He made a note. They would ask the records custodian how the language was created, whether it had been approved by supervisors, and whether officers received training encouraging restraint without arrest. Maya understood that a pattern could be both compelling and dangerous to overstate. The stronger the allegation, the more carefully each piece needed to be tested.
At the precinct, Callahan had begun hearing rumors that the Richardson complaint was not going away. A colleague mentioned an attorney requesting documents. A dispatcher said somebody had asked about the original traffic-stop audio. A lieutenant warned the officers involved not to discuss the encounter outside official channels. Callahan took the warnings as evidence of annoyance from people who did not appreciate how much work he did on the street.
He had been a police officer for fifteen years and had received two commendations for community service. One recognized his work helping organize a holiday food drive, which he had enjoyed and frequently mentioned when younger officers complained that the public disliked police. Another recognized his response during a difficult winter storm. Both had been genuine achievements, and Callahan held on to them as proof that his judgment should not be questioned because of one loud complainant.
He did not think of Dorothy Patterson when he described his career to friends. He did not remember Tyrell Washington's name. Jasmine Torres occasionally returned to him as a nervous young driver on the highway, but he recalled the encounter as a nuisance rather than an experience that had changed somebody's life. The complaints were files that had been closed, and closure was enough for him to believe the matter was over.
Officer Elena Rodriguez was less comfortable. Over the next two weeks, she searched for the statement she had submitted after the stop and noticed a supervisor's summary that made the encounter sound more dangerous than anything she had witnessed. The summary quoted Callahan's version but omitted her observation that Maya had been motionless and compliant when backup arrived. Rodriguez asked the administrative officer whether a correction could be added.
"You can submit a supplement," the officer said. "But Sergeant Haskins has already closed the review."
"My account isn't reflected accurately."
"Then talk to Haskins."
She did. Haskins listened for less than a minute before leaning back in his chair. "Elena, nobody's saying you saw the beginning," he told her. "Derek was primary. He had reasons for what he did."
"I saw her on the ground. She wasn't resisting."
"After he'd gotten the scene under control."
"That's an interpretation. I didn't see her fight."
Haskins exhaled. "You want to spend the rest of your career second-guessing partners based on fragments of an encounter?"
Rodriguez stared. "I want an accurate record."
"Then write a supplement and go home."