CHAOS...THEN ARSON..THEN MORE CHAOS?!

Law enforcement agencies are governed by the laws in place and the people’s trust within their jurisdiction, therefore not all calls for service are simply law enforcing. In fact, Law enforcement tends to be connected into just about everything when it comes to the community. I say that because the discussion of the day is regarding an activity that was strictly community based, but then evolved into something chaotic in nature.

So in preparation for a potential attack of some sort certain important buildings throughout the city (i.e. schools, government buildings, etc.) have simulated drills that are goal oriented at causing a certain response for all involved. My agency was asked to participate and assist with the ruse basically, our part was easy and it allowed for us to get some training in as well so win win right!

The scenario was simple; the building was on fire, the alarms were going off, and a subject with a gun was somewhere in the building. The staff members were to evaluate the building via certain exit protocols and meet at a specific pre-planned spot away from the building. 

Law enforcement was to search the building, stop the threat if present, and assist Fire & Rescue personnel. So everyone knew what their roles were on the Law enforcement side, the staff members were the select group being tested this time around so they didn’t know much.

When the alarms went off in the building panic ensued immediately, people completely forgot about the fire and simply barricaded themselves in rooms hiding from the simulated threat. Law enforcement ended up going room to room pulling people out of the building, so it basically turned into an active shooter drill without anyone planning it to. 

The building was cleared and the drill was concluded without incident. The staff members failed, however the administrators wanted to have a debriefing QnA session to address any concerns from the exercise.

This is where things went wrong, everyone gathered in a crowd on one side of the building and the administrators stood on top of an evaluated level surface so that all can be seen during the debriefing session. 

As questions were asked and answered all appeared to be going well. This was until someone began yelling because black smoke began coming from the rear of the crowd, someone set a fire in the crowd that grew over time and had become a significant threat to public safety. Chaos ensued immediately with the staff members impatiently moving away from the source of the smoke and towards the interior of the building.

The fire department was on scene so they put out the fire while law enforcement and the Fire Marshal’s office began investigating the cause of said fire. No one was hurt or injured during the incident, and the fire was caught before it could get out of control so the situation did have a decent resolution. 

The Fire Marshal’s Office and I interviewed a lot of suspects and citizens concerning the incident, however in the end the investigation was not able to determine who started the fire definitely. Due to lack of evidence and suspects the case ended up being closed later in the future to my knowledge.

The point of the discussion is to bring to light that some people don’t want the community to be better, that some people want chaos, and will do anything or endanger anyone to disrupt any good that can boaster the community. 

Chaos....then Arson...then more Chaos? 

LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOCIAL NORMS, AND CRIME...

There is a relationship between the Law, Law Enforcement Officers, and Crime; the Law was created to ward off chaos in order to insure societies would grow into civilizations, 

LEOs evolved into the main force allowed to protect the interests established for that growth through enforcement of a series of norms set in place to be followed by all, and Crime is the act of going against the Law and the ideals surrounding the norms set forth in societies goal oriented for growth.

In order for a Crime to have occurred it has been established that the action or activities in question have to be directly in violation of a set Law in place. Also, the action or activities in question has to be intentionally done for the purpose of violating the Law. These behaviors are split between two elements known as “Intent” and “Motive”. 

When it comes to Intent the general understanding is to commit a crime an individual has to have the mental understanding and capacity to understand that the action committed is in violation of an established Law. 

Motive on the other hand is more like the reason behind the commission of the crime, it is normally broken down into three areas; Biological, Environmental, and Social. These two elements together with the evidence that an action in violation of the Law occurred is what is known as a Crime.

Crimes don’t always have victims, sometimes they are categorized as actions against society. These are normally like the possession of illegal substances, or drinking out in the public type charges. They are serious charges, however at their current level have not impacted anyone and only hurts society as a whole. Crimes that do have victims are more commonly known because they directly influence or causes damage to someone else’s livelihood and status in society. These can be violent or non-violent crimes such as Assault and Battery, Robbery, Theft, etc. as long as it impacts another individual directly it is not a victim-less crime in nature. 

Knowing that information, it is impossible for a crime to be committed without intent. There can be a lack of Motive, but not intent. The purpose of Law enforcement is to detect the activities or actions that are in violation of the establish Laws in place, charge the person(s) with the violation, and then prove intent, motive (if present), and that the action or activity occurred in court. 

Upon finding that a person(s) have committed a crime based off the presentation of evidence in court proves that person through their actions went against the social norms established to keep society from chaos and thus is eligible for some sort of punishment or program to assist with compliance. Punishment is usually in the form of fines, community service, jail time, or some sort established program goal oriented at rehabilitation in the eyes of society.

Now how effective these are a whole different discussion all in itself and have been argued throughout the entirety of modern society. This topic is always an on-going discussion that can be argued forever because people feel differently from one another, hence why I am stopping here…

Law Enforcement, Social Norms, and Crimes…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, 2019

First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, definitely my fellow Officers out there in uniform keeping everyone safe during the holiday season. I hope everyone gets at least a little bit of time with their love ones during this time of year. It is important to take a moment and be thankful for everything that we have, some may have more than others, but everyone has something to be thankful for. 

The topic I wanted to discuss today is exactly that…being thankful; I wear a uniform that people hate for no reason and yet again I have returned home as I left this morning so I cannot complain. The bills are paid, love ones are present, food is in the refrigerator, and the heat works so I am good to go.

I have been in a lot of stressful situations both at work and outside of work making ends meet, not everything is perfect but the ship is floating despite a hole or two. Those of you out there that are struggling with finding something to be thankful for take a look in the mirror and be thankful for yourself at the very least because you are here! You matter and those that haven’t noticed are simply missing out. Those that are out shopping or working off a great meal be thankful for the opportunity to do so, and if you just happen to spot one of my extended family members in uniform be thankful for them as well because without us things would be in chaos. 

This was a short one, however I do want to challenge everyone out there to be better people towards those around you, to be thankful for all that you have, and to give to those that are less fortunate during this time of year. 

Happy Thanksgiving, 2019 

EVERYONE EXPERIENCES THE FORK!

Law enforcement is a dangerous, but there is no feeling in the universe equivalent to the feeling an Officer gets from helping someone. The danger comes with the territory and uniform, but having direct control over intervening when someone is at a fork in the road where one side is good and the other leads to a dark place is truly fascinating.

LEOs sign up to help people, to answer a call or internal urge to help those that can’t help themselves. That danger element comes with the realization of one’s mortality, the realization that putting on the uniform can lead to death or serious bodily harm. It can be extremely intimidating at first, however that urge to help people also serves as a point of purpose in the world and if acknowledged changes a person. Specifically, it makes that person able to coup and even be friendly with that truth that there is a possibility that they may not return at the end of the tour.

Over the span of a twenty-five (25) year career a LEO can expect to be in any and every situation possible when dealing with those that are in need, that one percent who are at their worst point and are in need of help.

Experiencing these incidents builds mental fortitude in LEOs, but also can lead to a comfort in chaos effect where the person is no longer sensitive to aspects that require a level of empathy or sympathy. Finding that balance and knowing when to apply each comes with time, knowledge, and experience.

It can be hard at first because going into heavily emotional incident can affect the LEO, but they still have to be able to move forward and restore some order in every situation. In addition, calls for service can be wildly different from one another where at one moment the Officer is doing a Death Notification and the next he/she can be taking pictures to celebrate the success of a child’s lemonade stand. Again, that mental fortitude helps to balance the different emotional responses and reactions. 

My point in this discussion is to provide a perspective on how Law Enforcement Officers are made mentally stronger due to the experiences involved in over their career, however that strength comes with the need for knowledge and experience in balancing the need for empathy or sympathy throughout those incidents.

The LEO is urged and called to help those that are at the fork in the road, however to some extent we are ourselves at a fork in the road at all times. One side leads to taking the uniform off at the end of the tour and returning to a “normal” life throughout their time away from work. The other is for when the LEO has to answer the call and return to work, so they leave one side and go to the other intentionally.

That is the difference right there, most people pick one path but LEOs take both paths just at different times. Just some food for thought…Which path at the fork did you pick? 

Everyone Experiences the Fork! 

PEOPLE CAN BE TRULY EVIL...

People can be truly evil when aspects of their lives aren’t going according to their ideal plan, more or less it usually revolves around the lack of resources and the lack of self-wealth. 

That feeling of no purpose leads people to dark places where they lash out upon those that they can potentially control, usually children or other love ones. It is not always violent; it can manifest in limitations put on activities, control over all the resources, isolating the person from outside help from family, or just placing the person in position of exploit or blackmail. 

Nevertheless, it is all a ply utilized to gain some type of control over another due to that lacking feeling of self-wealth. I say this because the discussion of the day revolves around a situation that where the person was being manipulated into a position where she couldn’t get any help outside of the other person involved.

I responded to the residence in regard to a neighbor calling the police because he/she believed that someone was being beaten in the apartment below his/hers. Upon arrival I hear yelling and crying from behind the door of the apartment below the reporting parties, thus I knock on the door. I can hear the male subject in the residence telling the woman subject to “shut up or you won’t eat tonight” as he approaches the door to greet me. 

Based on what my partner and I just heard we come up with a quick plan to immediately separate the two parties once the door is opened for us. The male subject opens the door and greets us as if nothing is wrong, in fact he was pleasant and polite with us throughout the duration of the call for service. I tell him we are at the residence regarding a welfare check on all parties in the house because of the noise heard from the other side of the door. 

The male subject attempted to defuse any suspicion by stating that his wife was asleep inside and didn’t want to be disturbed, that was quickly debunked based off the fact that we heard her just before he opened the door. I instruct the male subject to stay where he was with my partner while I go check on the rest of the person(s) in the residence.

When I entered the residence it stunk of alcohol and appeared to be in disarray as if an argument occurred as suspected. At this point I was thinking this is a possible domestic violence situation, but the situation was about to take a huge turn once I ventured further into the dwelling. I call out to the female subject known to be in the house to identify myself, suddenly a little girl comes out one of the bedrooms dressed in a long shirt that most likely belonged to the male subject. 

From observation it is immediately clear that the shirt is the only article of clothing she is wearing, this raises alarms in my mind and the investigation go from potential domestic violence situation to potential abduction or kidnapping or child abuse. The little girl greets me respectfully, then states that nothing is going on and everything is okay. I ask her where her mother is and she responds that she doesn’t have a mother because she was sent to stay with the male subject. 

At this point…Abduction was looking real likely so I contacted my Sergeant and asked him to check into the identity of the little girl, sure enough the little girl was reported missing several months prior.

The obvious stuff occurs following that (I.e. the male was taken to jail, child services notified, child’s parents notified, etc.). it was revealed that the male subject abducted the child because he wanted control over someone because his wife left him and took his children with her. 

The child was in good health, however this situation tells two stories; one of a child in danger and one of a male subject that had lost something and in response attempted to rectify that lose by taking something from someone else. There are still good people in the world…but there are also evil people present as well.

People Can Be Truly Evil… 

PEOPLE CAN BE DUMB AS A PACK OF HOTDOGS...

People aren’t as smart as they think, in fact some people are outright dare I say it stupid. I don’t say this to be mean, or inconsiderate of those with learning disabilities or anything like that. I am talking about those without a legitimate excuse to their behaviors. I am going to present my evidence of course, however I want you read on with an open-mind and by the end you may come to realize as I have that some people are just plain stupid.

I am not one of those officers that stay in their vehicle all day long, in fact I like to walk around and meet the people I serve on the regular bases throughout my shift. Plus, it is a tactic used to eliminate that stigma that LEOs aren’t approachable, but that is a whole different discussion. 

So as I am walking down the sidewalk speaking to another officer who had decided to join me, an individual ran up to us in a panic from the direction of the nearby Walmart store. The man was running and yelling to us, “Help, Help, I have been Robbed”. Upon his arrival, we verified the male subject was not hurt and then ask him what happened. The next thing that came out of his mouth was as follows:

“I need y’all to go arrest my friend (Subject B) because he robbed me, Subject B robbed me of (4) four packs of hotdogs that I stole from the Walmart yesterday just a few minutes ago, I had placed them in a bag and set it down next to me. Subject B came over to where I was and snatched the bad as he ran away, so he robbed me.” 

At first I thought that I had heard the male subject incorrectly, so I verified to make sure that what I heard was, “…that I stole from the Walmart yesterday.” He responded, “Yeah, I took them so that I could sell them for Beer money”. I then ran the story back to him making sure I understood that Subject B robbed him of the stolen goods that he stole the day before from the nearby Walmart. 

The male responded with confirmation as if he didn’t just confess to a crime, I looked at the other officer present and he was baffled by the information presented to us. I informed the male that he had confess to a crime and he immediately ran away as if just realizing his actions.

I went to the Walmart and sure enough they had him on camera stealing items from the food section the day before, he was wearing the same clothing in everything. Based off the pricing of the hotdogs the crime was a Misdemeanor and at the time Walmart didn’t want to press charges so the man didn't go to jail. 

The point is…that was stupid, plain and simple. I even verified it and he agreed in confessing to the stealing of the hotdogs. Now hearing that story, do you think I am mean for saying that some people aren’t as smart as they think, or am I accurate in my saying that some are stupid…I think I am in the clear!

People Can Be Dumb as a Pack of HOTDOGS...

TRUTH...OR FIRED?!

Contrary to the belief amongst society it is actually pretty hard to get outright fired in Law enforcement, it is a pretty durable position that can take a few licks before having to let someone go. Now there are some obvious actions that are pretty much automatically going to result in someone being fired. 

The biggest one and unfortunately also the action that most fall victim to is lying. In close second is breaking the departmental policy concerning integrity, and bringing unwanted attention to the agency. There are many more obviously, but these are two big ones in my opinion. 

Law enforcement agencies normally have an internal group of individuals selected to oversee any and all internal investigations concerning incidents where the agency could be found liable due to the wrong doing of those involved in an incident. 

This group is most commonly known as Internal Affairs (IA) and consist of a small group of fact finders that don’t care about anything but determining the truth. This group answers directly to the Chief/Sheriff or whoever is overseeing the agency. I said, “Whoever is overseeing the agency” because IA is also the only entity internally within Law enforcement agencies that can investigate the Chief/Sheriff for any wrong doing. Their job is to protect the agency, plain and simple. 

Officers commonly believe IA’s job is to fire other Officers, this is not the case at all. In fact, they don’t make any recommendations when it comes to disciplinary actions at all, they simply submit their findings, and the command staff takes it from there. 

Unfortunately, I have witnessed officers get fired because they went into Internal Affairs inquiries and lied about what happened during an incident or their part in a situation. Fun fact about IA, if they are questioning someone about something 9 times out of 10 they already know the truth and are only validating it to determine if that someone is being truthful or not. Most offenses can be forgiven with some sort of disciplinary action, however if determined to be lying the agency can no longer trust you so it is an automatic firing.

In the cases where departmental policy has been violated it depends on the severity of the violation that determines the outcome. If IA determines an Officer violated a policy, but did so while acting in good faith on the behalf of the agency the command staff may overlook the violation. However, if the action that violates the departmental policy brings shame or serious doubt for the public to trust the agency moving forward command staff may fire the Officer to save the agency. It’s never personal, however somethings can’t be forgiven. If the violation isn’t that bad, the Officer will be disciplined and then serve a probation period afterward to make sure compliance is corrected moving forward. 

The public trust is most important when it comes to these types of incidents where you see Officers getting fired based off a violation of policy. 

Law enforcement is a wonderful career, however it is one that demands a level of discipline, integrity, and pride in representation. Internal Affairs aren’t the bad guys, they just want to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do and if not to correct the behavior moving forward within the agency. Officers deal with a lot of different situations and sometimes make mistakes, it is okay as long as that Officer is acting in good faith with the agency in mind, and is honest if asked about it by IA. 

I have been involved in plenty of IA inquires, have never told a lie, and am still going strong! 

Truth…or Fired?!

THE ART OF THE PLEA BARGAIN...

Law enforcement and the Courts have always had a close relationship, in fact both entities couldn’t exist without one another. If I arrest someone and there isn’t a court to convict them the system fails. If the court issues orders and there aren’t any LEOs to assist in enforcing them the system fails. 

Normally both entities work well with one another, however sometimes the court is way too lenient on people in my opinion. I have seen murderers get less time than people who embezzled other people’s money and ruined their lives in the process. However, Court is a whole different ball game then on the street. Most cases are always determined way before they ever are seen in front of an actual judge.

I refer to it as the art of the Plea, attached to every courtroom or at least in the courthouse is an area where attorneys for both the plaintiff and defendant meet and discuss what can be done to avoid the case going to trial. Most of the time an agreement is made and the Plea Bargain is signed by all parties involved. Now if the deal is too lenient the Judge can overrule it and deny it stating respective reasons why to those present in court. If that happens the case is going to trial most likely. 

The art of the Plea works so well because it avoids going to trial, this can be beneficial for either party depending on the case. The Plaintiff lawyer may not have enough evidence to get a guilty verdict if the case went to trial, so they would attempt to get a guilty plea by bargaining to a sort with the opposition.

On the other hand, the Defendant’s lawyer may not want it to go to trial because they know their client will be found guilty, so they would deal for a lesser charge with less punishment. Once everything is signed and agreed upon, the subject pleads guilty in front of the Judge, then gets the punishment agreed upon in the plea agreement.

I say all this because LEOs very rarely have much input throughout the plea bargaining process, most of the times its already done by the time the LEO assigned to the case finds out. Now the LEO can let the Plaintiff Lawyer know what that a specific outcome is desirable, however it is up the lawyer to make that happen.

One of the most important lessons a LEO has to learn is to never take court personally, if the person gets off on the judges leniency, Plea Bargain, or a technicality just let it go. The investigation, probable cause, resources, evidence, etc. that were utilized in getting that person into the courtroom was not wasted, we did our jobs and have to understand that convicting them is not our job. 

The Art of the Plea Bargain...

PEOPLE LIE...PEOPLE DONT READ...AND PEOPLE ALWAYS CALL THE COPS!

Sometimes in Law enforcement things are not what they appear to be, however before we get into the discussion a few rules need to be established. Rule 1: People Lie, 2: People don’t read, 3: People always call the police for some reason. 

Often times LEOs receive calls for service that are interesting, other times we receive calls that are how you say….stupid. Nevertheless all calls are investigated to the fullest to make sure that any criminal actions isn’t missed. That being said lets getting to the discussion. 

While on patrol a call for service came out where an individual’s car was stolen, I immediately responded to the location provided to meet with the complainant regarding the particulars surrounding the stolen car.

At the residence, the complainant stated that her vehicle was stolen the night before and that she had no idea where it was or took it. In addition, she provides a detailed list of everywhere visited the night before and who she was with during said outings. The complainant signs the form that basically states that if the vehicle is found to not be stolen and this is a rues in anyway the person making the report can be charged with making a false police report, by signing you confirm that the vehicle is stolen. At first glance this seems pretty legit, the vehicle isn’t parked around the neighborhood, and the complainant seemed legitimately concerned.

Things immediately go south when I run the vehicle information through the police databases utilized to store vehicles that have been involved in an accident. I find out that the vehicle was involved in a crash the night before and was towed to a junk yard because it was assumed to be abandoned. This means that no one was seen or present to take ownership of the vehicle upon discovery of the accident. To be specific, the vehicle struck a parked car and the owner came out to find an empty vehicle had struck his vehicle.

So at this point, my gut was yelling at me that this lady crashed her car, left the scene, and is now trying to say that it was stolen. Sounds good, but I need proof of course. So I canvass the area where the accident occurred for anyone with cameras, sure enough someone with a RING doorbell camera provides footage of this woman most likely drunk crashing her car into the parked vehicle and then getting out of said vehicle to run away. Warrants were obtained for several violations of law the following day.

Sometimes things are not what they appear to be, I could have just filed the report and deemed it as stolen, however I wanted to know for certain that it was stolen and investigated it as I should. Of course the owner of the parked vehicle was provided with her insurance information to file claims, wouldn’t leave the victim out after all.

People Lie…People don’t read…and People Always Call the Cops!

IGNORANCE...OR A CRIME CRY FOR HELP?!

Ignorance is the worse attribute a person can have; it is a permanent disadvantage in every situation, it can lead to death, serious harm, misunderstanding, social complications, and much more. 

This is the concept that began the need for Law enforcement and unfortunately remains it job security to this very day. Most crimes are committed out of ignorance and with selfish intentions in mind. However, there are some that are not. Some crimes are committed because of a need that derives from lack of opportunity or resource. There is a true difference and it has taken me a long time to truly understand this concept. 

I use to get upset at criminals because of their actions, I looked forward to taking them to jail, and longed for the sound of judge reading off their sentences in the courtroom after I had given testimony to put them away. Now as I have moved further into my Law enforcement campaign, I have come to pity criminals because most of them are ignorant at heart and don’t understand the extent of their actions. Don’t get me wrong, I love locking up bad guys, and will do some happily until the day I leave this earth if I could. However, now I have grown to the point where I can truly understand how crime is manifested and what drives criminals to act as they do.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs basically breaks down the needs of every person and what is required in order to reach a point of self-actualization. The breakdown is as follows from the bottom to the top; Physiological Needs, Safety Needs., Love and Belonging Needs, Esteem Needs, and finally Self-actualization. 

Some criminals fail to make it out of one of these areas and thus lash out because of a NEED for something. On the other hand, some criminals don’t care about anyone else and commit crimes out of pure ignorance of their behaviors. Both fail to reach self-actualization, but for different reasons and that is the difference.

I have arrested criminals stealing food because they didn’t have the resources to obtain it and were starving, yes a crime was committed and they were held responsible…but they did it because they were STARVING! 

On the other hand, I have arrested criminals for Robbery, they didn’t do it for a NEED but for a WANT instead. In their minds they said “I want this, that person has this, I will take this from that person”. See the difference? The person stealing for food has a physiological need for food. lack the resources to obtain it, and thus resorts to stealing it as a means of self-preservation. This is obviously a failure to meet the Physiological Need base and thus the true reason the crime was committed.

The Robbery scenario is a little different because it isn’t as cut in dry, the crime is committed because of a WANT instead of a NEED and thus has the capability of failing to meet multiple requirements for Self-actualization. Also, the Robbery was committed out of ignorance to how it would affect the victim, how it would hinder the community, etc. Not as basic as simply stealing food, nonetheless it can still be derived from a failed area of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. 

Of course, I arrested the person and they were convicted of the offense. The criminal in this scenario fails at potentially both the Safety Need and the Love & Belonging Need as well. The need to have resources can apply, the want to belong can apply, and the want to express love can apply as well. The point is that the criminal potentially failed in these bases, did not reach Self-actualization, and thus lashed out in the form of the criminal behavior.

I enforce the law without bias, prejudice, or discrimination and now can say that I understand criminal behavior and how it comes into development. I can speak on this topic forever and discuss it ever after that. However, I am ending it here…for now!

I Challenge You! Look at yourself and ask have I reached Self-Actualization? If not come up with a plan to take control and move forward.

Ignorance…or Simply a Crime Cry for Help?!

WHERE DID WE COME FROM...WHY ARE WE HERE?!

The whole concept of Law enforcement is relatively new in the United States; it has not been around since the beginning of time as many would believe. In fact, it actually began with ill intentions in mind but eventually evolved into what it is today. 

Policing began in the private industry when prohibition, gambling, and prostitution were booming in Colonial America. 

Basically companies would hire part time Watchmen that would stay out at night to make sure “business” continued uninterrupted. This would come in the form of intimidation, command presence, and other barely legal tactics of the time frame. The system wasn’t perfect, often time the Watchmen on duty would drink, sleep, or possibly exploit the opportunity to get involved with the “business” of the night. These men were managed poorly and the job wasn’t really sought after as it was often time seen as a punishment of sort.

As civilization developed and communities grew in size the system of employing night Watchmen became obsolete and the concept sort of split in two directions. In one direction, Watchmen slowly devolved into what we know today as “Organized Crime” or “Gang affiliation”. These men worked for a specific individual or crime family, they protected and enforced their interests as long as they were paid to do so. In the other direction, local government began taking interest in the concept of building a force to protect and enforce after many business owners complained that their businesses were being disrupted. 

It began in Boston, business owners petitioned to have the public pay for a group to protect the transportation of goods arguing that it was for the collective good of everyone so everyone should have to put in for it. It worked and Boston effectively had the first police force, this spread very quickly and soon every city had a police force of some sort. This is obviously the quick cut in dry version, but it serves to briefly explain the origins of both Law enforcement and its main jobs security.

As organized crime evolved so did law enforcement, today there are over a half a million law enforcement officer in the United States operating out of just about every jurisdiction possible. Yet, there is still plenty of crime and more hatred than ever. Civilization is constantly fighting against its natural desire to slip back into the chaos of the primordial era, some embrace it and live life without care of others. Others have embraced the modern era, they want for growth as a people, and a stop to all the all the meaningless fighting towards one another. Some of these people become LEOs, some politicians, some lawyers, etc. all goal oriented at fighting that chaos and keeping the modern world moving forward.

Although Law enforcement started with ill intentions, it evolved over time into a good to fight the bad…if that isn’t proof that there is still good in the world…then what is! Knowing both sides, the criminal actions conducted in today’s world, and what’s at stake. Ask yourself…What side am I on?  

Where Did We Come From...Why Are We Here?!        

OFF DUTY...OR SLOW DUTY?!

At a normal 9am to 5pm type of job at the end of the work day the employees turn off their computers, kill the lights on the way out, and meet up at happy hour afterwards to celebrate it being Wednesday. 

Normal people shut off work once they leave work, they are able to be social, and make decisions based off their own desires with little regard to what others think. It is sort of like having two personas, one for work and one for outside of work. I know plenty of perfectly normal people that are professionals during the week, but as soon as 5pm come on Friday they become totally different people.

These people enjoy the holidays, get snow days, and can telework if needed. I say all of this because it represents the ideal balance between work and personal time away from work that is clearly lacking in Law enforcement. 

Law enforcement is a 24hr/7 day a week operation, no matter what happens if someone calls 911 someone will answer the phone and help will respond to render assistance. It can be a blizzard outside, Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day, etc. an Officer will respond to render assistance. Response time may vary, but we will get there! 

I have worked every holiday, sacrificed time away from friends and family, and have weathered the storm all because someone has to looking out for danger, for crime, for the people, etc. Most agencies don’t work traditional hours either, there is usually at least two shift rotations in effect over several squads to make sure that Officers are always on duty. Some agencies run 12hr/shifts, some 10hr/shifts, and some 8hr/shifts. We are considered “Essential Personnel” and are required to come to work even if the there is no way to get to work, still required to be present and on time. 

There is one good thing though, we are paid very well to weather the storms and work on the holidays so most Officers (Myself included) do not mind at all. Plus, once you get use to the work schedule it becomes routine to get into uniform and out the door to make rollcall on time. Family understand, and friends will be present when time allows. 

Most people get to turn off work, not LEOs…even when you are off-duty you have to be vigilant because if a situation arises where life is in danger that Officer has to respond on or off duty it doesn’t matter. As long as an Officer is carrying his/her badge and gun they are required to step in to address the incident or render assistance if needed. To compound that some agencies require Officers to carry there badge and gun at all times, thus they never are truly off duty. 

LEOs deal with people at their worst, some of which are placed in jail and will be released at a later time. I say that because I have ran into so many people that I put away while I was off duty, at the mall, restaurants, out with friends, etc. I have never had an issue with them, however I could not eat at that restaurant if they worked there…I had to be on guard while shopping at the mall…I had be mindful of where that subject is while out with friends.

Law enforcement doesn’t just stop at the end of the shift, your never truly off duty. Thus, there can’t be two personas with LEOs just one that contains work and personal time with a bridge between them so that the switch can happen when needed. It is hard on some, and impossible for others. 

I have seen so many Officers get arrested for crimes committed while off duty, some alcohol related, some domestic related, etc. all because they couldn’t build that bridge between the work persona and personal persona. It is sad honestly, but it is something that all LEOs have to learn to live with in order to make it. 

When you agree to put on a uniform, it isn’t just for the shift…it’s for life! Off duty actions can hurt you just as much as on duty actions can because you signed up to represent a Law Enforcement Agency as an Officer. So when something bad happens it’s not just Subject A did something bad…it’s Subject A of the Area B Law Enforcement Agency did something bad. Some say that this is the hardest part of being a LEO, other have no problem balancing the two personas, the point is that Law enforcement differs from other career paths in that it’s a lifestyle not just a job. 

Off Duty...or Slow Duty?!

THE STORY HAS THREE VERSIONS...

Law enforcement actions are always under serious scrutiny; we are always under a microscope and there is always someone that Monday morning who quarterbacks any actions taken. What that person doesn’t understand or doesn’t take into consideration, is what the training officers go through and the time it takes to react to certain actions. While on scene, we don’t always have time to think about potential actions; we have to act, and act immediately to overcome whatever the situation is to maintain order. That being said, Officers do make mistakes, we are not robots and sometimes situations aren’t handled correctly. Other times, situations are handled correctly but escalate so fast that the actions taken can be seen out of context and misinterpreted by the public. 

I am not justifying all wrong doing on Officers' behalf, please believe there have been plenty of situations where the Officer is clearly in the wrong and did not take appropriate action. All I am saying is there is always three sides to the story: the Officers version, the opposite parties version, and the truth. That last one tends to be overlooked in a time of emotional response. Some people, aren’t ready for the truth, they want to believe their version even when there is significant evidence pointing to the truth. 

There are also outside forces that tend to sway public opinion; I am talking about, the Media. The Media can be the best and the worst at the same time when it comes to Law enforcement. The best because it can be used as a means for articulation and communication with the masses concerning incidents. On the other hand, it can be the worst because the Media is always out for it's own best interest, thus it can influence the public to support or rebel against certain actions taken by Law enforcement. 

This is shown through how the story is presented; leaving certain factors out, or not showing a whole video, only depicting the bad events, and etc. Remember there is always three sides of a story and the Media wants to tell the one that leads the Media to more profits in the end. See how that works; t can be used for good, but also for bad! 

I like to think of Law enforcement’s relationship with the public on a pendulum of sorts, swaying from one direction to the other constantly. One side being Good-Supportive of Law enforcement, while the other being Bad-Rebellious balancing on a want for change in Law enforcement. This tends to lead to politics behind the scenes and affects how modern law enforcement is carried out. For the boots on the ground workers looking up for guidance from command, it doesn’t make a difference where the pendulum is; we are going to come to work, put on the uniform, and respond when needed to help people. There is always be someone to respond when a citizen calls 911, and that will never change! 

I challenge you! The next time the Media puts out a story concerning a Law enforcement critical incident, be open-minded to discovering all three versions of the story, and come to your own truth based off the evidence presented.

The Story Always Has Three Versions...

MISTAKES ARE MADE...ALL THE TIME!

Law Enforcement Officers make mistakes, plain and simple…it can be as small as an error on a citation or as big as arresting the wrong individual and letting the actual criminal get away. Nevertheless how many mistakes Officers make, it is how that mistake is rectified that makes the difference.

LEOs go through 6-9 months of training that requires them to absorb and remember an enormous amount of information. I am talking: criminal law, traffic law, county/state ordinances, court procedures, laws of search and seizure, use of force, departmental policies, paperwork that is required in specific cases, and more. Knowing that, it is completely understandable that an Officer may make a reasonable mistake every now and then. If they are new or just got released from the Field Training phase... definitely. Throughout my career I have made plenty of mistakes however, I have rectified and learned from every one of them to my knowledge.

If the mistake is simple like an error on a citation, more than likely the citation will be challenged by the alleged offender and thrown out in court. The alleged offender wouldn’t pay anything, wouldn’t serve any jail time, and wouldn’t suffer any deduction in driver status through the DMV. The officer in the situation learns what not to do the next time and thus, will not make the mistake again moving forward. If it’s something like the Officer put the wrong date and time of court on the citation or warrant, that is also an easy fix; the alleged offender will be sent a letter from the agency or contacted via phone if possible and notified of the error and the correct information. In addition to that, the alleged offender can be subpoenaed to court as well to rectify the situation.

All mistakes are reported to the Supervisor; and in cases where the mistake is easily rectified, most likely the Officer won’t face any internal disciplinary action from the department. If it continues to happen though, the Officer can be recommended for some sort of disciplinary action (I. e. remedial training, etc.). 

Major mistakes are uncommon however, they do happen from time to time. Arresting the wrong person for example, isn’t too bad as long as an Officer made the initial arrest in good faith. Upon discovery of evidence proving the innocence of the subject, he or she will be released. In every department I’ve been employed by, there was a De-arrest policy in place so that if this occurs, the subject in custody can be released properly. This is not the same as being released due to not having sufficient evidence against a subject in custody. When someone is arrested, they are immediately brought before a Magistrate of the court or a Duty Officer of the Court for the purpose of presented the circumstances surrounding that subjects arrest. During that time, it can be determined via the Magistrate or Duty Officer that there isn’t sufficient evidence to make the charge. Thus, following that determination, the subject in custody is set free. 

These two examples are not illegal at all because the Officer is initially arresting the subjects based off evidence of an offense committed; however, once the determination is made by a Magistrate/Duty Officer or evidence is presented revealing the person in custody is innocent, they must be promptly released from the Officer's custody.

If the subject is held illegally after that determination is made or evidence is presented revealing innocence, that Officer can face internal Disciplinary action from the their respective agency (I. e. remedial training, suspension, separation from the agency). In addition, because that action would be considered depriving someone of their liberty without just cause to do so, the agency as well as that Officer can be sued in federal court for damages and neglect of duty. Thus, it is very important to avoid major mistakes when it comes to Law enforcement because it can lead to major consequences for both the agency and the Officer as well. Getting fired is one thing, owing 1 million dollars while being fired is another. 

Mistakes Are Made….All the Time!