I have a love and hate relationship with law enforcement traditions. The love of those traditions is what moved me to enter the profession but not all traditions are created equally. While I grew up looking at state troopers with their big hats and leather gear as nothing short of a modern day Greek God, there are other traditions that drove me absolutely insane.
This is great! When I started in my first squad, I was put, as luck would have it, on the senior dayshift squad for three months until the shift bid occurred. My very first day on my own. I was so excited! And I walked in the briefing room that had the capacity to hold 20 people and saw the five other people on the squad were already seated with the sergeant at the Sgt desk. There were no other chairs in the briefing room. The message I received was unable… I was not part of that group. I stood against the back wall and received the information for that day and had the Sgt asked me why I was still in the briefing room when he was done. Years later as a supervisor, I would sit with my guys to let them know there was nothing I was not willing to do that I also would ask them to do as well. Great article.
Great insights. For a profession that is perpetually evolving, improvising and adapting, we still cling to stupid status totems. Worse, that winds up being a first impression that ends up driving the best and the worst of us. I stopped for an officer to help her with a crash on the busiest interchange and wound up writing the ticket. She, a socially awkward soul, said no one had ever dropped in to assist before without her calling for backup.
Great Article Dr. Yates.
Thank you brother.
This is great! When I started in my first squad, I was put, as luck would have it, on the senior dayshift squad for three months until the shift bid occurred. My very first day on my own. I was so excited! And I walked in the briefing room that had the capacity to hold 20 people and saw the five other people on the squad were already seated with the sergeant at the Sgt desk. There were no other chairs in the briefing room. The message I received was unable… I was not part of that group. I stood against the back wall and received the information for that day and had the Sgt asked me why I was still in the briefing room when he was done. Years later as a supervisor, I would sit with my guys to let them know there was nothing I was not willing to do that I also would ask them to do as well. Great article.
Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Great insights. For a profession that is perpetually evolving, improvising and adapting, we still cling to stupid status totems. Worse, that winds up being a first impression that ends up driving the best and the worst of us. I stopped for an officer to help her with a crash on the busiest interchange and wound up writing the ticket. She, a socially awkward soul, said no one had ever dropped in to assist before without her calling for backup.
You’re right, Roland. We have to do better!