Everyone makes a mistake at one point in his or her life. Whether it be choosing the wrong movie to watch with a significant other, or making a left turn when you should have made a right; mistakes are made. One Indiana police department made an extremely costly mistake that they should help remedy and laws should be considered in order to ensure mistakes similar to their blunder never happen again.

The Lawrenceburg, Ind. police department was hot on the trail of a fugitive, so they thought, according to WISC-TV in Madison. They believed the fugitive was hiding inside a local apartment. The department then surrounded the complex and ordered the fugitive to come out and surrender. After hours of demanding him to come out, the department geared up and assaulted the apartment with forced entry and tear gas. The fugitive was not there and the tenant of the apartment had no ties to the man authorities were looking for.

The single mother of two’s apartment was in shambles and was unlivable, covered in tear gas residue. When she appealed to the police to help pay for the clean-up, the police denied her request for help.

Humans make mistakes, no doubt about it. However, this mistake was an extreme error of judgment on the part of the department which put innocent peoples’ lives and property in danger. The woman has every right to be compensated by the police department.

Police don’t always have the time to meticulously plan every move they make in situations such as this one; however, they should make sure that collateral damage is as low as possible.

The media needs to cover this situation vigilantly in order to pressure the police department to realize their mistake and step up and help this woman clean up their mess. If they don’t, the department’s poor character shows through and is shameful to the community they protect.