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Friday, November 22, 2024
Jim Cutler Voiceovers

UPCOMING EVENTS

Arrest of Evan Lambert an Embarrassment For Both Police And Media

It came as no surprise to me when the charges against NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert were dismissed. Had they not been, we would be climbing a different mountain here.

Look, I’m watching video from a bunch of different angles, bodycam with conveniently and inconveniently disrupted audio and a piled high stack of TV stories and reporters interviewing other reporters.

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Here’s my takeaway.

Should an arrest have been made that day?  Probably. But not Evan Lambert. What I see is an Adjutant Major General of the Ohio National Guard who had no business entering the fray at all. Somebody needs to throw a leash around this guy.

The rest is just a cluster of people not listening to each other in a situation where communication is key.

Law enforcement looks bad and so do news people. When it comes to journalists doing their jobs things usually go in a predictable direction with a predictable outcome. And most of the time, that’s a good thing.

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When these far from regular confrontations do occur, nobody really wins. Both jobs come off with egg on their face to a certain extent. There are no heroes and certainly no winners.

As I see it, and let’s remember I see things differently than many will, ego and ignorance were in great supply in this encounter.

I might even add a dollop of stupidity in that mix.

I’m not going to try and recap the entire thing other than to say that the media were in the gymnasium of an elementary school in East Palestine, Ohio for a press conference by Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH).

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I’m angered and disappointed by both professions in this incident. Everyone involved should know better by now. It’s less about right and wrong or much more about whether or not a camera and microphone are rolling and whether people are watching.

Scream, “First Amendment!” and the eyes of most cops will glaze over. Guess what, mine often still do and it’s been more than 23 years for me.

For many wearing the uniform, it’s a Fourth Estate equivalent of “Do you know who I am?” But now is where I get to freely say to those members of the law enforcement community, “So what?”

I’m allowed to say, “Just deal with it.” It’s annoying but it’s your job to listen to it.

Yet Evan Lambert went to jail. Why?

None of this should have happened. Much of it, I believe, came about because too many people there did not know enough about the job the other does. Lambert even said at one point, “…because you can’t talk to people about doing their jobs.” And that was while he was face down on the ground, being handcuffed by two law enforcement officers.

That shouldn’t have been the case. 

But I don’t in any way find Lambert blameless in this mess. I just think he has less fault to answer for. 

Now I have seen far worse run-ins between cops and news people, so I don’t want to give the impression that I think the case of ‘Lambert v The State of Ohio’ is ultimately a big deal. 

I don’t think it is, it’s just the latest example of what happens when two professions lower their heads and butt each other like goats…or is it rams that do that?

A problem here, and there were many,  was that it became a volley of verbiage between the parties involved.

“I am allowed to be here.”

“Do you want to go to jail?”

“Do you know how quickly our lawyers will get me out?”

“I don’t care.”

“You’re going to walk out the door.”

“I am trying to listen.”

“Sir, can we talk outside please?”

Lots of words there, and there were plenty more.

Here’s two more I will offer: Conflict Resolution.

They’re capitalized because I still recall them as the title of an in-service training class I was required to take as a cop. A little outdated maybe but they still apply and both sides here, both with important jobs might benefit from more than a sample.

The main thing here is people were talking and nobody was listening.

Here’s a word or two for both sides from Old Uncle Bill:

For the cops:

Getting into it with working reporters is rarely going to end well. They have cameras and microphones and people who listen to them, some even who sympathize with them. In the long run, even if you’re right and they’re violating your authority (not the law) and mostly bruising your ego, it’s just not worth it.

In this scenario a simple, “Hey, quiet down please, the Governor is speaking” will go a long way to a peaceful outcome. Then walk away and keep an eye from a distance.

For the reporters:

Arguing with the police about anything is rarely going to end well. They have dominion, jurisdiction and most of the time little patience for their authority being challenged. You may actually be right but escalating or adding to the rise in tempers and frustration is likely going to mean handcuffs. And when they’re trying to handcuff you, by then it’s too late and they have long stopped caring who you work for and who you are.

In this scenario a simple, “My apologies, I’ll lower my voice” will go a long way to avoiding further contact. You get to stay and do your job.

News stories and police calls often end in very different ways than they do when they first start. Much of that is because of the behavior displayed by the people involved, what they say and how they physically and verbally react.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Should there be permanent damage from this?

No, we should learn from it and find a way to become better because of it.

But the woman in the video, recording the incident with her cell phone said it right, “This is bad.”

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Bill Zito
Bill Zitohttps://barrettmedia.com
Bill Zito has devoted most of his work efforts to broadcast news since 1999. He made the career switch after serving a dozen years as a police officer on both coasts. Splitting the time between Radio and TV, he’s worked for ABC News and Fox News, News 12 New York , The Weather Channel and KIRO and KOMO in Seattle. He writes, edits and anchors for Audacy’s WTIC-AM in Hartford and lives in New England. You can find him on Twitter @BillZitoNEWS.

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