Over the past couple of years, there’s been a lot of focus on the use of deadly force by police officers. And while much of the public outcry was warranted, it’s also important to remember the other side of the story. According to an analysis by WaPo, “only a small number of the shootings — roughly 5 percent — occurred under the kind of circumstances that raise doubt and draw public outcry … The vast majority of individuals shot and killed by police officers were … armed with guns and killed after attacking police officers or civilians or making other direct threats.”

+ FBI Director James Comey suggested there might be some truth to the notion of a Ferguson effect: the idea that the “spike in crime in some cities is caused by police who are afraid to do their jobs because of public scrutiny.” What we need is more scrutiny when something is wrong, and more lauding when police officers save lives. But it seems hard for the media and its consumers to follow a meme that has more than one simple idea.