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.

[Silence Dogood]

Much agreed.

It’s almost as if some of our comments are out of a Leadership book.

I’m not super smart but I’ve read a plethora of books. From the Leadership Challenge to All of Covey’s books even making Magic and everything in between. A lot of people read books to be part of the “in crowd” and obviously didn’t take any of the traits to heart. But what is more disheartening is that the lack of leadership is rampant at all levels.

Almost all books I read describe that organizations that have people that aren’t happy usually have a distinct lack of leadership and lack of communication. With that said we have gotten better about certain communications. But the supervisors need to step up their games. Nothing is more nauseating in the forum when the Sheriff offers to fix things but it’s nothing but crickets or someone trying to
say look at me.

Leadership is about inspiring others to follow you into battle. Leadership is horizontal not vertical.

If a simple minded person like myself can see it why can’t the others.

Case in point a certain division that could never be staffed has people flocking to it. Is it the pay? Is it the super exciting police work? Nope. They have a one hell of leader.

[Silence Dogood]

Agreed about the simplicity of the solution. Lack of leadership is rampant in this organization.

The discontent of the employees is direct byproduct of said problem.

Our many posts resemble what many of the great leadership books identify as the epitome of leadership failure. Interestingly enough all of our leaders read books because it would help them to fit in the “in crowd”. They could pop off some really eloquent quotes or regurgitate some new buzz words but all along they had no idea what they were doing. This leadership facade is similar to the old “golf cliques” or “motorcycle gangs”. People wanting to move up the ladder so badly they’d do anything to grab the next rung.

I’m a few fries short of a happy meal but I have read a few books in my time. From the Leadership Challenge to all of Covey’s books to even Making Magic and probably everything in between, I’ve read a lot.

What’s notable is that when you see all the discontent in an organization, it’s directly proportional to the leadership. Yet in our organization they point fingers, blame other administrators, identify people as “disgruntled” or any host of other reasons to point the blame in other directions other than the four fingers pointing back at themselves. Or better yet they turn a blind eye citing plausible deniability or enforce policies on who and when they want to. We have all heard or been in the forum where the Sheriff himself is offering to fix problems and when he asks what to do you hear? Crickets! Everyone is happy in our division! No issues to report sir! I have no idea what’s going on in my division but that’s ok, my Sgt, my Lt, my Capt, my Chief have no idea either! But oh wait sir, let me be a pea**** and show my feathers of how great I am!

What about all of those non producing special positions that have been created? Yes I went there. All of those people that spend their time shifting their hours so they can work details when they should be in the office or conducting (wait for it) investigations. All of those special investigators that have an impeccable track record. All those people that have all of a year or two of experience but couldn’t produce on the road but needed that unmarked soo badly. Yes a search of cafe is easy to see who really produces.

What is really amazing how people are fighting each other to go work a detail but yet we are leaving patrol understaffed. So let’s look at this, our constitutional obligation to serve our county is neglected but we are quick to serve a construction company or church or private citizen because they want a deputy or because they are cutting a check? Seriously are we that out of touch? When did reducing crime and the fear of crime get replaced with servicing all the off duty requests first? Did I miss one of the millions of revisions that were sent out by someone that had no real patrol experience? But I guess if all these upper echelon allow it it must be copasetic. I mean all those supervisors must know that they are changing their office hours to work details right? As long as their closing cases who cares right? I’m just saying that if my people were saying I was not in the office today cause I needed to work a detail fine. I get it, we need money. But every day? Or when I see someone that has a beard and worked a detail the next day still had a beard? Hmm maybe this investigation stuff is more complex than needing a GED.

Which brings me back to my original point. Leadership or lack there of. If we actually had some real leadership things would change. Maybe they should do what some of the cities do and rotate people out of specialty positions (investigators, etc) every 3 years. GASP!! OMG!! See how many of the people in 100 and Depot Ave would be like pump the brakes that’s not cool! See how fast they start producing or....what would really happen is they would give us all this song and dance of how they are specially trained and it takes them years to be proficient in their position. Did anyone realize that the cities have some brilliance in that people get too comfortable in positions and should be rotated out? I mean don’t get me wrong they still do some jacked up stuff. Some agencies still rotate patrol shifts days to nights back to days. We have people that retire in positions.

So to my friend “I’mNobody”, no offense taken. It sickens me to even acknowledge you as that because you are somebody. I am certain you have raving evaluations that make you look like someone our organization can’t live without. You probably seek guidance from your supervisors of how to improve or what you can do better and are probably told “nothing” or “you’re great, I wish I had more of you”. That coupled with your personnel folder that’s probably exploding with pointless mor’s for just doing your job, just add to your frustration. I highly doubt you are the only one out there.

My biggest problem everyday is the lack of leadership. And before ya’ll say some copout of get promoted and change things....grow up. We all know #1 isn’t always promoted. And if I hear the Sheriff say I don’t want people saying “that’s what the Sheriff wants” then I hear people say “that’s what the Sheriff wants” the same day...well we know that the disconnect and lack of leadership hasn’t changed. But then again it’s not about us. Sheriff, all of the things you say aren’t happening or you don’t want happening, ARE happening on all levels.

Fix the leadership and a lot of the other problems will work themselves out. Leadership is about inspiring others to follow you into battle. Leadership is horizontal, not vertical. There’s one division that was always understaffed but now they have people transferring left and right to it. Is it the money? Is the super exciting police work? Nope. They have one hell of a leadership team.

[I'mNobody]

Thank you all for the input!

-Staffing
-Employee Input
-Leadership

I'm well aware this silly list is an over simplification of complex issues. The list also lacks any hint of how to solve them. This is intentional. As this conversation developes, and all ideas are shared, I want to keep reiterating our focus.

If we establish the largest across the board problems, develope multiple solutions, and share them with substantial support from employees at our Agency, then eventually, with hopefully many voices, we can create one strong voice that can't be credited as "a few malcontents" and that voice will be heard by those who can bring change.