Street Smart

I wrote a column a few weeks ago regarding the Kavanaugh confirmation process that seems to have caused confusion for some readers. I feel compelled to go into more detail regarding how I came to my conclusions.

I would first refer the readers to the second paragraph of my September 27th column. It states, in pertinent part, “I want to begin by saying two things; First, what I’m about to write is in no way intended to minimize the impact of a sexual assault on a victim. Second, this is an integrity issue and not partisan. I can see individuals in either party involved in this sort of thing.” One reader called me out for a lack of sensitivity for sexual assault victims and then pointed out partisan politics. I’ve reread the above sentences from the September 27 column several times and don’t understand the confusion. My purpose was simply to question Ford’s motives. It’s been my experience that legitimate sexual assault victims (when they decide to report), want and deserve three things; To be heard, to be believed, and justice. Legitimate victims don’t make demands and they recall the assault down to the most minute detail.

It was also suggested that I had the “audacity” to look at this situation logically rather than emotionally. I was analyzing this topic from the perspective of a fact finder, not a person who was emotionally invested in the outcome. That’s kind of default for me because of my law enforcement background. Again, sorry for any confusion.

In my introductory column I mentioned the fact that my life experiences drive my opinions, and I rely heavily on my experiences as a police officer. That’s certainly true in this instance. I learned long ago that things aren’t always as they appear. Let me explain using a few real-life incidents.

I recall responding to a sexual assault investigation relatively early in my career that helped shape my investigative style in terms of asking questions. The preliminary investigation in this particular instance revealed several contradictions in the victim’s account of the attack. After a series of questions, the ‘victim’ admitted that she had been out for girl’s night the previous evening and gotten drunk. She had met a guy in the bar and went with him to his vehicle in the parking lot where they had sex. When she sobered up and became remorseful, she came up with the sexual assault story to cover up her infidelity. She then had the audacity to ask me to just take the report and not tell her husband!

I can immediately recall at least three incidents with similar circumstances as a police officer where the ‘victim’ made up a sexual assault to cover up embarrassing behavior (as a Sergeant, there were dozens of others). As a result, I ask a lot of very direct questions when conducting an investigation. I’ve learned to be sensitive to anything that may indicate an alternate motive. The goal, after all, is the truth.

Another example; A close friend of mine was falsely accused of a sexual assault. There was an extensive investigation and hearing. The outcome? The adjudicator made the following statement; “You are not only Not Guilty; the evidence and testimony have proven that you are factually innocent.” The “victim” in this instance had fabricated the allegation. The fact she had lied was effectively brought to light. By the way, nothing happened to the “victim” in this case. She was able to say whatever she wanted without any repercussion.

I could go on and on with examples like those just listed but that’s not the point. The point is that there are two sides to every story and a fact finder has to learn to sort through the information to determine what really occurred. Incidentally, as a side note, my wife (a retired Los Angeles Police Sergeant with 23 years’ experience) proof reads my writing before submission. She agrees with the content of this column and has similar experiences of her own. Let that sink in!

One reader stated, “Finally, Mr. Blackstone claims to be a retired Los Angeles Police Sergeant. I would have hated to have been a victim of a rape and encounter him as the officer to whom I had to report the crime.” I have to admit, that statement really bothered me at first! Then, I realized that the writer doesn’t know me. So that everyone understands, I believe that any actual sexual assault is an insidious, violent crime that should be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. I have encountered legitimate victims ranging from infants to grandmothers. I’m completely comfortable with the compassion I demonstrated and the aggressive manner in which I investigated the crime. Anyone who knows me personally, knows the truth of that statement. I have a daughter and two grand daughters so the fear that one of them might be a victim of a sexual assault hits close to home. If (God forbid) one of them became a victim of a sexual assault, I’d want a diligent compassionate investigator like myself working on the case.

Blaine Blackstone is a retired Los Angeles Police Sergeant who enjoys the simpler life in Thompson Falls. He can be reached by email at [email protected].