"The police, in this instance, prioritised public self-congratulation over their responsibility to protect a private citizen."
The interesting thing about slander is that everyone who repeats it, is liable for it - and "I believed it was true because N told me" isn't a defence
This is the kind of case where not only the department, but _every single individual_ who made statements on the department's behalf to the press can be taken to court in a personal capacity, along with the media which repeated the claims.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
