At the risk of sounding positive

[I'mNobody]

Many of you have much to complain about, for that I'm sorry. Many of you have hurt feelings, again...I'm sorry. But many of you also have the ability to help our Agency become what you wish it was. For that, I'm asking for your help.

Without unreasonable negativity and name calling, can you respond with the hardest issue you facing coming into work each day.

Maybe bringing some simplicity to the issues we're all facing will help bring some much needed resolution.

And for those who will inevitably wonder, I really am nobody to this Agency.

[Unregistered]

I can't really say a lot about the deputy's because I don't work in that division, but I believe we all need to be heard, including the civilians.

[Silence Dogood]

I agree with all the past negativity. People are upset and the people who are oblivious to it OR are part of the problem bash them telling them to leave. It’s difficult to be positive or even want to come to work when you have the Sheriff telling everyone in the forum that supervisors shouldn’t be doing certain things or saying “that’s not happening”. Then quite literally on several occasions I have heard or seen supervisors doing exactly what the Sheriff said is not happening, once was the same day of the forum.

The list of problems in my opinion are everywhere and are easily seen. But wait that’s because I actually do my job and listen to the radio, check in on my colleagues (both for well being as well as accountability AND for the big one....correct people when they are out of line or violating policy or doing things unsafe or just plain stupid and tacti-fool. I’m not worried about tweeting and what’s trending or how many stupid emojis are tied to a ridiculous picture I posted to everyone of my vacation while all my colleagues are working.

Maybe some real accountability would happen if ALL of the supervisors would come out of their crystal palaces and actually see what’s going on. They are too far disconnected with what’s really going on! Those details won’t work themselves! Or someone will work a detail but not work patrol or fill in at a school. Probably because that would require a uniform or shaving and they can do what they want at a detail anyways. But we know that doesn’t happen, they have too many projects or major ignorant policies to create.

Simple things like oh maybe letting a uniformed person wear a load bearing or tac vest to salvage their back, or maybe wear a green SO ball cap so they don’t have cancer, little things like that make people know we are the valuable resource. We can’t be progressive like other agencies that do that but we sure can rock the hell out of some social media. Maybe the next mass casualty event that occurs we will be known for all our great posts. I’m sure the people that call the police are worried about how nice our class B are or better yet how authoritative our campaign hats look. We are naturally more involved with the community when we are happy to come to work. We don’t need all this pseudo fake news we are so happy propaganda. If we cared about our people we would take care of them then they would work harder. Oh wait I believe that’s a basic trait of true leadership.

So are you saying if we relaxed the uniform policy everything is fixed? Hell no.

Oh so you’re saying if supervisors actually supervised things will be better? Hell no.

I’m saying step back for minute and check yourself. What’s really important? Where am I failing? What have I done to empower my troops. Do I even know anything about my troops? Am I more worried about people liking me or my next career move OR do I wear my chevrons, bars or stars because I legitimately earned them and know how to use them the way they are supposed to be used.

[Unregistered]

Staffing, Staffing, and Staffing

We are short staffed and out of nowhere, they pull together units that we don't need and don't have the staff for. We don't need a loss prevention unit, SCORE did not need another LT, NRDs did not need a Sergeant.

[I'mNodody]

Thank you,

-staffing
-employee input

Who reiterates the same or what other issues are you facing?

[I'mNobody]

"Silence DoGood" I didn't mean to exclude you from the list but I didn't see your post prior to my last reply. Thank you for contributing! If you're willing, Can you try and classify what you consider to be the hardest issue you face going into work each day? As in, If you had to isolate one issue to address? I understand there are many things we disagree with or wish to change, my hope with this thread is to establish a poll of our highest priority issues and later develop solutions.

[Unregistered]

Let’s work through this problem logically.

Staffing has the greatest correlation to low moral at this agency at this time. Every department is spread razor thin and one person has to do the work of many. PTO is limited, overtime is denied, classes and transfers are delayed indefinitely. Lack of career advancement and lack of rest have a crushing affect on moral.

To improve staffing we have to provide an incentive for recruitment and retention. The Sheriff has explained several times county money is limited so we can’t possibly compete with other agencies to incentivize with money. So we have to offer other benefits to compete with other agencies. Like what? Eliminate the tattoo restrictions, eliminate the beard restrictions, offer load bearing vest instead of polyester. We are an agency stuck in the past. We demand pressed polyester uniforms with polished brass and leather belts. We get the largest, most cumbersome body cameras on the market. We can’t even wear ball caps in the rain for goodness sake. We have to evolve in order to compete with other agencies. These benefits cost us literally nothing and yet we continue on like we have no idea why people flee to work at other agencies.

So what is keeping us from evolving and offering the most basic, obvious incentives? Clearly an administration that is disconnected with it’s people. The top managers don’t know or don’t care about what incentivizes their people. We’ve abandoned promoting leaders and instead rely on mangers. They get the job done but run their people into the ground. True leaders understand what motivates their people and care more about the wellbeing of their subordinates rather than their next promotion. Leadership is not about being “in charge”; it’s about caring for those in your charge.

Want to generate positivity? Take care of your people.
Promote people who take care of their people.
Show that you actually care about your people.

If you don’t care about your people at least tell us so we can seek employment somewhere else with a clear conscience.