Retired or soon to be retired observations of police work

[Unregistered]

During my tenure, training and equipment improved dramatically. The Agency exploded in size, many more opportunities to transfer and get promoted. The attitude of the command staff was to err on the side of having your back. Of course some fk up's were no brainers. Harsh discipline was rare, and often, a ass chewing behind closed doors was all that was done to get your attention. Politics hasn't changed much, just the faces. Generally speaking, the Sheriff's Office reputation was that of a firm and professional image but would not hesitate to turn it up if needed. Everybody knew everybody, often socialized together away from work. Today, some of the changes that have been disturbing. Not only has the so called thin blue line disappeared, we barely know each other. Discipline is far harsher, people now sweat the small stuff, damn near takes a Major to make a decision that a Cpl in my day could make. The public still thinks we do a good job, but the media and activists dominate the news cycles and very few Police Leaders push back. Since most police work often crosses back and forth in grey areas, I don't know how you do this job if police leaders don't judge you through a cop's eyes. I see far to many times today, when police leaders discretion, leans more toward harsh discipline and firing you rather than trying to defend you.

[Unregistered]

Votes and appearances. It's easier for Chief's, sheriff's and those elected, to say the officer was in the wrong and let him or her fight it out in court. The day's of street justice is over, if you hit a cop. You should remember it every time you take a breath for a few day's. Not anymore! Now you have people that haven't really worked the streets or forget how it was when they did. Not all calls are the same and all encounters with the public are the same. All you now care about is going home, with no extra holes in you and collecting your pension. When I first started with PCSO, it was a hard but fair department and most of those I was around were good, honest people. I stayed 4 years and went to a South Florida department BIG mistake. First year on 29 officers got arrest for stealing drugs, money and some cause the death of 3, when doing these actions. Yet, I stayed, the mid 80's were the cocaine wars. Bodies were piling up, shooting everyday and on almost all shift's.

I though having 4 years on patrol, I was sort of ready. Not by a long shot! The amount of calls, the dealing with the people of likes I never encounter at PCSO. You learn fast or you don't make it. It's now all about positive press for the top command.

[Unregistered]

This agency has too far of a disconnect between the front line workers that take on all the liability, danger and mental health destruction, and it’s high level leaders.

While they are busy promoting each other, giving each other plaques, and setting up their cool new offices, the forget a lot about where they came if they did at all or were fast tracked too fast to have mastered the front lines. This is why morale is dead and many of us have outgrown their stagnant positions.

They forget that the jail... SUCKS!
They forget that the main, if not the only reason, anyone applies to the jail, is to get to patrol. Patrol sucks too but less.
They fail to realize that we are humans. Humans move towards the positive. In this POS career and climate, especially this agency, there is no positive, so we move to the less negative. See there is no good or bad here. There is no right or wrong at this job. There is only bad or very bad. There is only wrong or less wrong. For you FTO’s and supervisors, you are even told to never give more that a 4 on evals. So it’s easier to fire us later. “Good jobs” do not exist. Positive feedback does not exist. Positive reinforcement does not exist. Only reduce the negative exposure. For that reason and how they fail to see the hierarchy that keeps its employees interested. The main reason people stay working here is hope. Hope to progress and movement away from the most stress sources. Not pay, maybe a little status. Movement from what really sucks to what sucks the least. Nobody applies to be a detective because they want to investigate. They apply to get off patrol. Detention wants out of the stinking asss emotionally destructive soul draining POD. It’s that simple.

The jail sucks, patrol sucks less, detective even less, corporal even lesser, and so on... And that my friend is the path at this lost cause of a career. That’s why we transfer and promote. Our leaders fail to use that phenomenon to their advantage. which is why they can’t get jail applicants, why great detention deputies are trapped and quit.

Our toxic police culture keeps many of us from admitting this to each other or even ourselves.

All that being said, if they gave a crap, detention would made to be a strong food in the door for patrol. This would help with the the hiring crisis. In the end, our short staffing is not a priority. When this agency wants something, it goes after it. Think back how fast they put together the deployment for the RNC. Think back on the implementation of body cameras.

It’s business as usual at recruitment and training. Still getting those steps around the building and long lunches.

Who’s fault? Our fault. For making due. For giving it 300% at the cost of our mental health and longevity. If they gave a crap about the goals of detention deputies, burn out, our plans to progress to the less negative, or better yet, reduce the negativity... All this would sort itself out. Best part is it rolls down hill. To the citizens. They feel our stress and frustration. They don’t understand it’s origins so they write us off as not caring and bad.

30 years of getting sent to calls that require the absorption of peoples emotions and the managing of highly irate people with little to no chance to transfer? Screw that. That’s why so many leave. Add this new anti cop mentality and they really want to trap people in the jail with no hope to transfer out?

We do need reform. From the top to the bottom. Not from the bottom to the top.

For you guys working over capacity in hopes to get noticed, I wish you luck. May your burnout not affect your health and may you have a back up career lined up. Because nobody will notice. Find one detention deputy that worked so hard, he or she was noticed, pulled aside, and told... “We can sure use you on patrol”. Hahaha Scam. Cheaper to replace a burned out worn out deputy.