If you are tacitly accepting (by not correcting) the conduct of officers whose communication errors you KNOW have been responsible for unnecessarily escalating an encounter is it because you think they will grow out of it? Is it because you think the problem will not progressively get worse? Are you also prepared to some day attend that officer’s funeral or another officer’s funeral – the one that had to bear the brunt of some idiot’s attack that was initiated by an officer with a chip on her/his shoulder?

Remain Polite and Professional

Remember that you’re not just a representing yourself or your unit, but every police officer in America.

You’re the professional. While the task at hand may require you to be authoritarian. Civility and professionalism is also a part of the job.

If they politely ask a simple question, politely respond.

***

This from someone who watched a state trooper in New Jersey yell at two female friends for no reason at all. The trooper declared that he pulled my friend over for two reasons. My friend had politely asked the officer what they were. Two which he yelled, saliva spraying everywhere, “I TOLD YOU, I PULLED YOU OVER FOR TWO REASONS!”

We finally found out why we were pulled over after 5-10 minutes of the rude unprofessional officer’s behavior. My friend’s rear top tailight cover had fallen off. It had broken a year before and she had duct taped it. Apparently when we hit a bump on the wonderful roads of New Jersey. The red cover fell off…

***

Now let me tell you why this is important. This incident, and a few others that happened in a 3 yr period left me with nearly zero respect for law enforcement. Frankly, I began to associate LEOs a notch or two above thugs.

I know that not all LEOs are bad. And many are risking their lives busting criminals so the courts can put them back on the streets 3 months later. Hard not to get burned out from such…

But let me be frank…when Eagle Scouts & Valedictorians start to look at LEOs as rude, ego driven cocky SOBs who are incapable of acting professional. And that’s the attitude that is growing upon them. Than only tragedy can come from such…

***

Now let me tell you about what restored my faith. It may surprise you that it wasn’t very much. It was a winter evening. My friend’s truck died. We were trying to push it from the street into my driveway when all of a sudden we see flashing blue and red.

My first reaction was “This is my house, I pay a crapload of taxes, and I’m not doing anything. If they give me any hassle I am going to give them a piece of my mind.”

Instead, they got out and exclaimed “Need a hand?” and helped us push the truck into my driveway. That one event restored so much faith for me. It gave me just what I needed. Proof that there were still good cops. Giving me the encouragement I needed to give the uniform the benefit of the doubt.

Civility and Professionalism do not just benefit you, but everyone who wears a badge and a uniform. It makes it safer too…because we’ll be more peaceable when we do not fear the threat of a officer with an ego and a badge.

Sincerely,
N.U.G.U.N.