December 23, 2011

SandBox Comments: Delta County Independent "Advice for cops good for all '

'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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SandBox Comments: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Mock-trial champs violated event’s spirit, state organizers say"

This one should be really hard for the taxpayers and voters in Glenwood Springs to take.

Why?

Because last year's Mock Trial team hit up the City of Glenwood Springs to fund and sponsor the trip to championships.

Click the title and read the entire article.

Charlie Wilman is a local attorney who was highly respected and thought well of.  Vic Zerbi is a local judge.  Possibly a former judge and retired, but nevertheless a pillar of Glenwood's culture and a role model.

"Blown out of proportion?",  "target on their back?", "“They’re just the ones that got caught”.

Actually, fellas.

The question is one of ethics in the service of law.

Worse than whether or not the kids are shown that being misled by their coaches who not only know better but are in a position of trust; is the fact that their coaches really don't seem to 'know better':

“This is what upsets me about this whole thing, is that these kids worked very, very hard to accomplish what they accomplished,” said Glenwood’s head coach, attorney Charlie Willman. “Their hard work and dedication is being tainted by something they didn’t even do.”

Yea, but Charlie.  Who did do it?  It's cheating and setting a precedent to these kids who just may grow up to be attorneys some day that 'borderline' anything goes is "OK".

Is it OK?

“Is that against the spirit of the program? Perhaps it is, but I don’t see any major advantage to anybody in that,” he said. (Zerbi)

Please let one of the local reporters know, Judge Zerbi.

Where we all can go to find that book of ethics and statutes that you're reading from.

It's unfortunate that the kids have to pay for the sins of the coaches but Grand Junction is right.

Strip them of the win, penalize them with a year on the bench (pun intended for sidelines), refund the taxpayers who funded last year's competition and get new coaches for Glenwood's Mock Trial Team.

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