In this essay, Anderson explores how the police narrative is told in appellate opinions, in light of changing police stories seen in the media. In recent years, video recordings of police violence have upended the traditional narrative of police heroism. The videos have led to discussions of police accountability, yet the controversies surrounding these incidents have also served to highlight the strength of the traditional narrative. Anderson first discusses the prevailing cultural story of the dedicated police officer, as depicted in popular media. Next, Anderson examines how police narratives are conveyed in appellate opinions, through the use of police language, including “copspeak,” as well as narrative devices such as point of view, emphasis, and selective detail. Finally, Anderson discusses examples of counter-narratives in court opinions. Anderson’s conclusion is not that all police narratives are suspect, but that judicial writers need to be aware of how they tell the story of a police–citizen encounter, recognizing that the story is part of the argument.
