08-05-2006, 08:47 PM
There are truly a lot of good people at this agency. This could be a great place to work. But it will never be more than it is until we decide to make it something better. With that in mind, here are ten things that we can ALL do right now to make this an enjoyable job. You spend a huge chunk of your waking life at this place, why not do something positive to make it more tolerable?
10.) Get involved. Become active in the PBA, pension meetings and other functions. There are really only a handful of people at this department who put any true effort into contract negotiations, PBA matters, retirement issues, etc. Soon, some of those guys will be retiring. If the reins aren't taken up by some of the newer folks, we're not gonna have a good time. If you want changes (different schedules, better health care, better retirement, take homes, etc.) then get involved. We all scream to each other about what we want, but we don't have a unified front to approach the City with.
9.) Focus on yourself. Stop worrying about how lazy your zone partner is or how much paper everyone else has taken compared to you. Do the job to the best of your ability, copy as many calls as you can, and when you've hit a point where you need some time to catch up, ask for it. Then go back out and start again. Be knowledgeable and professional in your business and let everyone else worry about themselves. There are enough people here who care about each other that the few biffers amongst us won't have much of an effect if we help out one another. Too many people spend more energy trying to get out of work than it would take to just do the job right the first time. Seriously, lead by example and watch what happens.
8.) Ignore the silliness (favoritism, etc.). It's blatantly obvious that a VERY SMALL MINORITY of supervisors have chosen their pets. So what? See number nine. Just go in, do a good job, and let the butt kissers and their benefactors play their games. Yes, they are going to get unfair/undeserved promotions. Yes, they are going to be chosen over you for schools, details, and whatever other fun/and/or/exciting activities appeal to you. There's nothing you can do about it. If you don't think that other departments have this exact same problem (some much worse than others), you're kidding yourself. Favoritism and butt kissing exist in every job - police or otherwise. I guarantee if you go to work at Bank of America, the same thing will be festering in your office. Go to bed at night satisfied that the accolades you receive and the performance reviews you get are because you EARNED them, not because you know how to politic and have no spine, pride or self-esteem. And for the new supervisors, please remember where you came from. Don't forget how annoying and discouraging this kind of crap was when you were on the road. Be a fair, un-biased, supportive Sgt. Look around you, there are plenty of good examples of how to accomplish this. Don't be the one everyone curses because the day you got your stripes you forgot you were a street cop yesterday.
7.) Help the new guys. Instead of standing around and waiting for them to fall on their faces, take some responsibility and teach them. We're all responsible for their learning. Take the time to show them the things you learned the hard way. If they don't want your help, that's their problem. But at least make the effort. Many years ago, when a new guy/gal came into the zone, the experienced officers would take them under wing and help them figure out how to be a decent street cop and a great zone partner. It should be the same today.
6.) Open your eyes, ears and mind. This is especially true for the tender youngsters just starting out. If you think you know everything just because you made it through field training, you're sadly mistaken. Find someone in your zone or on your shift who does the job well and learn from them. Even though this is more true for the brand new people, it's also true for the rest of us. There's not a person here who couldn't stand to learn from someone else. Those with ID numbers in the 200's and even the 100's have a lot to share. They didn't make it in this business or at this agency as long as they have without picking up a few things along the way. Whether you've got 6 months or 6 years, let others help you out. I even hate to say it, but show some respect. This business has always been about respecting the efforts of those who came before you. Let's not allow that VERY important tradition to die.
5.) Help each other. Kind of a repeat of number seven, but for everyone. When someone is doing something backwards, help them straighten it out. Along those same lines, if someone has a suggestion on how to do something better, listen. If you don't like their advice, then choose to ignore it after you've heard them. I don't mean go around telling each other how to do our jobs, but pay attention and try not to let each other make stupid mistakes. If we could all leave behind our pride, we would be better cops. And if we could all forget our "better you than me" attitude, this would be a better place to work. Help each other!!
4.) Focus on the long term. We all get way too wizzy over small changes. Perfect example: some of the goofy stuff in the air right now (twelve month bids, no 4-10's, etc.). Talk to some of the guys who have been here a few years. This stuff comes and goes in cycles. This too shall pass. If we have to endure some ill-conceived ideas over the next couple of years, then so what? It'll suck and then go away. Focus on your end goal of retiring and getting back from the City what you put in. Half this department could retire at the age of 45 if you could just stay focused on the prize.
3.) Stop complaining. I know this one would be hard. It's a lot of fun to complain. Plus, it helps you feel better when you hear others who feel the same as you. Unfortunately, it does nothing to improve the situation and only makes things worse. Complaining is like a disease. It spreads from one person to another and makes everyone miserable. Instead of complaining, see numbers 1 thru 10.
2.) The choice is yours. Ultimately, the choice to work here is yours. If you don't like it, you can always go work elsewhere. Practically every agency in this county is hiring. Before you go, though, please try to remember that the grass is definitely not greener on the other side. Talk to some of the people who have left and tried to come back. Virtually every person who has left this agency to run from a problem they experienced at Largo PD, has found the same problem elsewhere. Excessive force here is excessive force at CPD, PPPD, SPPD, PCSO, etc. Absenteeism is absenteeism at all the above as well. Crappy supervisors and whiney co-workers exist at all the above. Staffing shortages are the norm, not the exception. The exception is people who have left to do something else. IF, and that's a big IF, you want to do something LPD doesn't offer, like helicopter pilot or marine patrol, then by all means, this isn't the place for you to be. This is a smallish-medium sized agency. There are lots of specialized units to participate in, but if what you want isn't here, go find what makes you happy. I doubt we'll ever have a dive search and rescue team. But that's okay with me - finding dead bodies under water is creepy.
And finally, the number one, most important thing...
1.) Bring back the THIN BLUE LINE. It is us against them. Them is every human being who does not strap on a gun or wear a badge to work. More importantly, US are the troops who pull on our boots and put our butts in a cruiser every day to do this job. STOP SNIPING EACH OTHER AND STABBING ONE ANOTHER IN THE BACK!!!! Stop running to supervisors every time you see someone make a boo-boo and then ratting them out so you look better. If you have a problem with someone, go to them. If you don't have the guts to do that, keep your mouth shut. Stop sitting around the sector offices bad-mouthing the people you don't like and building these ridiculous little cliques like this was some sort of high school cheerleading team. If we cannot trust the people we work with, we have no hope. Every day you make decisions that, when twisted and distorted in just the right way using only half the facts, might look really bad to someone who wasn't on scene. Those of you who make a policy of snitching on each other and using other people's failures to make yourself look better should not be in this line of work. You know who you are. This is a brother/sisterhood. Let's start treating it as such. If you don't like someone, keep it to yourself. Protect them as you would your closest ally. If you can't stomach doing that, find another profession. Cause in the end, we're all blue. If you don't buy that or believe in it, then please go somewhere else.
This doesn't have to be a miserable place to work. The only reason I took the time to do this is because I looked around and realized that with the exception of a very small group of jerks, we have a great police department. We just have to make an effort.
Everyone be safe!!!!!!!
10.) Get involved. Become active in the PBA, pension meetings and other functions. There are really only a handful of people at this department who put any true effort into contract negotiations, PBA matters, retirement issues, etc. Soon, some of those guys will be retiring. If the reins aren't taken up by some of the newer folks, we're not gonna have a good time. If you want changes (different schedules, better health care, better retirement, take homes, etc.) then get involved. We all scream to each other about what we want, but we don't have a unified front to approach the City with.
9.) Focus on yourself. Stop worrying about how lazy your zone partner is or how much paper everyone else has taken compared to you. Do the job to the best of your ability, copy as many calls as you can, and when you've hit a point where you need some time to catch up, ask for it. Then go back out and start again. Be knowledgeable and professional in your business and let everyone else worry about themselves. There are enough people here who care about each other that the few biffers amongst us won't have much of an effect if we help out one another. Too many people spend more energy trying to get out of work than it would take to just do the job right the first time. Seriously, lead by example and watch what happens.
8.) Ignore the silliness (favoritism, etc.). It's blatantly obvious that a VERY SMALL MINORITY of supervisors have chosen their pets. So what? See number nine. Just go in, do a good job, and let the butt kissers and their benefactors play their games. Yes, they are going to get unfair/undeserved promotions. Yes, they are going to be chosen over you for schools, details, and whatever other fun/and/or/exciting activities appeal to you. There's nothing you can do about it. If you don't think that other departments have this exact same problem (some much worse than others), you're kidding yourself. Favoritism and butt kissing exist in every job - police or otherwise. I guarantee if you go to work at Bank of America, the same thing will be festering in your office. Go to bed at night satisfied that the accolades you receive and the performance reviews you get are because you EARNED them, not because you know how to politic and have no spine, pride or self-esteem. And for the new supervisors, please remember where you came from. Don't forget how annoying and discouraging this kind of crap was when you were on the road. Be a fair, un-biased, supportive Sgt. Look around you, there are plenty of good examples of how to accomplish this. Don't be the one everyone curses because the day you got your stripes you forgot you were a street cop yesterday.
7.) Help the new guys. Instead of standing around and waiting for them to fall on their faces, take some responsibility and teach them. We're all responsible for their learning. Take the time to show them the things you learned the hard way. If they don't want your help, that's their problem. But at least make the effort. Many years ago, when a new guy/gal came into the zone, the experienced officers would take them under wing and help them figure out how to be a decent street cop and a great zone partner. It should be the same today.
6.) Open your eyes, ears and mind. This is especially true for the tender youngsters just starting out. If you think you know everything just because you made it through field training, you're sadly mistaken. Find someone in your zone or on your shift who does the job well and learn from them. Even though this is more true for the brand new people, it's also true for the rest of us. There's not a person here who couldn't stand to learn from someone else. Those with ID numbers in the 200's and even the 100's have a lot to share. They didn't make it in this business or at this agency as long as they have without picking up a few things along the way. Whether you've got 6 months or 6 years, let others help you out. I even hate to say it, but show some respect. This business has always been about respecting the efforts of those who came before you. Let's not allow that VERY important tradition to die.
5.) Help each other. Kind of a repeat of number seven, but for everyone. When someone is doing something backwards, help them straighten it out. Along those same lines, if someone has a suggestion on how to do something better, listen. If you don't like their advice, then choose to ignore it after you've heard them. I don't mean go around telling each other how to do our jobs, but pay attention and try not to let each other make stupid mistakes. If we could all leave behind our pride, we would be better cops. And if we could all forget our "better you than me" attitude, this would be a better place to work. Help each other!!
4.) Focus on the long term. We all get way too wizzy over small changes. Perfect example: some of the goofy stuff in the air right now (twelve month bids, no 4-10's, etc.). Talk to some of the guys who have been here a few years. This stuff comes and goes in cycles. This too shall pass. If we have to endure some ill-conceived ideas over the next couple of years, then so what? It'll suck and then go away. Focus on your end goal of retiring and getting back from the City what you put in. Half this department could retire at the age of 45 if you could just stay focused on the prize.
3.) Stop complaining. I know this one would be hard. It's a lot of fun to complain. Plus, it helps you feel better when you hear others who feel the same as you. Unfortunately, it does nothing to improve the situation and only makes things worse. Complaining is like a disease. It spreads from one person to another and makes everyone miserable. Instead of complaining, see numbers 1 thru 10.
2.) The choice is yours. Ultimately, the choice to work here is yours. If you don't like it, you can always go work elsewhere. Practically every agency in this county is hiring. Before you go, though, please try to remember that the grass is definitely not greener on the other side. Talk to some of the people who have left and tried to come back. Virtually every person who has left this agency to run from a problem they experienced at Largo PD, has found the same problem elsewhere. Excessive force here is excessive force at CPD, PPPD, SPPD, PCSO, etc. Absenteeism is absenteeism at all the above as well. Crappy supervisors and whiney co-workers exist at all the above. Staffing shortages are the norm, not the exception. The exception is people who have left to do something else. IF, and that's a big IF, you want to do something LPD doesn't offer, like helicopter pilot or marine patrol, then by all means, this isn't the place for you to be. This is a smallish-medium sized agency. There are lots of specialized units to participate in, but if what you want isn't here, go find what makes you happy. I doubt we'll ever have a dive search and rescue team. But that's okay with me - finding dead bodies under water is creepy.
And finally, the number one, most important thing...
1.) Bring back the THIN BLUE LINE. It is us against them. Them is every human being who does not strap on a gun or wear a badge to work. More importantly, US are the troops who pull on our boots and put our butts in a cruiser every day to do this job. STOP SNIPING EACH OTHER AND STABBING ONE ANOTHER IN THE BACK!!!! Stop running to supervisors every time you see someone make a boo-boo and then ratting them out so you look better. If you have a problem with someone, go to them. If you don't have the guts to do that, keep your mouth shut. Stop sitting around the sector offices bad-mouthing the people you don't like and building these ridiculous little cliques like this was some sort of high school cheerleading team. If we cannot trust the people we work with, we have no hope. Every day you make decisions that, when twisted and distorted in just the right way using only half the facts, might look really bad to someone who wasn't on scene. Those of you who make a policy of snitching on each other and using other people's failures to make yourself look better should not be in this line of work. You know who you are. This is a brother/sisterhood. Let's start treating it as such. If you don't like someone, keep it to yourself. Protect them as you would your closest ally. If you can't stomach doing that, find another profession. Cause in the end, we're all blue. If you don't buy that or believe in it, then please go somewhere else.
This doesn't have to be a miserable place to work. The only reason I took the time to do this is because I looked around and realized that with the exception of a very small group of jerks, we have a great police department. We just have to make an effort.
Everyone be safe!!!!!!!