Think about it

Here's a thought – mull this one over.

First let me start by saying that I am not a fan of Capt. Chaos and I think that this forum has served a great purpose for us to vent our frustrations – on both sides of the coin.

What we should really look at is just how good we have it here. Our contract alone puts others to shame. Even the ones who come close to our pension drop their jaws in shock when they learn we get paid to work out, and all of the other "little" benefits that go along with our badge.

Now, I truly believe that we do have a morale problem on the road, and I think most of it is justified. I think it is evident from all of the postings. Not just with the administration, but also between ourselves. I also laugh at the idea that the griping is from only a few disgruntled souls. Those on the road know this is not the case. But what if we came to a realization that we are all on the same team, all of us working for a common goal. Think back on why it really was that we all got into police work. I am willing to bet my next detail check that less than 3% of the department got in just for a paycheck. We got in to do the right thing and above all else, to help people. Now some of the old timers may laugh and call me naïve or think that I am one of the FNG's, but I am one of the "old-timers". I have felt the wrath of Demma, Palant, Schelling, and Yetto. Hell, I even remember taking heat from Perindozi.

My point is this; if we all made an attempt, an honest attempt, to put our petty differences aside and work together as a team (God forbid), think of how great it would be here. We should all have one vision, one mission. Forget all the "commitment to serve" crap. The bottom line is that any one of us would (and have) run directly into harm's way to save someone who we have never met before and would never have given us the time of day prior to their crises. We are elite ourselves for being what Dave Grossman calls "sheepdogs". The 1% of society who are out there to protect the sheep. We all have a common goal that we share. If we could just focus on that, instead of who was stuffing his face at Friday's, or who has to work a zone instead of skate on a traffic back-up post, think of what we can become.

The way that I see it, the administration, from Captains up, have failed in their job to provide leadership and a vision. It is up to us, and it isn't that hard for us to do. If we set the vision and the path, THEY will follow, and God willing, they will then lead.

Some of you will think you know who this is. For a variety of reasons, I will remain anonymous, and I look forward to your thoughts, both for and against these comments.


Be safe, and do the right thing.

Amen Brotha

What is leadership to you? Do you see leadership in someone who is liked, who you like, who you want to be around, who you want to work for? That is what it seems like some of the people on this site think leadership is. We find some of things in leaders. Unfortunately, once that boss does something you don't like or holds you to the fire for something you have done, it seems that he or she is not someone to like anymore.

I have had my differences with that Cpt on more than one occasion. I happen to think he is a decent guy more than anything else. BUT, whether you agree or disagree with changes he has made or decisions he has made, you must admit this: He is here-at work- and he is doing his job. He is not trying to screw cops, he is not running around looking to catch people doing wrong. He is not home or off taking care of some hobby or personal interest like skiing or diving or just F'ing the dog while we are working. He is here. The guy tries to do the right thing, is always working to try to help someone out of a jam and has improved the way this department functions, even if it was at the cost of some of our perks or conveniences. Sure he pisses people off. Isn't that what happens when stuff changes?! He and his Major are probably the only two in the administration that still care about the department and the people in it, and it shows. And that is after the recent actions of the PBA and the disgruntled. There is leadership here. Some just can't see it. They are looking for the wrong thing. I have plenty of friends and I don't need or want that guy to be one of them. I just need for him to be a Captain, and he is the only one doing that.

I couldn't disagree with you more, especially about the looking for someone doing something wrong. Leadership is many things, and 20 people will have 20 different answers, so I respect your thoughts on leadership. Me, I expect a leader to (among other things), when you do something wrong, be there to pick you up, dust you off, and tell you to get back in the game, just don't do that again. I'm not talking about Hollywood PD wrong, I'm talking about small errors in judgement. That Captain doesn't quite get that. I think what is working against him is a huge lack of credibility from his inexperinece on the road. The new guys won't really see this, but anyone over, say, eight years knows.

You talk about the Major, and I agree with you. He gets it and he is well respected.

I also don't disagree with those who are being labeled the "whiners and crybabies", because they bring up some very valid points. My thought is that we just let it go and work as one big team sharing a common goal and vision. We need a Sergeant or several Sergeants to bring us together on that level. I just don't see that leadership at the Captain level right now. I think Capt. R would love to do this, but he just isn't sure how. I commend him for his efforts, but I think he has gone about it all the wrong way, and still there is the credibilty issue working against him.

Nobody has to kiss a$$, we just need to come together and not sweat the small stuff.

Well I must say some of the posts are becoming more intelligent. I also agree with some of the sentiments expressed, not all, but some. One common theme I am seeing is that of unity. More specifically of the need to unify. Lets all face it, we are all a family, like it or not. I would personally lay down my life for anyone of you. Our department is by far the best in the tri-county area, if not the state. We have very few people on organizational welfare, those who come to work for the money. They have a source of stress in their jobs. The rest of us have a career, a calling, we went to work for PPPD, not for the money. I am calling on all my brothers and sisters to do some tough things, important things. Quit beating up on your co-workers, "A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another" (John Paul Drucker). Think about that for a minute. That was #1. #2, stop beating up on other departments, namely Hialeah. It is unprofessional and in poor form. Do you think if you were getting your behind handed to you on the side of Pines Blvd a Hialeah cop would drive by without stopping, I don't. They are brothers and sisters, lets treat them as such. I am sure some comments are made in jest but that doesn't negate the fact that they are unprofessional and potentially hurtful. A cop is a cop, period. #3, unify. We are all facing some tough times with budget cuts. We need to band together and support everyone, from the top on down. Things are going to be hard for a while, we need each other to lean on. Do yourself a favor and look around, we are not facing the problems Fort Lauderdale is, or any other agency is. We have it very good here. We are not getting shot at every night, our citizens support us and almost every other cop you meet wants to be a Pines cop. Why are we so hard to get hired with, because we hire the best. Look in the mirror, you are the best! Think about what the right thing to do is, it is not always the easy thing. Think about the things your bosses ask you to do. If it is not illegal, immoral, unethical or a violation of G.O.'s then do it. Some decisions are not popular. An unpopular decision however does not make it a bad one. There is doing what's right for everyone and it may not make you happy, but it is still right. As far as zone integity goes, no one likes getting dumped on. But look at your shoulder (either one), it says Pembroke Pines, not zone __ on it. Handle the call and stop complaining. No one really cares about your complaining. It is sad, but true. If you are not capable of not complaining then just come to work and do your job. None of us should strive for mediocrity. We should demand the pursuit of excellence from ourselves and from one another. The best helping hand you have is your own. If you get passed over for a position don't dwell on it and let it poison you, pull yourself up, dust yourself off and pick up the pieces and put them back together. Too many of us fall off the horse and blame the horse for our problems. If you fall of, get back on. Ask one question of the deciding parties. What could I do to better to improve myself so I stand a better chance at this position in the future? There are 250 qualified people in this department and the competition is stiff. There is a lot of talent out there, especially among the new guys. I have been passed over too many times to count, but I stay positive and try to make myself better. In closing it is important for me to add a few things. When you leave that interview room after getting passed over, ask YOURSELF what you could do better, and be honest with yourself. Also, ask a friend or someone who is a straight shooter. We are not as perfect as we think we are, it is important to have someone tell you what is wrong with you if you can't see it. That person is a true friend if they are honest with you. Lastly I ask you all to stand together, united for the betterment of the agency. Many of us have decades to spend together, lets try to make the most of them. Lets all stop the bickering and trash talking. It is not good for the soul or Karma. Remember, what goes around comes around. Spread the good will and in return you too shall have good will. A little kindness is contagious! United we stand, divided we fall. Peace!

Thank God that someone is speaking up for sense. I could not have put it as good as you did, but thanks for speaking for all of us that feel that way about things. We need to be positive.

Good posts all around. Very well stated.
Everyone who has been here for 10 years plus knows that the working environment between patrolman and sergeant is infinitely better than "the ole days" where there was a serious divide between the two. That’s a salute to the new breed of Sergeants here, they did not forget where they came from.I'm not saying they're perfect or that I even like them all but nobody here, no matter what complaint would want to return to the Yetto/Demma days. No one.

That being said there are two major issues plaguing morale over the entire department ( and Chief I hope your monitoring).

Favoritism

I think command does not quite get what a killer this is to the rank and file. I'm not saying everyone who puts in for a position is worthy of it. I'm not talking about the guy who puts in for every g-dam position that comes along. I'm not speaking of personality conflicts where the supervisor and the officer applying just flat out are not going to work together.

BUT..Nothing blows morale to hell like the current buddy system in effect for specialized units. I think the 4th floor at least underestimates this and in our current financial state this may be irrelevant now anyway. However, with fewer units and positions available over the next couple of fiscal years, when that competition factor is multiplied, the buddy system will really sting.

LACK OF TEAMWORK

.... and sorry Captain, a team mission statement isn’t really going to build unity . As stated so well above, looking out for your zone partners a little more, would go a long way.
I'm lucky, my squad works as a team. Every shift. Every week. I would hate to be new around here now, with no option to pick my co-workers, and have to work where the rest of my team is working hard to do nothing. It should not be this way. And That’s no ones fault but our own. Your team/squad/shift is what you make it. Slugs, as they say, will be slugs. The same could be said for the stat-hound that does not pull his/her share of the call load and here ,often I think sergeants take too much of an observers role.

But in they end , we all have to be the ones to pick up a call holding or take a report for a zone partner that is swamped.

Two things, really kind of petty. Yet they create a lot of discontent, maybe more than perceived even in this forum.[/b]

A true leader LEADS by example. Just because a person is a "boss" does not mean that he/she is a leader. Consistency is key here and that is one thing that is being left out. The both of you (and I know who you are and care a great deal for you two) state excellent points in which I agree, but if a supervisor is not consistent in his/her behavior or actions how is that supervisor supposed to gain respect? I am not talking about being liked as a friend nor am I saying that the person should "lay the hammer down". There is an area in between where the supervisor can also be a leader, gain the respect of his/her subordinates, get the job done and create an atmosphere in which one will be happy to work for that supervisor. All that person needs to do is be consistent, believe in what he/she says and show that in his/her actions. THAT person would make a great leader. Now you two hug.

How can a person get any respect when they march a certain "subordinate" into a subject of rank's office to council them on the number of sick days they use, when they themselves (actually worse) did the same thing? A perfect example is that of one of our current Stripes that would take off every time their cat got sick, or anything else they could think of? How can I (or anyone else) possibly respect someone like this? If you want to act like a respected hardcore leader, you probably should've thought of that prior to putting in for your current position. I really don't want to hear some cheezy lines (from some war movie) to make me respect you. I want to respect a leader. Not someone that puts up a good front.

How about if you all give "shinebox" a shot. The guy started off to a rocky start, and he has some really strange quirks I agree. But in talking to him and now working with him, I really think that he has the best interest of the officers in mind. Not everyone is a superstar out of the box. Most people thought Mike Paz would be a nightmare as a Sgt. but he turned out to be one of the best on the road. (Sorry to use you as an example Mike - nice email by the way)

Give the guy a fighting chance and let him see what he can do. If he doesn't work out in a few months than so be it. Work with him, not against him. Try it and see.

"Ed Gein" is my main concern. Keep posting your "nice guy" facia posts. I know the true liar you are. Keep writing your innuendos on who I am and I'll post the entire debacle on this site. There must be a reason why you think I am who I am, posting these posts. You know who you've wronged, and why. How is it you could point the finger at someone without having any reason behind it?

This is a little off topic but it is to address the last post. I know both people you are talking about and I know you too. Do you know why the stripes banged in so often. Maybe he had legitimate illnesses. Have you ever asked him? Also, do you think that maybe he was ever counseled by a sergeant, or multiple sergeants for his use of sick leave. I have heard he was, on several occassions and by the brother of the officer he counseled. Perhaps his marching of the officer into the person of ranks office was at the request of the person of rank and not the sergeant himself. Have you ever asked him or are you still avoiding him over that unpleasantness in October? I have heard him speak highly of you to this day, no anger, no anymosity and no character bashing. Ask around and you shall find it is true. Let me ask you, who is the bigger person there. I would say it is him. I have heard nothing but negativity from your mouth about him. Time heals all wounds so when are you going to get over it? Embrace one of the above posts and unify, he'll be there for you if you ever need him. I would say a person can gain respect by being consistent and fair. We need sergeants and above to be both and by and large they are. Have you spoken to every person who ever worked under him. Gain a synopsis from what you learn from that. Too often we want to work for the cool sergeant. I want to work for someone who is fair, knowledable, or at least knows when to say they don't know the answer but will find out, someone who is consistent and fair. Also bear in mind this guys stripes are still velcroed on. Lets give all our new supervisors a little room to grow and learn before we cut them off at the knees on the internet. Just a thought to ponder.

Oops, not the last post, too many people posting at once. The post I was replying to is from 06/08/2007 21:55 hours.

A few months from now would be too late. After his probation ends, he will not be any different than he is now. Initially it was sworn that he would not make it past his probation by ??guess who???, but since he's a kissa$$, it's guaranteed he will be the next Sergeant for the next 15 years.
Thank you for our next Perindozi. I thought our times were well beyond this type of management.

This is a little off topic but it is to address the last post. I know both people you are talking about and I know you too. Do you know why the stripes banged in so often. Maybe he had legitimate illnesses. Have you ever asked him? Also, do you think that maybe he was ever counseled by a sergeant, or multiple sergeants for his use of sick leave. I have heard he was, on several occassions and by the brother of the officer he counseled. Perhaps his marching of the officer into the person of ranks office was at the request of the person of rank and not the sergeant himself. Have you ever asked him or are you still avoiding him over that unpleasantness in October? I have heard him speak highly of you to this day, no anger, no anymosity and no character bashing. Ask around and you shall find it is true. Let me ask you, who is the bigger person there. I would say it is him. I have heard nothing but negativity from your mouth about him. Time heals all wounds so when are you going to get over it? Embrace one of the above posts and unify, he'll be there for you if you ever need him. I would say a person can gain respect by being consistent and fair. We need sergeants and above to be both and by and large they are. Have you spoken to every person who ever worked under him. Gain a synopsis from what you learn from that. Too often we want to work for the cool sergeant. I want to work for someone who is fair, knowledable, or at least knows when to say they don't know the answer but will find out, someone who is consistent and fair. Also bear in mind this guys stripes are still velcroed on. Lets give all our new supervisors a little room to grow and learn before we cut them off at the knees on the internet. Just a thought to ponder.

How blind you are!?! Look deeper into the incidents you speak of, and not only will you see what a moron he was, but also who I really am.
How many times can you ask someone if they were threatened before they actually say what you want to hear? How about five?
And how many times did he call a Sergeant on every call he went to, shortly before he himself became a Sergeant?
This is someone who has absolutely no confidence in himself, or his own decision making process.
Don't stick up for him because he does whatever you ask of him. He is his own worse enemy, and currently the laughing stock of this department.

Well, I guess the hell with coming together as a team. I think we should have all six teams, the DB and Admin all square off in an eight-way Battle Royal. The last group standing gets to make the rules from here on out.

Flogging will also be instituted in lieu of written reprimands. If you really screw up, the following measures will be implemented:

Men - "Seven minutes in Heaven" behind a locked door with Either M. Moore or BGA.

Women - Capt. Chaos gets 10 minutes with you to prove his "Wild Animal" prowess that he truly believes he has.

Any other suggestions?

It's not what I believe, it's just what they tell me. Sorry. Roarrrr!