The Portland police are in the media today with some touchy-feely stories about how shaken up they are that one of their traffic division leaders and his wife were in a nasty, nasty car crash that seriously injured them both. Here's the article in the O, and there was a similar story on KGW last night. "It's a reminder to all of us of how your life can change in seconds," the uniformed spokeswoman was saying on TV.

I don't begrudge them that. The officer in question had nothing to do with causing the wreck, and he looks like the type of professional that the people of Portland are lucky to have protecting them.

But with all due respect.

I wish the Portland police would show even a fraction of this sensitivity when one of their ranks unnecessarily kills an unarmed civilian. At those times, they do their whole "thin blue line" tough-guy act, fight to hide the truth, and then deny accountability. Maybe they should develop a memory about how it feels when one of their own has fallen, and acknowledge that feeling when their own screwups cost some other family a loved one.