MANAGING EDITOR'S POINT OF VIEW

It's not about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. - Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) from the movie “Rocky”

How much can each of us take, unassisted?

There is no doubt that unnatural biorhythms necessitated through shift work along with the stress of law enforcement operations and navigation of the political landscape are all contributors to self-medication. Caffeine to start your day and a beer or two to wind down after a shift is commonplace for first responders.

When reliance on alcohol, specifically, becomes a necessary crutch to numb the grind of daily negatives and injury is when consumption, often to excess, becomes problematic.

"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it" points out J.K. Rowling in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (Harry Potter, #4).

In this issue, we explore the issue of alcoholism among the ranks of first responders.

Also in this edition of the BLUE Magazine, Lt. Joseph Bucco, Jr writes about Breaking the Silence: Mental Health Challenges Facing Our Nations Officers. Lt. Robert Spano encourages us to Be the Change You Want to See in Agency Culture and I offer thoughts on law enforcement evolution to the escape by many in The Great Escape: Evolution to Exodus.

How much can we take? The assistance we seek can be found in supporting one another. We must have each other’s best interest as a top of mind awareness endeavor. Both our safety and sanity are dependent upon it.

While facing the many obstacles inherent in our chosen profession, we must remember what brought us to public service and always be guided by our own moral compass. Every generation is called to face hardships. We must stand up and not surrender in our fight for freedom, life and pursuit of happiness!

As always, we are here to help support you. Our sister organization Moment of Silence is here to help as are we. Reach out whenever you need us!

Joel E. Gordon
Managing Editor