'SandBox Nanny' wonders what the 'kids' have to give in career advice to these new law enforcement officers.
"Tom Chinn, Montrose chief of police, was the guest speaker at the ceremony.
His 38 years worth of career advice to the new peace officers had less to do with busting bad guys than with how officers can best handle themselves and their own lives – both professional and personal.
Chinn framed his advice as "suggestions" for successful career lives. "People have to believe in you and trust you in everything you do," he said. His suggestions included the following:
• The training and learning that new officers have just received at the Academy is only the beginning. Learning is a lifetime endeavor.
• Continue with formal education and get a college degree, and then keep building on that.
• Be proactive in career pursuits in order to be an effective officer.
• Don't watch the "cop shows" on TV. They don't portray the life or work of professional law enforcement officers.
• Always treat people with respect. There are a lot of arrogant, egotistical cops, and no one likes them.
• Always be honest and positive, both on and off the job. Always pay your bills on time and avoid unnecessary debt.
• Credibility is key. When you have lost your personal credibility you have lost your job.
• The new officers will see lots of death and abuse of all kinds in their careers. "It's a tough, demanding life," Chinn said. He advised, "Spouses, be patient."
Adding a personal anecdote, Chinn said he has known officers who had the attitude of, "This is what I do, but it's not who I am." He encouraged the graduates to cultivate a professional attitude of, "This is what I do and this is who I am...."
(Hank Lohmeyer)
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8 comments:
Thank you for choosing this career path.
Remember you're appreciated.
You're not lawyers. Stay a cop and don't let anybody try to turn you into one.
That's exactly correct, anonymous.
Cops, deputies, sheriffs, agents and marshals enforce the law. Their only oath is to serve and protect us all. Law enforcement is the last line standing between the people and our justice system.
In a perfect world or in following Tom Chinn's advice and being the job; there would not be any outside influence that could sway a cop.
In the imperfect world of reality, our justice system and military defenses are so convoluted in decades worth of political interpretation, strict adherence to constitution and law has been lost in day-to-day work loads.
The only place both still live is in the oath to duty that each of us takes.
You do not serve the law, we lawyers do.
You are not employed by the state or serve as an agent of the state. The state is not law enforcement.
Our judges and courts including staff are not law enforcement. You are not employed by either nor do you serve either.
If the simple awareness that the best thing you can do to become and stay a good cop is to remember that law enforcement stands alone, enforces the law on all of our people, does not serve the law but rather serves and protects the people; you will be fine officers that we can all be thankful for and proud of.
Thank you for your service.
Don't get so caught up in an image or what anybody else's agenda is that you start making personal judgments. Be human but look for every voice that needs to be listened to. They're not always conveniently parked in front of your face.
There's ALWAYS another side to every story. Be human.
With respect to Chief Chinn and one or two heads of agencies in our own district.
Paying your bills on time and leading a law abiding personal life is just what you do same as putting on your uniform or being a part of your community. Has nothing to do with credibility. Those are things you just do same as everyone else. Saying that's how a cop stays credible runs the risk of that cop looking self-righteous in the eyes of the average citizen. You are not special just by living life right.
Your credibility is in how you do your job. How you cover the back of your fellow officers in the line of fire.
The only two places that are worse than a law enforcement agency for gossip are the court clerks and the district attorney's office and staff. Build working relationships but remember those people are not your friends, they're your co-workers and they are not in the line of fire or have to be credible to the average citizen.
You do.
Just turn around and walk away the minute anybody gossips. There's nothing worse for destroying yours, the agency you love and the people you serve.
Try to remember it's just what we do. It's in our DNA to speed and try to outrun the law. We're civilians and it's a natural instinct. We don't mean to be criminal about it. My advice to new, wet behind the ears cops is to listen to our stories before you write us up. You don't make much money and someday if you keep a journal now, you could write a bestseller on your career experiences. We don't mind because the other thing we live for is reading the crime stories and reports in the news. Always try to listen first.
It's the call of road. Call of the convoy commute. Can't be helped but we really do try to be good.
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