One of the worst phone calls for any sheriff or chief is learning there is an officer down or that an officer took someone’s life.

Most law enforcement executives have a solid plan for the immediate aftermath of an officer-involved shooting, but the bigger worry is the fear of the unknown as the situation plays out beyond the first 24 or 48 hours.

What happens when the agency is sued? What happens if public protests erupt over the incident? What happens when social media explodes or traditional media report on the incident repeatedly?