Mind-Set

18 Oct 07

Proper mind-set? This from an LEO friend in a Midwest city:

"Last weekend, our officers responded to a report of a distraught woman on a downtown sidewalk, screaming at passers-by. One of our patrol officers made contact. She found the woman leaning against the side of a building, talking with herself.

Our officer approached cautiously, using a pillar for cover. When she verbally contacted the suspect, the woman turned away, conspicuously ignoring the officer. Our officer then moved forward. The suspect suddenly turned and rushed the officer, pushing her backwards into the pillar, ripping the radio from her hand. Backup was already on its way.

At this point, our officer panicked. She disengaged, ran back to her beat car, and locked herself in. Her sergeant and several other officers arrived less than a minute later. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. Our officer came away from the incident with scrapes and bruises, a bump on the head, and a torn uniform. No one else was hurt.

Our officer fled the confrontation, despite the fact that she was armed with OC spray and an ASP expanding baton (local politics have, thus-far, kept Tasers out of our hands). She has been with the department for fifteen years, but quit paying attention ten years ago. Ever since, she has been contentto ride around in a beat car, take reports of incidents long-since concluded," respond" to alarm calls hours after they are received, and alwaysbe the last one to arrive when sent to any kind of "in-progress" disturbance. Not surprisingly, she does no self-initiated, traffic enforcement.

She doesn't think tactically, complains incessantly about having to participate in defensive tactics training, hates guns, and has an all-inclusive (and obviously misplaced!) faith in her ability to talk to people out of violent actions.

Our "management" continuously ducks the issue by insisting that we have a training issue, rather than a personal performance/commitment issue."

Comment: Even with aggressive recruiting, some people should never be hired as police officers! They're just not suited to the job, and all the training in the would won't magically convert them into a different person. They need to get out, or be ushered out!

/John

Comments on mind-set

18 Oct 07

Sage comments on mind-set from a seasoned, female agent, with many years of operational experience:

"I can only hope that the responding officers pointed at her and reminded everyone else on the job that she isn't worth her salt. It's time to call foul on everyone who will not stand and fight when that is clearly their duty.

For one, I am weary of women's law-enforcement associations that 'fight' for women's 'rights.' A WOMAN POLICE OFFICER'S RIGHTS ARE PRECISELY THE SAME AS A EVERYONE ELSE'S! You have the right to go to work, knowing it may be your last shift; to take care of your partner and the public, at the risk of your own life; to receive no recognition nor special dispensation because of your sex, race, size, creed, etc; to expect nary even a 'thank-you'. There are no other 'women's rights' in this job, and none should be expected. Welcome to Planet Earth!

Scars are the proof of life. You don't get them, and the stories that go with them, by sitting on your fat ass while everyone else does your job!

Disgracing neither our families nor our regiment is, and should be, more important to us than life itself. Our 'regiment' includes thousands of years of our fearless, warrior ancestors courageously fighting battles that couldn't be won, but were.

In their honor, you need to either paint, or get off the ladder!"

Comment:

"Who do evil should be afraid, for police do not bear arms in vain. It is in the service of God that they visit wrath upon wrongdoers."

Romans 13

"Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Therefore, give yourself fully to your endeavors. Decide to construct your character through excellent actions and determine to pay the price of a worthy goal. The trials you encounter will introduce you to your strengths. Remain steadfast, and one day you will build something that endures; something worthy of your potential."

Epicetus

"It is better, by noble boldness, to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to sit in cowardly inaction, for fear of what audacity might bring forth."

Herodotus

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win great triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the dreary, gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

TR

The Clock of Life is wound but once, and no man has the power To tell just when the hands will stop, at a late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time, my friend... for the Clock will soon be still!

/John