This white police officer will teach you how to 'survive' after shooting an unarmed black man


The police officer who shot and killed Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was acquitted on charges of manslaughter last year. She is still working as an officer in the area — and now, she's teaching others in law enforcement about how to successfully bounce back from scrutiny like she did.
On Tuesday, Betty Shelby, now a Rogers County sheriff's deputy, will teach a class called "Surviving the Aftermath of a Critical Incident," Tulsa World reports. She's reportedly taught the course at other agencies in an effort to "illustrate to law officers how an action, such as a shooting, can occur in 'microseconds' and unravel for months," said Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton.
Shelby shot Crutcher in the lung after approaching his vehicle in a traffic stop, NBC News reported. She said she believed Crutcher was reaching for a weapon. A jury called the shooting "unfortunate and tragic, but justifiable," and her acquittal led to protests in Tulsa. Earlier this year, Shelby told ABC News affiliate KTUL that her classes are intended to teach officers about "The Ferguson Effect," which she described as "when a police officer is victimized by anti-police groups and tried in the court of public opinion."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Tulsa World reports that lawmakers and members of the community were protesting her latest offering of the class. "We're saying that you need to get another teacher," Rep. Regina Goodwin (D-Okla.) said. Many critics in Tulsa said they didn't necessarily mind the content of the training, just that Shelby was the one leading it. "Training for law enforcement is desperately needed, but if you do tone-deaf things like this," said Chris Moore, a reverend at a local church, "then no amount of training is possibly going to rebuild broken relationships between law enforcement and portions of our community."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Police ID driver of exploded Cybertruck, can't see motive
Speed Read An Army Green Beret detonated a homemade bomb in a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US