism and promote media literacy.
Over the past two weeks, Indianapolis news outlets have offered extensive coverage of the death of Beech Grove police officer Brian Elliott. The 33-year-old was fatally shot Monday, Feb. 16, while responding to a domestic disturbance. Another officer was also injured, and Kenneth Johnson, 47, was indicted on several charges including murder and attempted murder.
While there were a large volume of stories, notable questions remained unanswered, including: Where did the gun come from? Were the officers wearing body armor? What is the Beech Grove Police Department doing to review the incident?
We can expect a lot of coverage when an officer dies in the line of duty. But that coverage should offer the public a clear understanding of what happened and what can be done to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
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