The Real Reality of Policeland

After nearly 40 years in municipal law enforcement service, I have made a few personal observations about my vocation. I often use the phrase of “reality orientation” for those special learning moments in life. Now that I am retired from public service, I want to share some of my life observations from ‘Policeland.’ These are not hindsight observations but verifications of what I was told to expect, and those who warned me were correct. Now, it is my turn to advise, not warn; for this still is the most rewarding career in my eyes.

First, it is not ‘the job’ that will wear you down. Before you scoff at me and snap back about the torments of shift work, those irritating court appearances that interrupt vacations, or even the real-world hazards of the job, it all comes down to politics—both internal and external—that will wear you down. Currently, this alone can be viewed by many as the root cause of the disenfranchisement of many officers; it is pushing many to the point of leaving the vocation. Now, politics generally is viewed as the governance over governmental body or the sparring between two parties for the governing rights. Bottom line, it is all about power, those who have it and those who don’t, and therein lies the rub. This is not just in any para-military organization but also within your family, our faith systems, all fraternal organizations, local little league teams and all other portions of life.

Examples of the rub

As an upcoming officer or deputy, you think you have the seniority and the moxy to get that beat assignment, promotion or even being selected for a special assignment. But here comes along that junior officer who is ‘tied-in’ with the brass or in with a local powerbroker and magically they get the job. Now, we all have terms for this phenomenon such as he or she was a kiss-up or they had a power broker. We all have stories and the real names used in this circumstance, most not meant to be used in polite company. But it happens and will still happen, and you then become experienced to this all-too-common process. Such as, that detective who has all the cherry-picked cases handed to them to make him or her shine. Oh yes, politics also happens in ‘Detectiveland’ whether it is sweet cases or the selective assignment to that squad you wanted. Not selected, then your productivity spirals down, so why bother you ask?

Promotions and politics

There is no way I could prepare a young officer for the future internal battles that are looming in their career. Without a program I do not know the players, but you can fill in the names. When promotions come into play, it can and will be a bloodbath. Countless times, I have observed what was once a great professional and personal relationship between academy classmates dissolve over the quest for stripes on the sleeve or bars on the collars. I used to joke that candidate should place both panels of their ballistic vest on their backs during promotion time. Pity, that we should select our best candidates based on knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job. These ‘intangibles’ add into the mix where those with ties to above or external helpers—such as council members are what often seals the deal. Who benefits from a poor selection for the promotion? Nobody.

What is truly an eye-opening example are the chief of police searches. First and foremost, read the job announcement before you even apply. When the qualifications have the caveat of ‘life experience that is commensurate for this job’—stop right there and do not waste your time applying. This means some council member has a nephew who is not qualified for the job, but the announcement was couched by human resources for him to get the job. The nephew needs a job and since he does not have the qualifications, he will take whatever lesser amount that will be offered for the position. The new chief will be forever indebted to council (they have power over him) and will later haunt all involved by this appointment. What really happens when you hire a cheap chief? The morale of the department will drop, productivity will drop proportionally and even the public will pick up this clue. Due to the cheap chief’s lack of training and/or real leadership experience, there inevitably will be a bad decision; wait for it, for it is inevitable. The money saved by getting a cheap chief who will toady down to politics and not defend the officers will be a fading memory after the attorneys clean-up the legal messes. Remember, it is not the first digit but how many zeros are between that digit and the period is what really adds up.

Reality of life

It is not the years on the job, its dangers or even the life aging process; it’s the politics that weights you down. The political realities of police-life bear down on its officers and weighs more than most can ever fathom. From day one at the academy, you have had to struggle for survival; you had to keep the instructors and FTOs off you. I have mentioned the quest for everything from beat assignments, special unit assignment and promotions—they all have their own special dynamics. Matters not how bright and shiny your record may be, those who have the ‘pull’ from outside of the process more than often will get the nod. Many have asked me, ‘where is the justice in this’ within this burdensome process? I often tell them Porter Wagoner wrote a country song in 1967 called The Cold Hard Facts of Life that is the reality of it. If you are seeking a fair shake in life, this vocation is not the place to seek it. Want to see “fair” in life, that is where you take your kids to see the animals and get cotton candy. Not trying to sound jaded myself, but I have been navigating these same waters for years. When I ‘retired from public service,’ it was a weight off my shoulders. I recall a martial arts instructor who would make his students wear a backpack and he would then place weights or rocks in the pack for their workout. The extra weight to carry made them stronger. The last few months, I felt the rocks come out of my pack and now carry no load - just the concern for my vocation and those remaining in it.

I am not down on my lifelong vocation—it was my true calling and I appreciated it. There were times where I reviled it and it was because of some of the scenarios I mentioned above. Yes, this occupation is fraught with political perils and obstacles. If you are new at this, you now have a general idea of what to expect and hopefully how to face these rocks placed before you or in your pack. Be honest with yourself and never compromise your ethics and spirit.

Will law enforcement as we know it make it? Of course, we will be bloodied and unbowed as we face our outside doubters and haters. Eventually, I feel we will be respected again. However, while we have hunkered down to weather this storm, it is imperative that leaders, both in uniform and civilian, need to stop business as usual and treat and honor this as a profession.