In my early years in law enforcement, I became intrigued with the wealth of knowledge available from fellow LEO’s, supervisors, and educators in the criminal justice field. Of all the LEO’s I have met over time, Detective Sgt. Harry O’Reilly (NYPD, retired) was, without question, the officer who had the greatest influence over my professional life. I met him simply by chance.

I had the good fortune of attending a seminar program sponsored by John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Harry O’Reilly was an instructor.  He reached out to us in a way that made us want to come back for more, even after putting in a full day of policing.  So I did, I kept coming back for more.  Harry believed that each of us in law enforcement is “Only A Cop.” This is how we begin and this is how we end. There is no higher achievement. Once a cop; always a cop!

During one of the John Jay seminars, Harry O (as we called him) distributed an article he had written. It was entitled, “Only A Cop!” Reading that caused me to sit back and think about who I was, as well as whom I wanted to be as a police officer. Can I be “Only a Cop?”

Harry O challenged the entire class that day to accept the task before each of us.  His article entitled “Only A Cop,” told a tale of respect for the members of law enforcement from someone who experienced that role and the roles of others from many perspectives. I still have the original handout I received in class, folded and timeworn, more than 30 years later! Harry O’s handout explained that he wrote the story due to a conversation he had with a young man during a social event. The conversation turned close to ugly when the man indicated that his father wouldn’t be known to anybody at the social affair because his dad was “Only A Cop!”

After reflecting on the article, I agreed with Harry O! The role of a police officer, the assignment undertaken or the rank acquired doesn’t really matter…all policing positions rely on the LEO’s power of authority under the law. Does anyone in society rank higher than a police officer, that is, someone who is “Only A Cop?”  Do others have greater authority to arrest a suspect with or without a warrant?   Does any other profession have the power of the use of force or deadly physical force? The answer is clearly, “No!”   It comes down to this.   Which is more important in law enforcement, your rank or your level of professionalism? That is the question facing every single officer. The answer will speak through the conduct of the officer and the path he or she chooses to follow.

In my dual role as a police lieutenant and an adjunct professor, my philosophy is to bring the street into the classroom for the benefit of my students. I facilitate these future members of the criminal justice profession in understanding the demands placed on law enforcement. I respect the rank of all police officers, but pursuant to the law; like me, each is “Only A Cop!”

As a police supervisor and administrator, I never hesitated issuing an order or directive when the circumstances called for it. I also took the time to listen to subordinates with less experience.  They have often provided better insight and understanding about the situation than I would have had without their input.   I am “Only A Cop” with a higher level of authority than most of my fellow officers. I will utilize all the “cops” I work with to help me make the right call.

I have come to realize that I am not the only one to recognize the true meaning of “Only A Cop,” which is reflected in the creation of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This title makes it clear that rank is not an issue. Each officer represented gave his or her life while acting at the highest level we expect of law enforcement. Each was “Only A Cop!”

The officers killed in the line of duty are of various ranks; differ in age, gender, and professional experience. The officers died in a number of ways. Some deaths were accidental, but society is also aware of the serious rise in violent attacks upon law enforcement.  Ambush attacks are rising at an alarming rate!  Each officer, regardless of the circumstances, died in the line of duty.  We honor each life sacrificed to serve the community.

Harry O’Reilly was absolutely right. There is no greater honor than being “Only A Cop!”  Throughout America, police officers take an oath which places them in a position of responsibility. In time, many of these officers may be called upon to place their lives in dangerous peril to save the life of another.   Promotion is truly a great honor; however, in law enforcement, there is no greater honor than when an officer is first sworn in and wears a shield or star upon their chest for the very first time. Each officer at this moment is “Only A Cop!”

President Kennedy set the stage for National Police Week in 1962 by designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. National Police Week was created in 1982. This began recognition of the officers who not only lost their lives, but in so doing, left loved ones behind without any foresight or warning. In 1984 the Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) organization was introduced, with a current membership of 15,000.

The Fraternal Order of Police sponsors National Police Week. A number of events occur during the week. Traditionally, there will be the “roll call” of the officers killed in the line of duty. In 2011, a total of 166 police officers died. Sadly, violent crime against police officers rose approximately 14% within a time frame of one year!

National Police Week has meaning to me for several reasons. Of most importance to me is when officers of all ranks are recognized by a candlelight vigil. This is in memory of those who have recently fallen as well as those taken from us previously. All are remembered for the circumstances before each officer when each gave his or her life as “Only A Cop!” Roll Call is truly meaningful. One life lost is one life too many.

Those taking part in the ceremonies concentrate on paying their respect. Questions are being asked of police management throughout America. People are inquiring if the approximately 14% spike in officers killed in 2011 occurred as a result of law enforcement being asked to do more with less or should I say, more with not enough. Are dwindling police budgets, a coincidence or are they facilitating an emerging trend of violent crime against police officers? Waiting to find out may cost lives. This concern is being addressed by the “Below 100 Initiative.” Let’s focus on having less than 100 officers killed this coming year and move forward.

When I witness a funeral procession, of an officer, I regularly take the time to learn about the circumstances which led to the officer losing his or her life. The officer is extremely important to his family, friends, loved ones, and the community the officer served, but to the rest of us, we salute and recognize an unknown fallen officer, who did what “Only A Cop” can do. The officer died in the line of duty. We all bow our heads for each fallen officer, whether we know that person or not. It is our way of saying thank you. Each is “Only A Cop! There is no greater honor!

Jim Gaffney, MPA is LET’s risk management /police administration contributor.  He has served with a metro-New York police department for over 25 years in varying capacities including patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, and executive officer. He is an ILEETA and ICAP member. Jim mentors the next generation of LEO’s by teaching university-level criminal justice courses as an adjunct professor in the New York City area.

Learn more about this article here:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=418669323775

http://www.nleomf.org/

http://www.nationalcops.org/

http://www.nleomf.org/memorial/

http://www.odmp.org/search/year?year=2010

http://www.odmp.org/search/year/2011

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-12/us/us_law-enforcement-deaths-2011_1_death-toll-police-officer-craig-floyd?_s=PM:US

http://m.lawofficer.com/article/below-100/below-100-eliminates-they-excu

The Portsmouth (Virginia) Police and Sheriff’s Departments gathered during this solemn week to honor the fallen.  PPD has a number of cherished traditions which combine to make the ceremony particularly moving and meaningful.

A line of chairs represents each officer and one school crossing guard, with a name draped in black on the individual chair; a gun belt, gloves, hat, and a single rose completing the picture.  Each life represented is honored in a moving ceremony in which a family member or another person connected to the fallen officer adds a blue flower to a funeral wreath in his or her honor and a bell tolls for the sacrifice.

The first African American police officer killed in the line of duty in the United States was Portsmouth Officer John Wilson, who was shot during a political rally in 1871.  His sacrifice is particularly remarkable in view of the fact that he served as a city police officer long before the advent of the Civil Rights era.

Daughters, sons, wives, colleagues, and descendants reverently walk forward in remembrance.  An African American man, a crossing guard, steps forward with his flower to honor his mother, crossing guard Joyce Hawkins, killed protecting grammar school students.   Officer Brian Davis and his father, a retired PPD officer, step forward together to remember a father and grandfather who gave his all to law enforcement.  Each loved one reverently walks down the aisle, escorted by a PPD officer who slowly salutes and honors each life lost as the bell sounds a single, somber note,

Many swallow hard as they pause to remember the more recent death of colleague Officer Rick Spaulding, who died in 2005 following a massive heart attack and resulting car accident after a foot pursuit of two suspects.  Officer Spaulding, a Coast Guard retiree, served as an auxiliary police officer while on active Coast Guard duty for three years and then joined the department as a full time officer.  He left behind a wife, children, and grandchildren to mourn his loss. The ceremony continues until the lives of 13 fallen officers are celebrated by a grateful community.

The bagpipers from the Newport News Police Department Pipes and Drums wail Amazing Grace inside the sanctuary of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, while the honor guard assembles outside for the moving “last ride” portion of the ceremony sponsored by PPD’s mounted unit.  An elegant black police horse, fully outfitted for duty, is solemnly led by the reins by a mounted officer who walks the horse in a last ride honoring the fallen. The officers are represented by riding boots in the stirrups inserted backwards, a tradition dating back to military funerals for cavalry officers.  The sound of the horse’s hooves clip clop on the pavement, solemn and final, as the rider on foot guides him past the honor guard. 

The Fallen

Officer John Wilson

EOW November 11, 1871

Officer William Winnindger

EOW August 11, 1908

Officer Eldridge Story

EOW November 30, 1936

Officer John Nobrega

EOW January 29 1958

Officer Vernon Davis

EOW March 5, 1963

Officer Richard Journee

EOW January 20, 1966

Officer David Carpenter

EOW February 7, 1967

Officer Earl P. Wilkins

EOW April 9, 1968

Officer Joseph M. Weth

EOW May 28, 1982

School Crossing Guard Joyce Hawkins

EOW December 12, 1991

Officer Richard Spaulding

EOW November 23, 2005

Deputy Charlie Fisher

EOW July 8, 2006

Gone, but never forgotten…

Gospel recording artist Bebe Winans performed a song after the September 11 attack that has become the unofficial anthem for first responders who lost their brothers and sisters while trying to save others. The song was entitled “In Harm’s Way.”   The lyrics of the song makes us think about what I am sure the average person wonders about those of us who go into burning buildings, go into dark alleys, walk up to unknown traffic stops, and handle domestics.

The song goes, “In wanting to save me, In order to save the day, because of love you place yourself in harm’s way.”  There is no greater love than when we, those of us who have been called, go out into our communities, campuses or highways to protect God’s people. I am proud to be one of the 900,000 officers in this country who put on a uniform and protect citizens.

This type of work has never been easy.  The proof, unfortunately, are the names of fallen officers at the National Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.  There are 166 fallen officers who perished in 2011.  As of the moment I write this, 36 more have died during 2012.  I pray it doesn’t get any higher.

This isn’t about numbers; it’s more about these brothers/ sisters/aunts/uncles/moms, and dads and, in some cases, grandparents who loved their fellow man so much that they paid the ultimate price. As we celebrate, yes celebrate those who went home to be with the Lord, we must remember that their deaths should not be a sad event.  No, folks, this is the time when those of us still here should look to the names on the wall and remember that while here on earth we lost them, but in heaven they’re gained for God!

When Jesus died for our sins, he was going into harm’s way just like we do every day. He was facing a hostile crowd such as we do, but He did it to save us. I know in wanting to save me, in order to save the day, because of His love he placed himself in harm’s way so that I and other police officers can go out there to serve and protect His people. No, I will not write about the sadness of the ones we lost, for I know they are with Jesus in heaven.

As I and others like me patrol the streets here, instead I am going to celebrate the fallen officers by continuing to praise those of who went before me and to pray for those of us who are still in the fight! I always get charged up whenever I think of this song.  When people run out of a school where there is someone shooting, we step in harm’s way.  When there is a domestic and the spouse is ready to end it all but will take their love ones first, we have to stop them from taking an innocent life by stepping into harm’s way. Whenever a traffic stop is not “routine” (I hate that term) we step into harm’s way.

These fallen officers deserve more than what this reserve officer can ever give them, so the best that I can do to honor them is to remember that Jesus has put us, whether we are full timers, reserve, SWAT, campus police, tribal, county, city state or federal in this anointed time to save those who can’t protect themselves.

The next time you feel that this calling has lost its luster, that no one cares or that you figure what is the point of doing the job anymore, pause for a moment.  Remember that Jesus died on the cross for us.  We do have a purpose.   We owe it to the ones who have paid the ultimate price by doing their jobs to carry on. I encourage you to listen to the song via the link below.  I believe it will inspire you.  Whenever I feel like the job is not worth it anymore, I remember what Jesus has done for me.

In wanting to save me

In order to save the day

Because of love

He placed himself in harm’s way.

Please honor and celebrate those who went before us and pray for each other as we go out for, what in some cases, may be for the last time. God Bless!

Learn more about this article here:

Bebe Winans “In Harm’s Way”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUyLt0TCUw0

National Police Week is here with the candlelight vigil held on May 13. Names of the newly fallen having been added to the memorial in April are a solemn reminder that we in this line of work are indeed mortal, despite our best efforts.

The word that keeps reverberating through my mind is gratitude, which for some, may seem incongruous in light of the increasing number of names added to the memorial in Washington, DC. Perhaps sharing things I see will make thoughts of gratitude more sensible in the shadows of our losses.

I can remember a time when there was no formal national recognition or memorial for law enforcement. Certainly, communities, having lost officers, would establish such things. There are now more groups gaining membership and momentum to provide support for families and law enforcement officers themselves than there were when I was on patrol. Though we still have a long way to go, I feel gratitude for the progress made.In the loss of any of our own and dealing with the daily grind, it is hard not to be overwhelmed with the bitterness, injustice and uncomfortable knowledge of our own vulnerabilities.

It is here that the value of a formal week to come together and reflect becomes apparent.Warriors across the ages have grieved and reflected together, out of sight of those they fought for and the wounds were carried stoically back into the battlefield. Though most traditions and values are a good thing, hiding burdens is not one of them. It has led to ignorance and the taking for granted of sacrifice, duty and honor by too many of those we are sworn to protect.

Allowing those we serve to see the price we willingly pay to serve as sheepdogs is another aspect of our service to our communities and our country. Those same communities and our country cannot have flourishing peace, liberty and prosperity without the Rule of Law and someone to stand in the way of those who would prey on the weaker amongst us.

Sharing that sacrifice, knowing that freedom isn’t, free is the best way we can lead others to appreciate our unique heritage and lead the way in the work required to preserve and protect it in its highest aspirations. Though we understand not all will value our service, it is the individual struck in the heart in a specific moment in time that may make all the difference in choosing a path of life for themselves, their communities and our country, rather than that of destruction and death.

Though we feel sharply the grief of loss, those fallen and their families, truly aren’t victims, nor are we in their remembrance. They give us two gifts in their lives and their deaths. We remember their lives in laughter, brave service, enduring and persevering though the crucible that is law enforcement service today. Many were mentors, both for fellow officers and their communities. This gift of their lives brings us comfort in our remembrance.

Their deaths provide opportunities to sharpen our minds, training, and our spirits to ready against the new challenges evolving every day. Their families, though dealt a grievous blow, teach us to appreciate, nurture and remember those who live with the never ending anxiety of that dreaded call, the unforgiving hours. and lost moments. I am truly grateful for the sacrifices, grace. and fortitude of so many of our law enforcement families. Our families support us in life and in death.

In our service as law enforcement officers, we cannot forget those who help make our service possible. Too often, we take for granted those things that seem to magically appear to help us perform our duties. Though they are not on the front lines, supply clerks, mechanics, IT folks, records clerks, building maintenance, really too many to list, do their part in often thankless, unrecognized service. I can recall many a time, people in these fields going out of their way to help me get back out on the streets to be ready for my duties. I saw them grieve when one of us joined the fallen, though often forgotten in the shuffle. I remember them with gratitude.In our reflection, we cannot forget our dispatchers and call takers, often our lifeline in our worst moments and those we protect.

Too often, we forget that they take the brunt of all the public can dish out and hear horrific things, both through the phones and the radio. They are the buffer between us and those who abuse the 911 system. They frequently provide the information that makes the difference in walking into a call blind or being prepared for what potentially lies ahead and much more. Finally, we must remember those citizens, who, understanding duty and sacrifice, respond to an officer in trouble. Most, we never know about until our need arises. Many more citizens than we truly know in the haze of criminal activity, broken families and sleaze we wade through, are teaching themselves, their children and their neighbors to become better citizens.

As dark as the horizon sometimes gets, it is the moments of gratitude that can restore us to rise again, renewed and resolved in our service. Most of all, I am grateful to have had the privilege of serving in the calling that is like no other in teaching about humanity. Through serving I gained a greater understanding of what the greatest Servant of all was wanting us to learn… faith, hope, and love of others as ourselves.

Juli Adcock began her career in law enforcement with the Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy until she was injured in a riot situation. She transferred to Judicial Security and retired in 1998. Juli pursued career advancement training with an emphasis on officer survival, interviews and interrogation. She worked with a local Rape Crisis Center and in victim’s advocacy, complementing her college course work in psychology. She currently resides in New Mexico and is an instructor with The Appleseed Project (www.appleseedinfo.org). The Appleseed Project is a rifle marksmanship clinic teaching the fundamentals of firing an accurate round downrange every 3 to 4 seconds, out to 500 yards, as well as American history. She has trained military personnel at White Sands Missile Range who are certifying as Squad Designated Marksmen. Juli instructs basic handgun skills to new gun owners in preparation for responsible personal gun ownership and the Concealed Carry class for the State of New Mexico. She can be reached at juliadcock222@msn.comor through Law Enforcement Today.

During Police Week, I am pondering some of life’s great questions such as the “why’s”?  Why do we do what do we do?  Or at least, why did we do what we did for those of us who have moved on to different positions.  We are one of the last noble professions.  We serve when others dare not.  We are called to a higher calling, to a vocation.  We are just like our brothers and sisters working in the fire and EMS services, and those serving in the United States Armed Services.

But we are not supermen or women; we are normal people who take on extraordinary duties and challenges.  We face danger when others walk or run away.  Why do so many of our brothers and sisters die too early?

I am faced with the reality that there is true evil in the world.  How do we as law enforcement professionals fight evil?  We “stand in the gap.”  We do what others will not and would not, but dare I say, you are supermen and superwomen.  So this article is a tribute to all of you brave men and women working in blue, brown, green or white.

Truth

As law enforcement officers we are seekers of truth.  We protect, and serve, investigate, and respond to calls of help.  We stand fast, when others flee.  The truth is something that we look for, when we conduct a criminal investigation, a compliance check, or a traffic stop.  We sit with victims and suspects alike and treat them with respect to seek the truth.

Justice

What is justice?  Is justice what is handed down by a police officer when they arrest the suspect?  Is there justice when the courts hand down a punishment for the arrest by the police officers?  Or does justice occur when judgment happens on your death bed?   Law enforcement officers work, live and even play hard.  In reality, justice is knowing that you are keeping your community safe, that you are protecting your fellow brothers and sisters in blue.

In looking at the officers that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, what is justice for them?  Justice is honoring them, acknowledging them, telling their stories (good and bad).  Working hard to keep the streets safe, justice is what you do on a daily basis.  You do justice whether that be on a lonely highway, county road, or busy metro area.  We honor those that were killed in the line by doing our best, because they did their best, every time they put on their uniform.

American Way

We all know that superman’s catch phrase ended with the “American Way” but what does that mean?  In looking into law enforcement, no other country polices in the same way we do.  We all run into fires, into crumbling buildings, we stand and fight the good fight.  Why?  That is the way it has always been done, from Wyatt Earp, to Chattanooga Police Officer Lorin Johnston who was just honored at White House for being 2012’s “Top Cop,” this is what will always happen:  officers stand and fight when others want to retreat.  The American Way…so we must honor those who stood their ground and gone to a better place,  They now police a beat where there is no crime and no need to worry because they are home.

I must tip my hat to all of you still working in law enforcement, you are true heroes.  No one understands what it is like to be a law enforcement officer, the stress, the friendships that are developed, the tears that are shed, the mud that is fought in.  Stay strong, keep your chin up, and honor those who have left too early, reflect, tell their stories, but do not forget to make some new stories.  Hug your kids, wife, mother, father, brother, and sister.  Stay safe and watch your six.

Each May we stop to honor our fallen police brothers and sisters who have been taken from us as they performed their duties.  For the most part this week is somber and tearful for many of us.  Most sworn officers probably have buried friends and co-workers who have died bravely in the line of duty.

In Chicago the first Sunday of May is the annual St. Jude’s Memorial March honoring fallen Chicago police officers.  The last few years we have added far too many names to the list.  Officers, in their dress uniforms, gather early on Sunday morning.  Usually the weather is threatening but seems to hold off till later in the day.  Perhaps out of respect.

They then march, by unit, past the Chicago Police Memorial.  Located at the Chicago lakefront, it is a beautiful scene.  Police families gather to line the street.  The Gold Star Families gather in the stands and are saluted as we pass in review.   It brings a tear to my eye as I think about it right now.

Unfortunately, few people in Chicago are ever aware this march ever occurred.

While it may be a sad reason that brings us together, I have always gone home feeling good after seeing old friends.  I also go home hoping that I have learned something from this.

Like most police officers I have always wanted to dissect all the details every time an officer is killed.  It isn’t just morbid curiosity.  It is the desire to make sure that this never happens to me.  It is the desire to learn from this terrible event to make sure that my sons do not get the opportunity to join the Gold Star Families in the stands.

In most cases I either learn something or reinforce knowledge that I already had.  Many of the things I have learned are the result of events that occurred immediately after an officer’s death.  An example I remember clearly is an officer had been shot and killed by a man barricaded inside his home who was firing from his first floor front window.  The officer who had been killed never stood a chance as the offender sniped at him.  The officer’s partners were pinned down under fire and quickly ran out of ammunition.  They were only carrying the department required twelve rounds, (this was in 1985 and we were all required to carry revolvers).

Responding officers quickly tossed up speed loaders with ammunition to these officers.  Had responding officer not arrived so quickly or had the offender rushed these two officers once they were out of ammunition, the death toll for the day could have been much worse.  After that day I always had a second gun and at least fifty rounds of ammunition on me at all times.

I am sure that everyone has a similar story.  We learn from these events even if we don’t realize it.  As the story gets retold over and over in the station or after work over a couple beers it gets dissected thoroughly by everyone.  Sometimes it is clinically and analytically examined and many times it is with a sense of disbelief.  Feeling of how could this happen to this fine officer, your friend?  He or she had trained with you, possibly ridden with you.  Could you have done something different or would the same have happened to you if you were there instead?

This is where the real learning that saves lives really takes place.  It is at this moment that officers realize that they are human.  Officers come on the police force. As their experience grows their courage and skills grow too.  The situations that they can now handle are far greater then they have ever imagined.  There is nothing they might walk into that they cannot imagine not being able to handle.  Unless they are exposed to something extremely traumatic, they begin to feel they are immune to anything bad that could happen to them.  I have seen this happen to officers with about three years experience.

Unless exposed earlier, a three-year officer is at a time in his career when he has overcome the mechanical difficulties of the job.  In other words, he knows what reports to prepare, what charges to place, who to notify, and how your department operates.  That fear is gone.  He has handled domestic disturbances, locked up drunk drivers, been in car and foot chases, broken up fights and been in a few.  Up to this point in time he has probably done all this with out more than just a scratch.  It would be a surprise if the officer did not feel invincible after this.  He has learned how to talk to people so that they listen and do what he tells them to do.  He has learned to overcome his fears.

Unfortunately, at this time he becomes the most vulnerable.  This is when he steps up and gets in the face of the emotionally disturbed person with no fear at all and no real care if he lives or dies.  He walks into the domestic where someone has just snapped.  He walks into the situation that he is not really prepared for and all his prior experience just will not help.  His courage under duress might work against him.

It is at this time when an officer is killed in the line of duty that the lessons learned that day might save this three-year officer.  When he first sees his friend in a coffin, he realizes there isn’t much difference between him and the dead officer.  It is at this time when this young officer might sit back and realize he is human after all.  He realizes he could be injured or killed.

It is also hoped at this time that this young officer stops and looks at what he has learned over the course of his career.  He has to retain his courage and his bravado, but has to learn to temper it with wisdom that comes only with experience.  This wisdom is earned the hard way through experiences like the loss of a friend and coworker.  He now has to learn the importance of discretion, as well, and place it in his tool bag.

Obviously this does not happen to everyone.  Military veterans with combat experience tend to come to the job with this knowledge already ingrained in their system, but not always.

For me, I was a pallbearer for a classmate killed in the line of duty a year and a half after we were hired.  Some officers never seem to learn and go through their career as if their star were large enough to shield them from every danger that might come their way.  Unfortunately it isn’t.

During this somber week, honor your fallen friends and co workers by learning from their experience..  Remember you are human and as such are susceptible to injury and error like any other human.  Don’t let it scare you but instead let it make you smarter.  Thank those fallen officers for helping you gain the knowledge that may help you reach retirement.  Honor them by being smart enough to learn.

Lt. Robert Weisskopf is a 30-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department.  Lt. Weisskopf comes from a law enforcement family, including two uncles, a nephew, and his father.  Weisskopf wears his father’s lieutenant’s star.  Lt. Weisskopf is a graduate of Lewis University with a degree in criminal justice. He currently serves as commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department’s Alternate Response Section, which has approximately 200 officers, a unit bigger than most police departments in the United States. Weisskopf is an expert in collaborative leadership and informally mentoring younger officers.  He enjoys the constant challenge of policing and problem solving.   He just finished a five-year term as President of the Chicago Police Lieutenants Association, the collective bargaining organization for the Chicago Police Department’s lieutenants and was chief negotiator of the current contract.

First I’ll state the obvious. Law enforcement experiences, what we see, smell, experience – breeds cynicism.  Working so focused on the bad in society, it is easy to lose sight of the good.  Moreover, seeing the terrible carnage, mangled bodies, and inhuman treatment inflicted on victims – especially when it involves a child – the emotional damage is deep and lasting.

Honestly, the only way we survive is through what I call a “cast iron shield” over our heart. Perhaps not a psychological term, it nonetheless adequately describes the defense mechanism our mind uses to survive. Without it, an officer will wash out an emotional basket case.  I learned about it in counseling, after talking about life in growing up in an abusive home, all I witnessed in law enforcement, etc.  The counselor mused that I was the “most emotionally shallow person he had met,” because as I talked I was emotionally flat lined.  He explained the idea – that I developed a “cast iron plate” over my heart to protect my emotions. In essence, we learn not to emote.

The tragic truth is, the very shield that protects our emotions on the job, easily can shatter relationships at home.  We can take off the uniform, the gun and badge, but the cast iron shield stays put.  This is one reason 75% of LEO marriages end up in divorce.

However, another victim of the job, of the cast iron shield and the visual and emotional trauma and cynicism is our faith.  Many officers grew up in a faith environment, attending church. They believed. But time on the job, especially for those who become an LEO after military experience, faith gets crowded out by the harsh reality of life. The job feeds the cynicism; it hardens the cast iron shield.  And, the work schedule distances us from church and starves our faith for lack of input, not to mention peer pressure from those who have been there longer.

I know. I lived it.  I joined the 229^th Military Police Battalion in ‘70 and then the Norfolk Police Department (VA) in ‘73, where the guys who came on in the 50’s and 60’s trained me. Hard cases. My life centered on the job, first on patrol, then as a detective working burglary squad. They knew I was active in Church, and called me “deacon.” The pressure to fit in, to be as tough as they were took its toll.  Church attendance slacked, even when I could go.

There was a direct impact. My language, physicality in arrests, and my cynicism blended easily. No one made me change – I chose that path.

After a year, with NPD I met Drew Grant.  He and his Dad, the Police Chief, Charles D. Grant Sr. chose a different path.  They embraced their faith, walked it daily. Drew became my partner, and honestly, thank God for two man units. I could easily see just how far I drifted. Without any condemnation, Drew’s life caused me to reevaluate my choices. Only once did he openly challenge my choice. I was ready to strike a person when I could just have easily chosen not to – and he suggested the latter. That saved my future, and made possible what I do today.  We became partners on patrol, and went to the detective bureau together. Today, after all these years, we remain close friends, and he was the first call when I launched Serve & Protect asking him to join my board.

Now, do not be confused. When it was necessary, Drew got just as physical as the next officer. We got in our share of fights. He was every bit the officer as anyone else, but expressed it rooted in his faith.

Faith is not something you do, rather, it is who you are. It is all about a relationship with God through His son Jesus, and a choice to surrender my will to His will.  Moreover, it is a commitment to live life in accordance with biblical principals.  For me, it was a return to what I knew in my heart was right. Yet, it was not a sacrifice of doing great police work. We made as many arrests on the street, and closed as many cases in the detective bureau as anyone. In fact, we had a great closure rate with confessions. The guys with whom we worked saw us live the faith through who we were and our commitment to them and our work.

So what difference does it make? It gave us greater courage in dangerous situations knowing God had our backs, He had our best interest in mind.  It meant that no matter what happened, we were secure in knowing the ultimate end. It was freeing, liberating, and gave courage based not in our own strength but in the One who watches over us.

Case in point.  It was 1978, just months before I resigned to enroll at Columbia Bible College. Another officer called us and provided information through an informant about a break-in at a bar. He knew the suspects, and said they would be armed. After a records check, it was clear they were violent. We made a plan with our Sergeant, Bobby Wash. Drew and I met with the owner and he agreed to lock us in his bar. We had units close in the area, and all units were directed to stay clear.

We entered the bar ready to rock. I had a sawed off shotgun. Once inside, Drew and I developed a strategy. The suspects were going to go down a hall to the office and hit the safe.  Once they entered the office, Drew would throw a glass into the bar area, and I would go to the hallway with the shotgun.

To wait for the suspects, we went behind a piano on the dance floor.  There we knelt and prayed that God would protect us, and allow the night to go according to His plan.

Soon, we heard a noise at the entrance, a double wooden door, locked with only a padlock in a latch. We could clearly hear them prying, hammering, and cursing the lock that would not give. Professional burglars could not open the lock. For several minutes they tried. Soon, and every department has one, another officer drove past the bar shining his spotlight on buildings – despite our explicit instructions to stay clear. Needless to say, the guys fled.

Who can say what might have been? Could we have affected the arrest? Would our weapons out gun them?  We will never know. God did not give that answer – yet. Had they entered, there would have been a shootout. We knew it was very likely going in, and were prepared to do what was necessary – and we did not have vests then.

Sometimes, however, God does let us know how our actions affect others, as well as our own well-being.

A friend in the FOP served as an LEO for years. In effecting an arrest, he engaged in a shootout, during which the suspect was killed. As the suspect lay on the street dying, the officer knelt by his side and prayed for him.

The suspect was a member of a mean family of brothers. My friend was in a diner one night when a person entered, walked to his side and said – “that man you killed, well he was the good one of the family. His brothers are going to kill you.” Sometime later, the officer was assigned a prisoner transport. On arrival at the jail, the guard advised that a prisoner wanted to speak with him – it was one of the brothers of the man he killed. He agreed.

In a holding room, the officer sat across the table from the dead man’s brother.  “You killed my brother, and I have one question.  We were told that after shooting him, you knelt beside him to pray. Is that true?”  The officer acknowledged it was true.  “One of our brothers flew home from the military, a sniper, and we were going to kill you until we heard what you did. We decided to let you live.”

Cause and effect was clear. The officer’s faith, his decision to kneel and pray, saved his own life later

So the “so what” is simple. Who has your back? Who can see what the result of your actions will be and can move in your heart to respond a best way? You know. Only God.

We are a people of evidence. It will do me no good to try and convince you if faith has never been part of your life experience.  All I can do is tell you what I have found to be true, and this is it – God is real. The Bible is His Word to man, revealing His plan for the world, and the only means of knowing Him.

But before you can accept the Bible thing, there is the God issue. In recent years, top scientists, leading atheists, hardened philosophers have had to reevaluate their belief system. All because of DNA. For years, we have pointed to the symmetry in nature, the uniqueness of man from all other animals, and so many evidences that this world is not the result of a random act, rather the result of an intelligent design. If there is a design, there is a designer. God. Now the Bible seems more plausible.

Please do not take my word.  Chase the evidence. First, listen to former atheist Lee Strobel, a lawyer and leading writer at the Chicago Tribune – http://bit.ly/iDO70 . Hugh Ross is an excellent resource http://www.reasons.org/ , as is William Lee Craig http://bit.ly/aG8cvV .

Now for those who have drifted from your roots, come home. Sure, you can still be a tough guy, but you can learn to relate to others – your family in particular – better with a renewed heart. Follow the evidence.

Robert Michaels is a veteran of law enforcement, serving both as an MP with the 229^th Military Police Battalion for 6 years, and Norfolk Police Department for 5 years, both on patrol and as a detective. He earned a B.A. in Biblical Education from Columbia International University and a M.A. from Wheaton College in Communications. Rob is the CEO/Senior Chaplain of Serve & Protect, dedicated to the emotional and spiritual well being of Law Enforcement, FireRescue, Dispatch, and Corrections through a 24/7 Coast2Coast Crisis Line, Chaplain Services, Life Skills Coaching, and the Guns’n’Hoses Bible Fellowship. www.serveprotect.org. They also have a news feed at www.facebook.com/serveprotect. He also serves as a Chaplain for FOP Lodge 41 in Williamson County TN, where he is an active member and Sergeant at Arms. He can be reached at rob@serveprotect.org, or 615-373-8000 and is available to speak at events, churches,men’s events, and groups.

Our country is full of heroes, heroes who sacrifice their lives and put them on the line each day. They respond to the call. These heroes go about their day serving, protecting, sacrificing, and ultimately leaving a legacy of heroism, strength, and courage. They are the mighty men and women in blue. They are our law enforcement, our police.

Our law enforcement officers save many from distress and are the key to keeping our cities safe. We are kept safe without realizing that the safety they provide is being shared by the ones who cherish them the most, their families.

These officers are much more than just the peacekeepers of our city; they are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends, and to most a memory. As our officers gear up each day, preparing to serve and protect, their families are unseen heroes who support and sacrifice with them. These heroes are often in the background, striving to be a support system, a fan, an encourager, a peace, and a wound healer.

There are times and seasons in the lives of their families, some filled with many joys, and at times, much sorrow. There are those that stand alongside them and those who are left standing. Their families, although not officially sworn into the police department, are sworn in by the love they share and have promised.  Their support and encouragement are shown when they allow their officer to walk out the door each day, unsure of their return and sharing their safety with the rest of the city and country. They are the ones who hold their breath at the news of a fallen officer. These precious families try to understand and sacrifice on holidays, birthdays, gatherings, and at times at their officer’s end of watch.

Many of these heroes behind the heroes not only uphold strength for their officer but for their children. Many law enforcement children are not often seen as heroes. But, they are! These children try to understand when their law enforcement mother or father are absent at their birthday party, Christmas mornings, recitals, games, school programs, Thanksgiving meals, bedtime, and so much more. Our children in blue, although proud of their parent, know that there is much more than just catching the bad guys. They too sacrifice their mother or father on duty and are unaware most of the time at how much of an impact their mom or dad are making in this world.

Many of our heroes today are those who were left standing till the very end. These heroes hold onto the memories, they support others who have lost their loved one in the line of duty, and at many times remain strong for the sake of their law enforcement family. They are the ones that fear their officer will be forgotten, although we know in our hearts they will be honored and never forgotten. Their dedication and sacrifice will be told to our future generation of police officers to come.

At the beginning of each day our officer’s go to roll call. It is there that they announce their presence. It is there that they respond to the call. You too respond to the call each day in the role you play. As we honor our men and women who serve and protect this country, we want to say thank you to all those who stand behind and beside them and to those who have stood behind these warriors. For the families who have lost their loved one in the line of duty, we mourn with you and we hold you dear to our hearts.

Families in blue, you are living courageously and we honor every one of you. You have responded to the roll call of honor. The role you play is so vital in our officer’s lives. It is you who keep them believing in the good things of life and the joy in making memories. You stand proud by our uniformed men and women who fight battle after battle on the streets. Our law enforcement families are to be looked upon in reverence. We honor you today and always, you are truly the heroes behind the heroes.

Allison P. Uribe is an auxiliary chaplain with the San Antonio Police Department.  Allison’s husband has been a San Antonio police officer for 10 years.  She is also a chaplain with Serve and Protect, serving the spiritual and emotional needs of law enforcement, fire/ rescue, and corrections.  To learn more about Serve and Protect, contact them at www.serveprotect.org or 625-373-8000.   Allison is the founder of Wives on Duty Ministries, designed to support and encourage wives of law enforcement and other emergency services through the word of God. For more information contact www.wivesonduty.com or email Allison at wivesonduty@att.net. Allison attended Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. Currently, Allison is a lead community chaplain and student with Global University Berean School of the Bible. She is the author of, “Because I’m Suitable-The Journey of A Wife on Duty”, geared toward wives of law enforcement. To get your copy today go to http://www.amazon.com/Because-Im-Suitable-Journey-Wife/dp/1449740839

A recent article from the Washington Times profiled an incident in which an on duty Virginia correction officer was terminated after being observed allegedly asleep while supervising an outside work detail. What was even more surprising to some was that 6 months earlier the same officer, Elizabeth J. Rosenbaum, allegedly left her gun belt unsecured on a table in a restroom which held her loaded firearm, cell phone, handcuffs and chemical agents. For that infraction she only received informal discipline in the form of a written memorandum of warning.

In the latest incident it was reported that while she slept while supervising an inmate work crew they came within feet of her and even yelled at her to wake up as witnessed by other state employees. In this latest incident she remained on payroll for up to a year before being terminated.

As a licensed private investigator it would be hard to comment on this event without knowing more about the events and conducting interviews with witnesses and reviewing statements because newspapers don’t always report mitigating facts and tend to sensationalize but there is one thing that is certain.

Failure to safeguard a firearm is one of the most serious breaches of safety and security regulations that a correction officer can violate. Therefore if in fact officer Rosenbaum was witnessed to have not secured her firearm then at a minimum she should have received formal discipline in this case which would have triggered her due process and an impartial opportunity to either defend or validate the charges.

More importantly it would have identified the cause of the alleged security breach as the facts surrounding the event surface and perhaps help develop remedial steps which might avoid a similar occurrence in the future. Perhaps it would have manifested in a change to policy and procedure or levels of supervision or access which might enhance security and prevent a reoccurrence.

In the case of allegedly falling asleep in the presence of an inmate work detail, if factual, it supports a pattern of ignorance to good safety and security practices which can be catastrophic to officer safety and is paramount to the duties of a correction officer to provide care, custody, and control.

Pete Curcio is corrections consultant who trains senior corrections personnel and executives throughout the United States.  He was graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice – CUNY.  Pete is retired as a Bureau Chief at the New York City Department of Correction and was an Executive Fellow at the DOJ/FBI.  He serves as LET’s corrections expert.

Learn more about this article here:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/6/officer-left-gun-in-bathroom-fell-asleep-but-kept-/

The Working Dog

My eyes are your eyes,

to watch and protect you and yours.

My ears are your ears,

to hear and detect evil minds in the dark.

My nose is your nose,

to scent the invader of your domain.

And so you may live,

my life is also yours.

Author Unknown

This week is Police Memorial Week, when we celebrate all the law enforcement personnel who gave the ultimate gift, their lives, to ensure the safety of ours.  This week is SO deserved and such an honor for the family members who are left standing dazed and heartbroken in the aftermath, as well as for the brothers and sisters in the vast law enforcement family to share in such a tribute.

We should also give a tribute to the police K9’s that have given their lives to ensure the safety of their handlers and the public.  These animals do not work for money, status or benefits, they work solely for love.  Their motivation is the handler’s happiness and the love/praise reward received. The bond that is created between the handler and the K9 is like no other.

I have been in a family with animals my entire life, dogs and cats mainly. My father was a veterinarian technician, a Chief Master Sergeant, in the United States Air Force and was part of the initial team tasked with developing the Air Force working dog program.  I learned from an early age the amazing capabilities of these dogs, their physical prowess, and the incredible drives they possess.

I was not aware, however, of the tangible and absolute bond between handler and K9, and nothing could prepare you for this. These teams work together, live together, train together and sometimes die together.  To lose your K9 partner to illness or injury is devastating.  To lose your K9 to evil or violence is unimaginable.

We train our K9 partners to track human scent, to sniff out explosives or narcotics, and to alert us to the presence of hiding suspects.  They are exposed to many volatile situations and violent encounters. They do their jobs eagerly day after day, not knowing the danger they face from so many origins.  They work alongside their handlers in heat, rain, sleet or snow.  They work in the dark, in run-down buildings, in high crime or heavy traffic areas. They keep the handler company and are ever watchful for unseen threats.

The K9 leads the way into danger without faltering and oftentimes quells the situation.  Ironically, sometimes the K9 leads itself or his handler to an unwinnable situation.  Doing their job with precision and diligence often is the downfall of the K9. How do you train for evil? How do you prepare your K9 to escape a bullet or a knife?  There is no way to prepare your K9 for every dangerous situation, just as there is no way to train yourself for every encounter.  You train your team to be proficient and you train to win.

We in law enforcement know the dangers and risks.  We know at any given moment we may lose our life, the life of our co-workers or the lives of our K9’s.  We know that we might never return to our precious families. We enter this profession by choice and by calling, completely aware of all it entails. Our K9’s do not.

A hero is defined as “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities”.  Valor is defined as “a strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness”.   Love is defined as “the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another”.  All of the fallen law enforcement professionals who have given the ultimate gift are the embodiment of all three of these traits.  They stood tall and proud, and they stood for all of us against evil and will live forever in our hearts.

What if the fallen hero is a dog instead of man? Is the courage any less distinguished?  Is the valor any less prominent? Is there still not a life for a life? I believe the police K9 falls into its own category of a hero.  It is defined by intelligence, distinguished courage or ability, valor and selflessness. The K9 brings another quality as well, which is unconditional love.  This is a concept that means showing love towards someone regardless of his or her actions or beliefs.

One of my favorite quotes by Josh Billings is “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”  The police K9 exemplify this quote in every way.  He or she is often the only one at your side, is fierce in his/her protection of you, will not leave you in battle and would at any moment give its own life for that of yours.

In closing, I wish to give my absolute and heartfelt thanks to the many heroes that have fallen for this nation.  They are men, women, and police service dogs, some known to me and others not, yet we are all of the same family.  Your families will stand proud knowing that the ultimate price was paid in the pursuit of righteousness and justice will prevail.

Master Deputy Charlotte Raschke has worked in law enforcement since 1988.  She started her career in detention services and worked all phases of patrol, street crimes, crime prevention, property detective and the K9 unit. Deputy Raschke has been in K9 for 13 years as a handler, working three patrol utility/narcotic dogs and a single purpose EOD dog. Charlotte is currently a K9 trainer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Tampa, FL.  She was twice awarded the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, the Deputy of the Quarter, and four life saving awards.  Charlotte is an adjunct Instructor for St. Petersburg College’s Multi-Jurisdictional Counter Drug Task Force.