WitnessLA: Op-Ed: The False Claim Of LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Being Shot By Sniper Leads To Classic Fail in Crisis Communication
EKA partner Eric Rose co-authored a new piece at WitnessLA.com with Thom Weidlich on the recent news story of an LASD deputy’s false shooting claim and an analysis of how the department handled the situation from a crisis communications perspective.
From what we have learned of the probe into what happened that day, it is clear that the department personnel handling the investigation did an excellent job. The investigators were very detailed in their work and allowed themselves no preconceived notions about the incident. They let the evidence (or lack thereof) guide their efforts.
At the same time, when it came to the way the LASD leadership handled their communication to the public about Reinosa’s false claims, they squandered the opportunity on several fronts — timing, thoroughness, and transparency.
