Worth a Look: The Thin Blue Line of Leadership Blog
Just found a really good blog that is worth a look: The Thin Blue Line of Leadership. The blog posts are practical and well developed. Take a minute, and take a look!
© 2015 DAVID A. LYONS
Todd Recupero
If you want to be in law enforcement, there are a few things I would recommend. First, decide what type of law enforcement you want to do, local, state, federal, ect. Second, I would really interview several people in several agencies to get a better understanding of what each level offers. Also, begin researching hiring and training requirements of desired agencies so you can prepare yourself. Talk to your family and friends because this career is a big decision and they must understand the sacrifices that may have to be made such as work schedules, missing birthdays and holidays, as well as going back to school. The most important thing is to really ask yourself why you want to get into law enforcement and give yourself an honest assessment of your answers. Also, make sure your personal life is in order and there is nothing that could derail your career.
Police work is dangerous. Everyone knows or assumes this but rarely explains these dangers or why some people choose police work regardless of them. As I look backwards at over twenty years of police experience, certain realities surface. If I had known the realities of police work beforehand, I don’t know if we would be having this conversation. Police work is dangerous because society has changed (as it must) from the melting pot of cultures transformed by the American experience, into separate and distinct cultural patches, each looking to outdo and excel at any cost. When options to excel decrease and competition for what is left create friction, conflict can develop. The root causes of crime; poverty, unemployment, racism, poor health, housing, schools, alcoholism, drug abuse, single households, teen pregnancy, selfishness and greed, are all beyond the control of police, as police are ill equipped to solve social, economical, or political problems. Add media influences, and public misconceptions regarding the workings of the criminal justice system and police work becomes increasingly difficult and dangerous. Nonetheless, the public has problems and they expect police to solve many of them. My own experiences are a reflection of assaults, threats, and stress of police work rarely understood by the public. There were knife wounds, shootings, near fatal assaults, and stressful encounters that eventually take its toll. Police must therefore be physically, psychologically, and emotionally stable. Of course police work is not all bad. There are rewards that influence the desire to join our ranks. Generally, people respect police, and/or fear them enough to provide a measure of respect. The salary (for the most part) is decent, and it is a sought after career among those who seek the challenges of a life not mediocre. There is also that desire to make a positive impact on things that all of us value, secure and safe communities. When citizen experiences require police presence, usually tempers are high or spirits are low, which is not a good environment for clear perceptions. We are sometimes judged unfairly. We live in a culture of quick fix, need it now, consummate consumers who can be insensitive to our needs. While the public expects speedy and conclusive police responses, investigating crime and arresting suspects, while respecting legal restraints and community sensitivities can sometimes appear conflicting. The public receives education about police effectiveness less from our own reflections and more from the media. Historically, police were respected as protectors of civil stability who ventured into clear lines of danger that was recognizable threats to social order and function. Robberies, burglaries, assaults, and other community centered challenges come to mind. Today, with the development of highly educated and informed citizens, technological distractions that offer violence as play, and urban strategies that replace community collaboration, police work has become more difficult. The attainments and wonder of police sacrifice, is becoming old fashioned to a new generation and police psychology must keep up to remain relevant. My own experience has shaped a multi-faceted view, both supporting police and chastising the profession for not doing more to accommodate a changing world. Unfortunately, police are experiencing challenges to its authority and purpose in the 21st century. Almost every real change in police strategy will come as a result of public resentment, humiliation or judicial intervention. This is unacceptable from the “knights” of protection and conflict mediators of our time.
Martin Palmer
Interesting blog, well worth a read for those who haven’t read it yet.