Police probe offers insight for society

Back on Dec. 30, Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White told The Press, “We’d rather be right than fast.”

“Fast” and “justice” aren’t always fine bedfellows, as Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh could testify. We count ourselves among the guilty in growing impatient when we think the dispensation of justice takes “too long.” But cases like the accidental shooting of 22-year-old Richard Baumgartner of Hayden are painful reminders that it’s much better to be right than fast.

Social media went into hyperdrive shortly after Baumgartner was found dead in his vehicle around 1 a.m. Dec. 13. At least two young men were openly accused of murder. The rumors flew and grew.

So it took about three months to get it right. Many in our community will consider that slow. The minute we think that, though, a police siren should be going off in our heads because we’re breaking the natural law of exercising a little patience, a little understanding, even a little trust to arrive at the correct solution.

As a society we’re increasingly addicted to instant gratification. Almost any question can be answered, in writing or voice, within a few seconds, where once upon a time we’d need to consult an encyclopedia at home or maybe even go to the public library. Relationships are ruptured because someone doesn’t respond to a text message quickly enough. Want to see a movie? You don’t have to check the newspaper for show times. In fact, you don’t even need to go to the theater. Netflix is in your pocket.

Now when the answer we’re seeking isn’t immediately available, we demand to know why. Who’s poking a stick in the wheels of rapid progress? What do they have to gain by withholding information? What are they trying to hide? Or are they just incompetent?

In the Baumgartner case, a whole host of steps needed to be taken before the accurate conclusion could be reached. We applaud the Coeur d’Alene Police Department not just for getting it right, but for delivering a poignant reminder about the importance of patience. Often, justice can’t live without it.