Here is your mission for the month. Find your department’s resident old guy or your favorite curmudgeon and pick their brain for answers on career development. As most in this profession, we have all had our ups and downs, scars, mistakes and learning moments; it’s what goes on in Policeland. We all have a bit of retrospect, some more than others. All of us often ponder to ourselves ‘how would things be if I had gotten ‘do over’. I honestly believe if you rounded up enough of us and got candid answers, you could write the pathway for a better career. I think that you could even break down the questioning into personal, private and professional areas. So before you ask your resident old guy, I will give you my side and it is my hope that I may answer someone’s questions and help.
Personally, I wish I had finished college when I started it. No, I had several of life’s interruptions but finally finished it the tough way. I did it attending night school, balancing a family and detective squad all at once. If it all possible, finish it while you are young and free of all the distractions. If there ever was a poster child for staying in college it would have been me. Once you are on the job, the balancing act of court time, shift work and life becomes so complex that college can become a fleeting notion. Returning to college was a problem back in my day, now you have the on-line collegiate offerings which afford far more flexibility, so take advantage of it. Invest in the late night hours towards a degree and whatever you do, stick to it! At least a bachelor’s degree if not a master’s degree is required to go up the promotional ladder. Do not put it off, go for it and complete it to position yourself for the future.
Private side of life is that I missed far too many athletic events and other life moments of my son’s young life. It is easy to say you had to work or could not get off, it would have been an effort yes, but maybe the rewards would have been greater. Every officer knows that shift work demands create several family conflicts. Instead of missing it, you could have recreated or rescheduled the party but I did not. I missed out on a lot but in spite of me, the young lad turned into a fine man. The family side of the career can be your therapy or fun time away from the stresses of the vocation. Who knows you might actually enjoy it. So don’t forget the home fires.
A second private side is that of personal financial planning, which most cops perform poorly at. If you even think you are going to make it on your pension, rethink quickly before it is too late. If you want to retire comfortable and not have to work part-time I strongly encourage you to contact a financial planner. Start up a supplemental retirement and/or savings plan of some kind. I know if you are young, you don’t think about nor do you have that much extra income to put away for a rainy day twenty years from now. Small but positive steps will get you there, this is another wish I had done better.
Professional area is that a few times I skated out on a challenge or two. Yes, as a military veteran I was taught to never volunteer, so I eluded a few opportunities. I will give thanks to my former chief who called me in for a ‘mandatory opportunity to excel’ moment which is also called voluntold. I had to work outside of my comfort zones to improve my experience and skill sets. There will be times that the opportunity door cracks open. My advice is to hit it and drive through it. The learning lessons and new skill sets will be worth the efforts. Most of these are proving grounds for the promotable, make that impression! You may only get a chance or two, so grab it when you can.
In the areas of training I wish I had also spent more time in classes built around interpersonal communications skills. Now there are several courses out there and I refer to them as ‘tactical talking’ which we all have taken and used their skills successfully. Most of us like the tactical training or the ‘kick and shoot’ training. Some of us even belonged to the karate for lunch bunch. The courses dealing with the psychology and communication skills (to include interviewing) were not on my radar then but I only wish I had focused on them in retrospect. Maybe I could have solved an extra case or two with these enhanced skills. The ability to communicate with a purpose may have also reduced a complaint or two as well. When planning your career you have several paths. Most take the easy path for they want to avoid the effort. Seek balance in all of your training. Even if you become a specialist in say traffic accident reconstruction or even forensics; eventually you will need other skill sets to become promotable. If you are already a supervisor continually seek out supervisor or management level training and take every budgeting course you can grab.
Another training area which most of my generation lacks is technology. Yes, it is here to stay. Law enforcement becomes more dependent on it every day and you cannot avoid it. The younger generation has had a computer of some shape or fashion in their hands since they could walk. It is a part of their life. Don’t let new technological advances elude you, read, explore and learn. Sure the days of a car with a siren switch and a two knob radio are over. Today’s patrol cars are more akin to a cockpit rather than a driver’s seat. I can only fathom what it will be like in twenty years. Stay abreast of the newfangled things coming our way.
Pay for the coffee - When you find that old crusty veteran you trust, sit down and pay for the coffee. There will be the stories of the good old days and how things were better then. Listen to them and seek out their advice. If they care about you they will tell you the truth on what you need to do to make it in this vocation. This old copper has seen many come and go, we know what drove off some and what it takes to make it. Set out on your career’s path, sure there will be a detour and a rock in the roadway every now and then. What I want is for you to take the correct path, the one with the most rewards for professional, private and personal successes. I‘ll take cream and one sugar with my coffee. Train Hard and Train Smart!
William L. Harvey | Chief
William L. "Bill" Harvey is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran. He has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey served for over 23 years with the Savannah (GA) Police Department in field operations, investigations and completed his career as the director of training. Served as the chief of police of the Lebanon City Police Dept (PA) for over seven years and then ten years as Chief of Police for the Ephrata Police Dept (PA). In retirement he continues to publish for professional periodicals and train.
