"We're searching for a subject in this area who may be armed but we don't consider him dangerous."

            "We're searching for a subject in this area who may by armed and should be considered dangerous."

            If you came out your back door and saw police in your yard, which of those messages would you rather have them tell you?

            The first might be subjective and the second sends an ominous message of caution.  But, would you be satisfied with neither?

            How much information are you entitled to at that point in time?  Probably not much because the police are in the middle of a search, and outside of cautioning you to "shelter in place" (get inside and lock the doors), they're a little busy right now.

            But, at some point in time you need to know.  Is it safe to go outside?  Am I safe now?  Has the threat to my family and I been neutralized?  Has the person sought by the police been found?

            The public is entitled to information pertaining to their own well-being – their own peace-of-mind.  When something suspicious is going on outside their own front door, they need to know if there is a danger to be aware of.

            And, after the danger passes, they need to know that too.

            It's not a "right" for people to know every aspect of every police action going on in their backyard – sometimes it's a necessity.  However, people need to remember that the minutia of every police action cannot always be delivered to the public in a speedy and effective way – even if the users of social media demand it.

            Releasing information too soon could have a negative effect on an ongoing investigation or put someone in harm's way unnecessarily.

            And, law enforcement officials want to make sure they have their information right before they share it.  It takes time to verify information and make sure it is correctly passed on to the public.

            Sometimes the correct information is that we have no information.  We don't like it but we'd rather not share incorrect information.  Some people feel compelled to share and present rumors as facts because they think expediency trumps the truth.

            It's the "I must be the first to know or the first to tell" mentality that shoots falsehoods around the globe at the speed of the Internet.

            Stop and gather the facts (not your opinion of the facts) before you share them.

            The whole story is seldom found in a single conversation.