The tenets of journalism include this idea of objectivity and never becoming part of the story. So we sometimes build artificial barriers between ourselves and the people we cover. I never quite bought into that notion, though I’d learn to go through the professional motions while still trying to be my authentic self. When I’d be invited closer, I’d cling to those moments, relishing the way it felt to have the veil falling between us. I’d be lying if I said I’d never shed tears with someone I was interviewing or shared knowing glances in admission of the hard truths we couldn’t deny.

Many years ago, just months into my one and only reporting internship, I found myself in one of those veil-dropping moments. I was covering police and crime for the Philadelphia Daily News . My daily ro

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