I'd argue that it's less an issue of branding, and more an issue of credibility. If you were about to get surgery, and the surgeon came in and started talking a

I'd argue that it's less an issue of branding, and more an issue of credibility. If you were about to get surgery, and the surgeon came in and started talking about how the lastest InfoWars really nailed it, and how the US government was being manipulated by space lizards and CERN was just about to open a black hole, would you let him take you under the knife? If these police are flagrantly ignoring the law, and are getting their news media from conspiracy theorists, they lose the credibility to be trusted in making rational decisions. You don't put people who aren't critical thinkers in positions of extreme power and responsibility.