This is the technique to be successful as a police officer as well as in your personal life.
This may appear to be humorous to some but it works. It is healthy to have positive humor but always keep in mind that:
Police work is serious business
1st
Watch the television series
DRAGNET 1967 starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan
This was telecast almost 50 years ago. Do not go by the modern TV shows. Or some modern Dragnet show. The older show Dragnet is not as informative as DRAGNET 1967 though Jack Webb was the actor in both.
The DRAGNET 1967 show has the following actors:
Actor Jack Webb was Sgt Joe Friday.
Actor Harry Morgan was Detective Bill Gannon
Once you watch about 20 episodes (each 1/2 hour in length) you will get the idea. Sgt Friday was as super professional as any police officer can be. Incidentally this is how a police officer should work and live in their personal life as well.
Some police departments say that community policing is a new philosophy. This is not true! In one of the ½ hour segments Sgt Joe Friday played by actor Jack Webb was assigned as the Community Service Officer and he described the proper philosophy of being a CSO PERFECTLY.
DRAGNET 1967 is sometimes not broadcast on TV. But the series always seems to re-appear so it will probably come back on. It has been aired for almost ½ a century.
A search on YOU TUBE only produced two of the episodes. You can purchase the series at any retailer that sells movies and television series.
This is the technique.
When you arrive at your police officer job you immediately make believe that you are being filmed and that you are the starring actor or actress in an 8 hours television show called DRAGNET. Since Jack Webb has died. You! (The police officer) has been hired to take his place. You are going to be filmed throughout your entire shift as OFFICER (your name). At the end of the day your actions will be telecast on TV for all the citizens to watch as they want to watch DRAGNET starring OFFICER (your name). Since you are a professional actor/actress/police officer-If you mess up one time YOU’RE FIRED! The Hollywood film makers would just hire another actor/actress.
This technique is effective.
If Sgt Friday wouldn’t do it then you do not do it.
Even little things like
Do not talk negatively behind any co-workers back. (NEVER Gossip)
Do not talk negatively about the PD
No prejudice stuff. (Prejudice people should not be in the authoritative role anyway)
Talk professional at all times. No off color jokes. No foolishness. No Profanities
If a fellow police officer violates the rules of proper behavior you have to address that immediately and professionally. WATCH DRAGNET. Do not get roped into unprofessional behavior. Stand tough on your convictions of goodness and doing right. REMEMBER you are sworn in and certified by the State to enforce the law 24/7, 365 days a year.
Remember that nobody is perfect and neither are you. So if you do an action that is not perfect than own up to it.
A police administrator in charge of the internal affairs investigation unit stated.
It is not the action that gets you fired it is the cover up.
Two trains of thought to stay away from:
1st “when you do an action because you are trying to PROVE something”. You may be crossing the line where you could mess up. For example: Like trying to prove that you are brave. (The proper technique is to just keep doing the tactically correct actions from day one and in time your character will shine). You are not trying to “PROVE” anything you are just doing RIGHT and being tactically correct. In life you have to be brave but do not try to PROVE you’re brave.
2nd “do not have the mindset that you are there to teach someone a lesson” you are there to simply enforce the law. If someone violates the laws or general statutes in your State; you stop them (arrest).
An arrest is just the beginning in the Judicial System. The Judge will give the arrestee the BIG SPEECH and attempt to teach the person a lesson. The BIG COP speech is usually boring and it really doesn’t teach a criminal anything.
Especially if you are starting your law enforcement career at a young age. If you are only in your 20’s. You really do not want to give a “big speech” to a bunch of older people who just violated the law. Just state why they are getting arrested. Answer their questions honestly and attempt to make the arrest as less stressful for them as possible. Leave the BIG SPEECH for the judge.
Naturally there are exceptions. Like if you are talking to a little kid or something like that.
IMPORTANT! Do this while keeping your personal defense guard up! Some people may physically attack you after trying or tricking you to PUT your guard down. (Do not be tricked by the “nice” bit)
3rd if you do mess up. And you will because nobody is GOD. Be honest about it. As one police administrator in charge of internal affairs stated. IT IS NOT THE ACTION THAT GETS YOU FIRED IT IS THE COVER UP! If you mess up TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! NOBODY IS PERFECT-STRIVE FOR PERFECTION!
REMEMBER: “if you think you’re real cool with a puffed out chest, look out below sunken chest”
PROFESSIONALISM 24/7
Court testimony: How a person acts and reacts in COURT is REVEALING! People who served in the military sacrificed their life so that the court system can be honorable and clean. A person no matter what their chosen profession and this includes people who are intelligent enough to pass the police academy should respect those who died to protect the dignity of the court system and society.
A person who is smart enough and physically strong enough to pass the rigors of police training and uses the court system to showboat is thumbing his nose at the military personnel who sacrificed their lives to protect the integrity of the court system and society. Any person who uses the court system to showboat has a low character.
You are in charge: Yes as a police officer you are in charge of the area. To make this easier remember that though you are in charge the proper mindset to have is to think that HUMANITY is in charge. In other words doing the RIGHT THING is in charge. When you fail to do the Right thing than you are no longer in charge of yourself and the house of cards of being a professional will tumble.
Ps: when a person watches DRAGNET 1967 (starring Jack Webb) it may appear OLD FASHION. OLD FASHION morals work! DO IT!