What IF?
If I was a stupid rookie that could not tell the difference between an
NTA and a PC, would I not want some practical advice?
Sure I would. Here it is.
Those of you who have been around awhile should feel free to add to this list.


Rookie Rules
#1 Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Police officers (most especially the older and more experienced officers) will be suspicious of you regardless of who you are. No one will trust you initially, despite what your FTO tells you and regardless of all that stuff they told you in the academy. As far as your academy training, all the most important things were left out. So listen and learn. Don't ever say you know something, because you don't. Don't say anything that has a ****y, arrogant or aggressive tone. You really do not know anything. In order to get the best possible training, the best assistance and the best advice, you must come in everyday with a humble outlook and a box of donuts (thats funny).

#2. Although no one has ever explained this to you, what is really happening is that you are learning a new way to think. All of your former perceptions as a stupid civilian will be altered. You will learn to see people in a new light, and you will see them at their worst. Why is this important? Everything you say and do will be under scrutiny from now until the time you retire (assuming you make it that far without divorce, alcoholism, suicide, medical problems, etc). Today, the use of video by the public can make you an instant star on the six o'clock news. Every time you open your mouth, the police officers who are senior to you are judging you on whether or not you will be able to handle yourself, and on how much they can trust you.

#3. The department has rules that are set up for a reason. You are stupid and new and you must follow the rules. Dont bend them or break them. Eventually you will find out why the rules are in place and how, under certain circumstances, they can be twisted somewhat. Some rules, however, cannot ever be broken. These you must leave alone.

#4. Trust, Respect, Integrity are all words that are over-used and underappreciated by civilians. Not so with us. If you are a liar, a thief, a cheat, a tattletale (the police word for this is "rat") you will soon find yourself in a very uncomfortable and lonely place.

#5. Sometimes you will find yourself in circumstances that are difficult from a moral, ethical or legal point of view. When this happens, as it eventually does to all police officers, you will be judged by your peers as well as your superiors. Be prepared.

#6. Egos have no place in this environment. Police officers have to work in very serious situations under a lot of stress on a regular basis for years at a time. All of us are heroes. All of us are unappreciated. All of us have done heroic things that only we are aware of. There is certainly nothing wrong with someone getting a little well-deserved recognition. BUT, it you think you are the Grand Poobah and everyone else is cat poop- you'll soon be back in that uncomfortable and lonely place we mentioned before.

#7. Locker rooms are for locker room talk. Sometimes it becomes necessary to say things to someone who may or may not understand it in the normal way. Locker Rooms are special places because what goes on in there is never repeated out here.

#8. Its really dumb to have to say this but most people nowadays really are confused about it. Life is UNFAIR. You will be treated unfairly. Citizens, not having any idea of who you are, will judge you merely because you are wearing a badge. Someone will spit on your cruiser door handles, someone will call in a false complaint against you, someone will say you took their watch or their wallet or their dope. And you may get in trouble for it. Yeah, you may be innocent and still get in trouble. It happens. When it does, you have two choices: suck it up and get over it, or whine about it and be miserable and piss eveyone off because of your whining.

#9----open for the next guy.......