In case you just tuned in, I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old Cop Shop at the LAPD’s Parker Center and I’m slowly scanning the files.
This is a memo sent by Chief Ed Davis on the necessity of what we would now call “transparency” in dealing with the news media.
“When a free press is operating, we are relieved of the burdensome task of constantly attempting to justify our actions,” Police Chief Davis said.
ladailymirror.com 
If we remember correctly, Davis was perceived by the public, at the time, as a hard headed Chief of Police, who later was successful in politics. This letter, to his department seems to provide a standard that every public servant should consider embracing. If done so, the world might be a better place.
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“When a free press is operating, we are relieved of the burdensome task of constantly attempting to justify our actions,” Police Chief Davis said.
Thanks to that free press, we know all about the Davis-era LAPD’s unauthorized surveillance of folks it didn’t particularly care for, which led to the unanimous Supreme Court decision against the force in White v. Davis. Thankfully, not every public servant “considers embracing” that standard…
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