you're not wrong about the language, but the audience was the investigation panel and the official record. the other cop involved also shot a few rounds into vehicle, and the way they played it, she had her legal representation with her during questioning/deposition and her reason for shooting was she "believed" the deputy's claims of being shot at/taking fire and being hit and "believed" she was about to see a cop die, so it's certainly self-serving for her to claim her interactions with him up until this point made him reliable and not, a deranged lunatic prone to losing his shit.

again, the official investigation document is a hysterical read. it's the story of the entire apparatus putting all possible weight on the acorn cop so they can exonerate the other cop present for drawing her weapon and also shooting at an occupied cop car with no target. so they make absolutely sure to go over acorn cop's moves with extremely funny detail.