War of Words
By Danny Watson, Darlington Chief of Police
In the world of the internet and social media it is very hard to police the things people should be held accountable for posting. Opinions are just that and to be quite honest I think that everyone is entitled to one no matter how one sided or completely out of touch with reality it might be. As law enforcement officers we are bombarded with opinions of what we should be doing and how we should be doing it. If we stop a speeder, instead we should be patrolling a particular neighborhood or putting the real criminals in jail. Honestly I can’t really think of a single circumstance or a single action that does not induce some type of backlash. Even community projects where you are doing something for someone in need is commented on in a negative way.
I have found that in a lot of instances the complaints aren’t even about the jurisdiction that posted the article. Law enforcement officers certainly make mistakes on a daily basis. There are numerous people watching us take every step we take without pause. Just as there are numerous people who read every word that we print or post trying to find fault with it. A considerable number of agencies will react to these comments by bristling understandably. This of course allows the people who are commenting on the things to begin with to attack further. They seek to enrage or to oppose you at every turn and there is no real motivation other than to cause confrontation.
So what are you left to do in such circumstances? A lot of people will just ignore them. When you ignore comments, that are meant to enrage, often the person will go back out to reengage by saying that your silence is acceptance of their complaint. I disagree with this notion entirely. If you don’t choose to dignify ignorance I don’t think that means you are accepting the comment or putdown. It simply means that you do not attach value to their supposition. There are certainly times when a person brings up a valid point that you can in fact act upon. Act upon those!
Here’s the meat of the issue with those who wish to cause discord in any way they can. If you post anything online or anywhere else as a person or for an organization someone won’t like it. Whether it is good news or bad news someone will say something out of sheer meanness, spite or perhaps even an overinflated opinion of just how important their opinion is in comparison to everyone else’s. When you feel the need to comment back consider this. Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise. There is truly no way to keep everyone out there with an agenda of making everyone else’s life as miserable as their own from making stupid statements. If what you are saying is truly important to you then share it!!!
Chief Danny Watson MPA FBI NA # 228, Chief of Police for City of Darlington, has been on the Darlington Police Department since 1994 and Chief since 2011.You can keep up with the department on their Facebook page: Darlington Police Department.
