Behind the Story: Lawmen Off Limits

The Bangor Daily News exposed the holes in oversight of Maine county law enforcement: how no one can place Maine sheriffs on leave to investigate when they violate the public's trust or even break the law; how sheriff's offices frequently don't provide any detail about officers' misconduct in discipline records, even when they're fired; and how the state overseer does not have the authority to penalize officers for much more than crimes, meaning some officers continue to get jobs in law enforcement despite repeated warning signs. Here, the reporters share some of what they learned: how to keep going in the face of major obstacles, how the job isn't just about writing but about making sure officials follow the law, and how it's important to think beyond what is to what could be.