Last week I wrote a post about the comments of Billings PD Training Officer Kathy Carson (You can catch up HERE). The Billings Gazette wrote a story about the situation (That you can read HERE).
There have been an interesting mix of responses. Some have noted the importance of ones choice of words, others have ripped me as someone just looking for press. In order to help clarify the situation, I will explain what happened from my end.
I came across the initial story and the accompanying video and was very concerned with Officer Carson's comment. I emailed her expressing my concern and my reasons why. I CC'd Chief St. John, the Billings Gazette, and the TV station that ran the story.
I got a response back from Officer Carson and below is it in its entirety:
I am sorry for your loss. I wish you could have heard the whole interview, unfortunately it was edited.
That's all. First, I asked her to apologize for her comment, not for my loss. I also asked for some sort of assurance that that is not the way she goes about her job. Apparently that is too much to ask.
Shortly after I got an email from Cheif St. John explaining that their department takes pursuits very seriously and thanking me for my concern. Basically, it was an A+ job by him.
I let the issue go and moved on thanks to the Chief's response.
A few days later a got a call from the Billings Gazette. The reporter asked if the situation had been solved. I told him it has, due to the Chief's email, not that of Officer Carson's one line response. He then told me that he did some research and found out she was involved in a pursuit with a fatality in '03. That opened it up again for me. Thus, I sent another email to Officer Carson telling her that I was not satisfied with her first response, and that the news that she was involved in a pursuit with a fatality bothered me even more.
She has yet to respond...
That is exactly what happened.
Long story short, none of this would have happened had Officer Carson taken my concerns seriously.
By the way, she has still yet to respond...
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
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1 comments:
Thank you, John, for trying to get to the bottom of this horrendous statement. I think "Officer" Carson's response is typical of this type of mentality. She isn't fit to wear that badge. If this is how she really feels, I fear for the safety of the citizens of Billings. I'm also sure that you won't receive an appropriate explanation for what she said, because there isn't one.
Thanks for all you do.
Cheryl Cooper
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