Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You arrange for an interpreter.
You think to yourself, "I seem to have caught him in the act, and I would probably be justified in seizing the guns and the birds. On the other hand, the training academy taught me that a good investigator always looks below the surface for more information. The hunter seems to be trying to tell me something and I should find out what it is."
You indicate to the man that you want him to come with you. He complies, and you return to your office. There, you make some phone calls and find someone who can speak the hunter's preferred language.
After a lively conversation, the interpreter explains to you that the hunter had only shot four ducks. His hunting dog had found the other duck in the water and had brought it to you as he was trained to do. Hunting dogs love to swim and retrieve ducks from the water, but they can't tell the difference between a bird shot by their owner or a bird shot by someone else.
You realize that the explanation sounds reasonable. You thank the hunter for coming in, and you return his guns and his birds to him. He leaves without further incident.
The next day, your employer tells you that you did the right thing. "I'm pleased that you took the time to do a proper investigation. We don't want to get a bad reputation by giving innocent people a hard time."
"Law enforcement isn't always black and white. When you are doing an investigation, things aren't always as they seem. A good investigator would do some digging before reaching a conclusion," says Daniel Boyco. "We want to catch the bad guys and let the good guys go."