CROSSING THE LINE
Injuries occur frequently in law enforcement, but you might already know this on a firsthand basis. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, there are various ways it might be handled. Sometimes it’s just a scrape or strain — a couple of aspirin or ibuprofen work wonders, and maybe a bandage or an ACE wrap […]
A TIME TO STAND AND A TIME TO SIT
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” — Billy Graham Such true words. We see them in effect every day. But bravery isn’t only limited to taking a stand; sometimes bravery is found in learning to sit. I’ve known plenty of brave men and women […]
Unexpected Gifts
Thinking back over the course of the last year and a half, I have been struck by the unprecedented times in which we currently find ourselves. As a result of the pandemic, we have experienced uncertainty and worry for our future at both the individual and collective levels. The last 18 months have forced us […]
FRIENDSHIP FUELS THE FLAMES
Friendship fuels the flames of romance because it offers the best protection against feeling adversarial toward your partner.” — Dr. John Gottman Over the last 16 months, we have found ourselves confined, and at times isolated, to our homes with minimal outside social interaction. Many of us have been trying to create new hobbies or […]
THE BLESSING AND HONOR OF BEING CALLED TO CHAPLAIN
In her book, The Work of the Chaplain, Dr. Naomi Paget writes, “Through humble service, unconditional acceptance, unwavering faith and uncompromising love, first responder chaplains earn the trust and confidence of those they serve … People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I remember responding to an on-duty […]
LISTENING AS SERVICE
Chaplains must remain open to whatever communication skills will best address someone’s needs and anxieties. I’ve learned that being a good leader means being a good listener. This often requires setting aside my own “agenda” and intentionally — actively — listening to what others are saying. Not only their words, but by heeding their body […]
DRIVING AFTER DRINKING
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, about 28 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes. That is one person every 52 minutes. In 2019, these deaths reached the lowest percentage since 1982 when NHTSA started reporting alcohol data. This “low percentage” still meant that 10,142 people lost their […]
ROAR: A ROADMAP TO DE-ESCALATION, FIELD DYNAMICS AND DECISION MAKING
Over the last two decades, society has placed many additional job duties and expectations upon peace officers, such as handling calls for service involving people with developmental disabilities and people in a mental health crisis. The perception is that peace officers are trained to handle anything with which they are faced. The reality is that […]
WHO AM I?
Who am I?” This is a question most of us wonder about at some point in life. Who we are — our identity — reveals our values, our personality. These days, society is multigenerational, multiracial, multicultural. In this, America is a model for the world. Sure, lots of folks say they hate us — yet […]