HOW TO LEAD WHEN YOU AREN'T IN CHARGE

How to Lead When You Aren’t In Charge

By Lt. James Rotundo

In a profession such as ours, most of us will find that our entire careers will be led entirely by others controlling the puppet strings of what we do. In organizations where egos are the name of the game, the idea of this could drive some of us nuts. Luckily, it doesn’t have to. Even though you don’t have the title of being “in charge,” there are things you can do to lead. Leaders, critical thinkers and doers are more crucial today than ever before.

We tend to think the only ones who can lead are the ones with the rank, or shiny bronze badges, or their own private office in headquarters. While that is partially correct, the truth is every single officer is accountable to someone, even if it’s just to themselves. Let’s not confuse ourselves with the idea that because the ones with rank are required to lead, they do it well. 

Let’s start with what bad leaders do. Some may be handicapped with outdated leadership techniques, also known as “that’s how we’ve always done it.” Some might have been very good at their jobs, but once promoted, they lack leadership skills, forcing them to leverage their title and position as a way to get subordinates to do their bidding. Both of these issues breed bad morale and could have you saying to yourself, “If I were in charge, things would be different.” Although the ones in charge would shudder at hearing you make that statement, it’s not exactly a wrong way of looking at things because, in a way, you are in charge.

Great leaders don’t have to be in rank or have that shiny bronze badge or their own private office in headquarters. We all know that officer we were able to look to when we had a question or needed guidance. I would even bet money that officer you are thinking about right now wasn’t the top boss in your department. Great leaders leverage influence, relationships and knowledge to get others to accomplish the task with them. Good leaders motivate others, support others and build others up. As you can see, nowhere in the idea of leadership does it require you to be the head of an organization to accomplish those things.

If you want to lead when you aren’t in charge, you must start by being in charge of yourself. Hold yourself accountable to high standards and goals regardless of outside influences. You can’t lead from the rear if you aren’t leading yourself. These standards and goals should be constant and ever-evolving. You need to have a base in knowledge and experience. Without knowing what you are doing in any given situation, you will do no one any good in leading them through it. You also must be willing to change and adapt. 

As much as some “stuck in the past” ranking officers might try and make you believe otherwise, this job is constantly changing. Everything in this job from case laws to procedures to technology is continuously evolving, and that’s how you should be, too. While experience will only come with time and initiative, knowledge can come from several ways. Yes, knowledge has a base in experience as well, but continuing your education is your next best source. Knowledge is also knowing your strengths and weaknesses. I have never seen in any departmental manual where it says you can’t ask your supervisors what you can improve on. We have an inherent issue as humans to not see our weaknesses. In other words, take the time to ask your supervisors and co-workers to constructively criticize you with things you could improve on as well as point out the things they think you do well. No one likes to be told what areas of themselves they are weak in, but this is where you can grow the most as a leader and an officer. By fixing your weaknesses and supporting your strengths, your supervisors will see you as someone willing to take charge, and co-workers will see you as someone whose lead they should follow. This takes courage, but so does leading when you are not in charge; they go hand-in-hand. When you are able to think critically of yourself, you will be able to think critically of others in situations where a leader is needed the most. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not who someone else is today, and you will see how far you can go in your career.

Once you think critically of yourself, then you will be able to ask yourself what kind of leader you want to be. Do you want to be the kind of leader who sits in the ivory tower of your department, sending directive after directive on what to do? Or, do you want to be the kind of leader that takes charge by doing the things with your group as an “I would never tell you to do something I wouldn’t do or haven’t done myself.” Your answer to this question is essential. If your answer is the ivory tower-type leadership, then leading from the rear isn’t for you. If your answer is to be an all-inclusive person, then leading without being in charge is the thing that will mold you into the future supervisor you inspire to be. Leading WITH your peers will put you in the prime spot to be seen as a leader throughout your department. I call this leading by example. You don’t have to be the most vocal person in the room, but you do want to be the most driven. It’s not the authority that makes you a leader; it’s the unwavering focus on the tasks at hand that will make others follow.

While these things appear simple, the application may be hard. You may even receive some pushback from your supervisors that you are “overstepping.” The trick is to make sure your organization’s mission is clear to you, and then figure out where you fit in the bigger picture. When you become the person who gets things done, the person who assists and motivates their peers, the person who lifts their coworkers, the person who is experienced and knowledgeable in their job and shores up their weaknesses, I will assure you the pushback will be less and less. Leading when you aren’t in charge isn’t about rocking the boat, it’s about knowing how to lead in places and situations you can, so that when superiors are looking for someone to head a task you are the one they seek to drive it.

Therefore, great leaders leverage influence, relationships, and knowledge to get things done. The influence, relationships, and knowledge you cultivate today will be the leverage you will use when you become the one in the driver’s seat of your department. Supervisors are a dime a dozen, but true leaders are few and far between. Being a leader from the rear is a skill that will pay dividends in your career, so start now.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay Connected
By: Anthony Mikatarian

It's no secret that friendships and good work chemistry with your fellow co-workers improve both your personal and career gratification, as well as your co-workers own gratification. Positive relationships, especially with loved ones and friends, guide you to self assurance while presenting your best self in both your personal and work environment.

However, these ever so important relationships are being tested in the midst of this unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. This is why working hard to maintain positive family, friend and work associate relationships have never been so imperative to our overall positive mental and physical contentedness. With all the restrictions being placed upon us by the government on your employment, general businesses and people’s own personal beliefs has made it quite difficult to maintain personal relationships outside of your immediate family circle during this pandemic. For some, even the natural fear of contracting the virus is altering their thinking. What you had done in the past to maintain these relationships has to be tweaked during this trying time.

This is particularly true with our unique profession because many departments have been working on an altered and abbreviated set rotating schedule to combat this pandemic such as reducing the normal on duty staff and squad counts to nearly half, with the other half at home on standby. This is tough on work personal relationships. However, with this pandemic this emergent decision is a necessity to reduce the chances of your agency being overwhelmed with illness, hence, putting your agency out of service.

With this abbreviated work schedule and the work restrictions, you will not see many of your co-workers for weeks at a time. This is partially okay if you are shift set with a co-worker(s) you enjoy, but it is also socially challenging with the limited physical contact you have between each other. If you happen to be set with an officer(s) you are sour to, it probably will be even more socially challenging during your shift. However, either way you will still feel out of place or saddened by not working with others you enjoy working with and the norm of full staffing, who are now on the opposite of your work cycle. You may not see them for weeks. This can damper your work spirits, especially if working in a smaller agency. You need to find ways to ward off loneliness, stress, roadblocks and boredom. You need to find creative ways to elevate your work comradeship in lieu of this pandemic, social distancing and sheltering in place.

Since this pandemic arrived, it has put many things into perspective, such as gaining improvement in communicating with our personal relationships. I have realized that during our pre-pandemic hectic work and life schedules, we at some point developed inadequate socializing time, as well as some falling victim at times to mixed priorities. Many of our social communications have been text messages, quips and social media interactions. Social non-work related phone conversations are rare. With this eye opening pandemic and more free time on our hands to reflect, you realize these forms of communication are usually lacking in substance. This pandemic era is the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate our mindsets, personal relationships and our forms of communication. We need to develop socially with the people we care about by presenting them with more personal, sincere and deeper context. Just communicating in an impersonal electronic fashion does not nourish our or their souls. With our usual busy lives temporarily halted and now having more time, it's the perfect opportunity to verbally open up about yourself and your valued relationship with that person you are communicating with as well as you feeling it in return.

I personally had a fulfilling phone conversation with a great lifelong friend the other day, which has been a rare occurrence because of our hectic lives. Most of our interactions prior to this were electronic. We not only reminisced, but got to talk about a lot of personal and random things. It was a rewarding conversation that not only reminded us of the blessed friendship we have but a conversation like this nourishes it to continue. So pick up the phone to call your families, friends and work friends. If you are prevented from phone conversations, you should make a necessary effort to send regular and sincere electric communications to let them know you are thinking of them and praying for them and their family’s wellness. It goes a long way and lets them know that you truly care. You take the initiative. Don't wait for your administration or colleagues to reach out to you or encourage this behavior. If you get mocked for taking this initiative, those are the people who don't deserve your attention anyway.

This is something you can initiate from the comfort of your home. Plus, I learned to just be real and drive a straight line, not dance around something or being embarrassed to divulge your feelings to a person in your social circle. Especially with the many added daily challenges living life during this pandemic your positive work and personal relationships will appreciate this general approach because you are real. Let your positive social and work relationships know that you are delighted to give and receive support, especially to help each other get through this dark time. Also, this is a time to really emphasis our sincere listening skills because of the added stresses and unknowns we are feeling. Living in this pandemic people need to, at times, vent or express themselves. Upon listening, we need to truly show affirmation and compassion back to them. Reaffirm that we are in this together and will get through this together.

The crisis established by this pandemic make positive social relationship’s more important than ever in helping us build and maintain all our emotional well-beings. No matter where you are in life or what you are going through positive social relationships will help you both professionally and personally. Bonding and being real will only benefit you in the long run to recognizing who is real or fake in your own life. With our faith in God along with our resilience we will surround ourselves with relationships that will help us be at our best. When this time of social distancing becomes a welcomed memory, I pray that we as human beings remember this time of isolation. I hope everyone develops a new appreciation on how delicate life is and the true value of our loyal social relationships because fellowship is vital for human existence. As these interesting and scary days continue, let's really remind our loved ones, our dear friends and our acquaintances how appreciated they really are! God bless and wellness to all.

Whose side are they on anyway?

Whose side are they on anyway?
By: Lt. Patrick J. Ciser (Ret.)

Why would politicians make laws that leave us less safe? It’s mind-boggling to think of a nation with leaders who would, ostensibly, stand up for the rights of criminals over the rights of their victims and future victims. And that’s exactly what bail reform and Sanctuary City laws are doing. Law and order is something we should all be concerned with for the safety of our families and communities, regardless of party affiliation. Juxtapose these new laws with the get-tough policies of the Clinton administration in the 1990s, which absolutely cut down on crime. “Three strikes” policies were a great concept but admittedly should have been enforced on a case-by-case basis while looking at the severity of the crimes committed. Over the years, some politicians have been horrified over the staggering numbers of the United States prison population, while I on the other hand, saw it as a good thing. To this day, many law enforcement officials in NYC claim that approximately 5,000 repetitive criminals are responsible for most of the serious crime in the five boroughs. In theory, if we locked up all 5,000 and gave them stiffer sentences, all of the good people in New York City would benefit, and tourism would increase. The misguided mayor of NYC, however, who the NYPD Sergeants Union just declared “war” on by the way, believes that closing Rikers Island, releasing perps without bail, and declaring NYC a Sanctuary City is the answer. And to make things worse, New York State Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo agrees! Some argue about the cost of housing so many prisoners, but I would argue, what’s the cost to our communities if we release them?

During the crack epidemic in the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s, crime was extremely high, and something needed to be done. In April 1994, the New York City Police Department, with the support of “tough on crime” Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, developed a plan to decrease crime to historic lows. This strategy/plan would serve as a model for other agencies across the country. Commissioner Bill Bratton, Jack Maple and Louis Anemone researched and developed “CompStat” (Compare Statistics). This, coupled with “Broken Windows Theory,” drastically reduced crime rates and increased incarceration rates, making New York City the safest big city in America. Crime dropped in all categories, but most striking was the murder rate. In 1993 NYC had 1,946 homicides, while in the year 2000, it had only 673. Make NO MISTAKE! It was a “tough on crime” attitude and polices that supported proactive police work that got the job done.

Today however, because of the political climate, some have shifted to sympathizing with the predators rather than the prey. There are two kinds of cops; the ones that attack crime, and unfortunately, the ones who wanna stay out of trouble. The latter are usually the ones who suck up to the politicians who promote them to their next rank. I’ll NEVER understand how any reputable sheriff or police chief can support Sanctuary policies! When you allow a felon to avoid an ICE “hold” or warrant, it only puts the people that he preyed upon and others in more danger. It also puts the cops in danger who now have to track him down. It’s NOT rocket science! Turn an unarmed ex-con over to federal authorities in a controlled environment, or take the chance of force, or deadly force, used against those that try to bring him in later. Not to mention the innocent bystanders that are at risk as well.

Some sheriffs are fighting back while standing by the Constitution and their oath of office. Most striking is Orange County California Sheriff Don Barnes, who’s in, ostensibly, our most unrepentant Sanctuary State.  He’s taking a stand against California Senate Bill 54, which is known as California Values Act. Isn’t it nice that politicians always come up with these flowery or benign names for bills that are nothing of a kind? I mean, who wouldn’t vote for a “Values” Act? Here is a quote from this level-headed sheriff: “Rather than protect our immigrant community, the law has enabled offenders to be released, often times back into the immigrant communities they prey upon, and create new victims.” Statistics show that Orange County alone has released 2,121 inmates from jail, who should have been held on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers in 2018 and 2019. As a result, 411 of those released have been re-arrested for additional crimes, including rape, assault with a deadly weapon, child sex offenses and domestic violence. The insane are now running the asylum. ☹

Credits; Some excerpts taken from an internet article by Mitch McKinley (Feb. 6th, 2020)

Alphonse Capone: Prohibition’s Robin Hood

Alphonse Capone: Prohibition’s Robin Hood

Photo: Chicago Bureau (Federal Bureau of Investigation) - Wide World Photos

The 18th Amendment of the United States Constitution, which effectively established prohibition, had done more to advance the organized criminal underworld than any legislation enacted to stop it. Prohibition itself had created the massive criminal underworld—Alphonse “Al” Capone ruled over it.

The banning of all alcoholic beverages in the United States had taken effect on January 17, 1920 and was upheld until it was repealed on December 5, 1933. Americans’ desire for alcoholic libations propelled gangsters and mob bosses into roles as pseudo-Robin Hood figures. Even Capone, the notorious gangster, who according to the Chicago Daily Tribune was responsible for the deaths of 33 people, was sharply aware of creating a Robin Hood-type persona. As an example, he fed the hungry with a free soup kitchen, serving over 5,000 men, women, and children on Thanksgiving Day in 1931.

Photo: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Although Capone, also known as Scarface, the Big Fellow, Al Brown and assorted other names, understood the power of positive public relations and how it helped smooth and elevate his image, the 1929 Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre of gang rivals, which ultimately killed seven men, damaged Capone’s reputation.  It is widely believed the attack was planned by the Capone organization to eliminate rival gang boss George “Bugs” Moran.  Moreover, gangsters in broad daylight firing high-powered weapons, including Thompson submachine guns, marred the image of Chicago—still to this day it is seen as dangerous land where gangsters flourish, albeit no longer dominated by the Italian and Irish gangs of the 1930s.

The rise of gangster mythology surrounding those such as Capone also came about because novels, magazines and movies began to be written from the gangster’s perspective. For example, consider the closing minutes of the film “Little Cesar” (1931), when the gangster Rico phones the police station to yell at the cop who lied and challenged his masculinity in the newspapers. The scene shows the criminal (Rico’s) perspective and how the lawmen have the upper hand, tracing his phone call, and subsequently executing him as he lies in wait (gun in hand) behind a billboard near an old flophouse.  “Little Cesar,” which was written in 1929 and filmed in 1930, was the first crime film written from the criminal’s own perspective. Many subsequent gangster sagas in film and novels imitated the movie’s plot. It was a plot that worked well, pitting the criminal versus the powerful man, and in turn colored the view of the urban gangster.

The 1932 film “Scarface,” a film adapted from the 1929 novel “Armitage Trail” and loosely based on the life of Al Capone (whose nickname was Scarface) depicted gang warfare and police intervention, in a world of gangs fighting for control over the city. Maurice Coon, who spent a lot of time immersed in the Chicago gangland’s underworld, befriending Sicilian gangsters, wrote the book with censorship in mind. There were numerous passages where he placates the censors, in an effort to balance criticism that the book’s aim was to glorify the gangster. But censorship didn’t stop Al Capone from liking the movie so much he owned a print of it.

“Scarface” was one of the most violent films of the 1930s. It was the first film where the gangster used a machine gun. The movie was filmed in 1930 but was not released until 1932 because of the Hays Office, a government movie censorship agency, which called for the cutting of violent scenes, such as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and a title change to “Scarface: The Shame of a Nation.”  Insomuch as the Hays Office endeavored to battle the glamorization of gangsters and mobs, J. Edgar Hoover too insisted on condemnation of criminals deemed moral rogues, who destroyed the honest fabric of wholesome American society. Co-producer Howard Hughes eventually gave way to the Hays Office pressure, adding a prologue and scenes that would counter the romantic images of the gangster with images of the condemnation and thrashing of gangland evil.

Capone understood the power of an appealing public image. Crowds cheered when he appeared at baseball games.  He made donations to many charities, thus furthering his status as the Robin Hood of his time. Capone was visible and embraced his celebrity status, and many saw him as an opportunist, or common man, who began as the son of poor Italian immigrants and became a successful business entrepreneur, albeit a criminal mastermind. Capone often spoke with the press. As one of the most notorious American urban gangsters of the twentieth century, numerous books, films, articles and songs are written about his life. The blue pinstriped suit and tilted fedora that has become the stereotypical attire of the Prohibition gagster is based on photos of Capone.

Although a murderous criminal, Capone enjoyed a favorable reputation as a Robin Hood-type character. However, his life of celebrity and embellishments would take a fast personal turn on May of 1932, when at thirty-three he began his stretch in prison, and the arduous life of dealing with complications from syphilis and gonorrhea. Upon his release in 1939, Capone received treatment for paresis caused by late-stage syphilis. He spent his last days in his mansion on Palm Island, Florida. By 1946, his physician concluded he had the mentality of a 12-year-old child. Shortly thereafter, on January 21, 1947, Capone suffered a stroke and subsequently contracted pneumonia. On January 25, 1947, Al Capone, 48, went into cardiac arrest and died.  

It is now 100 years since Prohibition began in the United States, and 72 years since Al Capone died. However, he is still undeniably cemented in popular culture as a quintessential Robin Hood figure. Few criminals ever reach such status.

4 Ways to Maintain Emotional Strength & Control

4 Ways to Maintain Emotional Strength & Control

By: Joe Hammond

So your shift just started after a long weekend and you’re in your patrol vehicle prepared for the day. Prior to hitting the streets, roll call was the usual mixed bag. Patrol safety information and crime updates, the usual jokes from the jokesters and the usual grunts from the complainers. Not much change.  While driving along to acquire your favorite beverage and road snacks you get a phone call from your significant other stating unhappiness in the relationship and telling you they’re considering separation. Immediately, the radio crackles dispatching you to a domestic violence incident in progress between a man and a woman with  unknown weapons.  Not only are you now nervous, saddened and disappointed about home, but you’re on your way to one of the more dangerous jobs that cops face today. How exactly do you remain tactically aware and emotionally strong with your head going in several directions? And of course, having to disconnect the phone call at that point because of the radio call doesn’t help matters at all. It only comes across as “you don’t care as much about the problems at home.” I mean sure, part of you knew there were problems at home, but never did you expect this. You just figured you’d be able to clean up the matter with a few good times and maybe a vacation together.

Without being a person who practices emotional strength and control (ES&C) on a regular basis, this radio call can quickly spiral out of control, right?  For example, you, as the police officer who lacks ES&C in this particular situation can fail to identify a threat which puts you and your co-workers in danger and you may rush a disposition in an effort to get back to your personal matters or you may suffer from a lack of clear judgment which may cause you to misidentify the aggressor and the victim.

What are some ways that you can practice daily emotional strength & control and which ones would apply to this particular situation?

A few ways a person can strengthen their ability to remain emotionally strong is by having good daily habits. An example is a habit such as rising early before the rest of the world. Another is having a good spiritual, meditational or recreational life, and practicing remaining calm in the midst of adversity. You can also learn not to maximize the minimal in life. Not everything needs to be reacted to immediately, and sometimes the best answer to a heated situation is to step back and allow the moment to have its space before reacting. Here are a few emotional strengths that can apply to the above listed radio call.

1.     Resiliency: People who are emotionally strong through resiliency are less discouraged by setbacks and disappointments. They are also able to recover more quickly from emotional wounds such as rejection.

2.     Clear Thinking: People who are emotionally strong through clear thinking focus on overcoming the obstacle by visualizing the end process rather than spending too much time focusing on the “Spilled Milk.”

3.     Positive Reflection: This usually comes from past experiences where certain obstacles in life appeared to be insurmountable.  Through positive reflection of the pains and lessons related to the past, one can recall that everything turned out a lot better than initially anticipated.

4.     Adaptation: Adapting and overcoming is one of the oldest practices in police work. When you’ve worked in this field long enough, you realize that not everything is always what it seems. Police work constantly throws curveballs which need to be hit. Practicing the ability to adapt to different situations will help you become more flexible as a person and not completely floored by change or bad news. 

Emotional strength and control can be summed up in many different words and/or phrases, and I encourage you to look them up in order to begin developing some of the less obvious.  After all, at the end of the day, polished emotional strength can benefit you both on “AND” off the job.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT AND … WHEN THE GRAPES OF WRATH RESTORE YOUR FAITH IN PRAYER

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT AND … WHEN THE GRAPES OF WRATH RESTORE YOUR FAITH IN PRAYER

By: Officer Deon Joseph

Today was one of the best days off I ever had. It was nothing special. It was one I desperately needed after a really tough week of shootings, death and my memory failing me from “the 40s.” I really needed a moment.

So I’m cleaning out my garage with my sons. For the past month, this butterfly with neon wings has been flying around my home. It is as if every time I step out of my home, it decides to put on a show for me. It kept happening. I told my boo about it and she said it was some kind of blessing. I laughed it off. Two weeks later, two neon-winged butterflies waited for me to exit my front door and started flying all around my home. I like nature, but it was strange. I have never seen butterflies around my home like that for the 17 years I’ve been here.

The third week there was the same two with a new one, with huge gold and black wings. They were my two favorite colors. It flew around my wife’s rosebush with the other two. I wanted to test something. I got into my car and drove around the block. When I came back they were gone. I got out of my car and as I approached my door, they reappeared flying around again. They always kept a safe distance, but were closer than before. I told my wife and kids. They saw them, too. One of my kids thought I was tripping when I said they were drawn to me … until today.

As I was loading trash into my garbage, I walked it to the curb. My son looked at me to tell me something. The two neon-winged beauties were flying around each other. I don’t know if it was some kind of mating dance or what. But they literally flew two inches from my face and danced in front of me for ten seconds, then flew to my rosebush meeting up with the larger one with the black and gold wings.

My son smiled in amazement. It was the coolest thing ever. Before this began happening, I dreaded going outside my door, knowing I was about to drive into utter failure. Those butterflies motivate me to go outside just to see something beautiful. Maybe that’s God’s way of lifting my head in this weird space I am in.

So I then go into my den to chill. I look out my back door and see two men molesting my grape tree from the neighbor’s fence. Yes. It was wrapped around her lemon tree, but they were treating my beautiful tree like it stole something from them. I went outside to let them have it. But as I watched, my tree was overgrown and the high leaves were dying so I didn’t trip. But … my wife saw it and lost it. My tree was now slumped over and looking horrible. We tried communicating with the men, but there was a language barrier.

So we decided to walk around the block and discuss the issue with our neighbor. When she came to the door we started to tell her about herself, but she said to me. “You were the one who called the police a year ago when my husband was attacking me.” I wasn’t sure if I should answer that. She apologized about the gardeners and told them to lay off my tree. It was too late, but oh well. She then invited us to her backyard and asked again “Were you the neighbor who called the police last year about this time, when my husband attacked me?”

One thing I don’t do is lie. I told her I did. I thought it was an argument that was getting out of control. She said he was beating her. He was arrested that night and after 35 years of being abused by him, no one to help her. No one calling the police, she was finally free from him. I never knew he was beating her. But I knew what I heard that night wasn’t normal.

“Thank you so much. He’s been gone for a year. I got the house, and God answered my prayer to free me from him. I never had the courage to do it until you called. Sorry about your grape tree. Come into my yard. I’ll give you some cones to prop up your tree.”

As we entered her yard, she had so many beautiful trees. Grape trees, pomegranate trees, navel orange trees. She had green thumb swag all over her. Since my orange tree and grape tree were struggling, I asked her for her secret. She said “Prayer, Deon. When my husband was abusing me, these trees suffered. When he left they flourished as I prayed for these trees and for me to get better. It’s prayer Deon. Don’t give up on prayer.”

It was message I needed to hear. I haven’t prayed in almost a month. It’s not that I lost faith in God. I just began to accept this weird valley I’m in as God’s plan. I thought prayer at this time was useless. Between the butterflies and the neighbor, I think it was God’s way of reminding me he’s still here to listen to me.

Thank you Jesus for this incredible day.

To Live I Must Die...Say What?

To Live I Must Die … Say What?

By: Chris Amos

There are protocols about police work that folks don’t understand, and their lack of understanding often leads to misunderstanding, even criticism, aimed at law enforcement officers and agencies. I suspect nothing is more misunderstood than leaving the deceased victim of a crime at the scene of the crime. We’ve all seen the sheets over bodies lying in the street. We’ve heard the chatter, “Why don’t the police remove the body.” It’s disrespectful to the family and traumatizing to the community, they claim, and perhaps it is.  What these folks don’t understand is that the moment a victim is pronounced he or she becomes a part of a crime scene. Important evidence might be able to be recovered from a body at the scene that would have been compromised, or lost altogether, if that body was removed by funeral home employees; evidence that could possibly help lead to the identification, arrest and successful prosecution of the suspect responsible. Is an arrest and prosecution worth leaving a body at the scene? Once the “why” is explained to the families of the victim, the families I have dealt with have unanimously changed their opinions of the investigation procedures and the detectives calling the shots.

It is easy to dismiss, discredit or reject something we don’t understand. As mentioned, cops are on the receiving end of much unwarranted criticism rooted in misunderstanding and ignorance. It might surprise my fellows LEOs, but do you know who else receives even more unwarranted criticism and attacks? It’s Christians and the Christian faith we are committed to following, and if you happen to be a Christian cop, you may experience attacks both in-house and by the general public. Now I’ll admit there are those “Christians” who act like anything but, but like bad cops they, if they are Christians at all, are the exception and not the rule. The reality is Christians are an easy and politically correct target for unrelenting criticism and attack. Why? Because folks don’t understand why we do what we do.

Granted, parts of the Christian faith seem to contradict themselves or provide very perplexing paradoxes. Like more than a few policies, procedures and general orders I have had to sign during my 27-year law enforcement career. What are a few of these Christian paradoxes? If you want to be exalted, you must humble yourself. If you want to rule, you must serve. If you want to be first, you must be last. If you want to be strong you must acknowledge your weakness. And perhaps the most confusing of all Christian paradoxes, if you want to live you must die. The head scratching part of a paradox is that while the statement seems to contradict itself, it is 100% true. Years ago, my wife and I went to Israel. We called our kids after midnight Israel time. Israel is about seven hours ahead of our time in the US. My son asked us what day of the week it was. I said Thursday. My son said “No, it’s Wednesday.” I explained the change of time, to which Jesse replied, “So your today is our tomorrow.” A paradox.

To understand much of the Christian faith, we must come to grips with three truths, otherwise Christianity will continue to be misunderstood, and Christians continue to be attacked as intolerant, homophobic, insensitive, hatemongers, etc. I might be talking to an LEO who has this very opinion of Christians. If that describes you, hear me out on this. The three truths are simple to read. Not so easy to embrace and accept as truth:

1) God’s wisdom is infinite (unlimited), ours is VERY finite (limited). God knows things about life, justice, and the future that we know nothing of, unless He chooses to reveal it to us. He has revealed much through His heart and mind, aka the Bible. Similarly, a LEO knows much more about policing than that arm chair quarterback that has just binge watched PD Live.  Psalm 147:5, Isaiah 55:8-9

2) The ONLY Way to understand the paradoxes of the Christian faith is through spiritual discernment. “Live PD,” “COPS” and Scared Straight are not sufficient substitutes to a six- to eight-month police academy, three months with a Field Training Officer and years of personal experience. If we try to understand the Christian faith and its many paradoxes with our natural minds, I promise you it will not make sense. We must seek spiritual discernment if we ever hope to understand spiritual truths. This is what Jesus was referring to when He repeatedly prayed that His audience would have, “ears to hear and eyes to see”. 1 Corinthians 2:14

3) God gains pleasure using the foolish, humble and weak to CONFOUND the wise, proud and powerful. If I’ve heard someone describe my choice to be a cop as being due to my inability to get a real job once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. LEOs are too dumb, too inarticulate, too simple-minded to pursue a truly meaningful career, like say a defense attorney….NOT! God often uses the most unsuspecting sources to teach some of His greatest lessons. That source may be the partner sitting next to you, the detective working a homicide case, or maybe just maybe the janitor cleaning your locker room. 1 Corinthians 1:25-28

The bottom line, friend, is if you are quick to dismiss the Christian faith maybe, just maybe, it has less to do with Christianity, and more to do with your own misperceptions and falsely based assumptions. Ask God to help you understand, expect Him to, and prepare to have eyes to see and ears to hear. Be safe my friends, and praying I’ll see you at the finish line.                  

Everything old is new again?

Everything Old Is New Again?
By: Kirk Lawless

Is it?  Nothing magical happens when you add the word “new” to it.  It suggests an improved version of the original or it could be an attempt to soften or disguise it, particularly if it has lain dormant for a time.

Can a leopard really change its spots?  A black panther is just a leopard, not a species unto itself. Melanin just caused its fur to turn black.  If you look closely enough you can still see the subdued spots.

When shit “popped off” in Ferguson, the world witnessed the return of the “Black Panthers” under the guise of the “New Black Panthers,” still the same beast; still the same spots.  If you think because it’s the “new” version, don’t bet your life on it!

 Would you believe the KKKK (Yes, there are four Ks, not three but it is sometimes shortened from Knights of Ku Klux Klan to simply Ku Klux Klan) was a different organization if it announced it was now the “New KKKK”? If you’re that naïve, it’s time to start reading books!

Like the Klan, the Panthers haven’t really gone away, just underground.  This is “old school” stuff.  What does it have to do with modern policing? A lot, really, as these two groups still swing heavy sticks and have many sympathizers across the country.  During car stops or frisks you might find business cards or literature, especially near college campuses (recruiting grounds for young folks looking to attach themselves to something bigger than themselves). You should at the very least make a mental note of who and what is traveling through your area.

If you see someone sporting a “Huey Newton Gun Club” shirt, it should raise a red flag. Who the hell is Huey Newton?

The recent attacks on police precincts of the NYPD are bold and alarming.  They can happen anywhere in the United States and the perpetrators can be anyone: lone wolf, or an affiliate of any number of hate groups (and although the numerous hate groups have targeted a particular enemy or problem, they always include the LEO community as their enemy).

The Black Panther Party for Self Defense was founded in 1966 by Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Elbert Howard, Sherwin Forte, Reggie Forte and Little Bobby Hutton in California as a watchdog group for police officers in Oakland they deemed to be too heavy-handed and quick on trigger-work.  Fair enough.  They engaged in community activity (always a plus to gain support and a sympathetic following).  Loosely organized and rife with infighting, what started as a political endeavor began to morph as often as its name, giving birth to splinter groups, different names and with different agendas. Based out of Oakland, word spread quickly and members got on board across the country with some 5,000 card-carrying members and many sympathizers including folks like “Hanoi” Jane Fonda.

The name quickly changed to the Black Panther Party and then just as quickly they simply called themselves the Black Panthers.

At first the group was far to the left, adopting communist ideology, anti-establishment and anti-government. The group had beefs within that resulted in killing some of their own members.  A year later, dropping their anti-racism (yes, they started as anti-racist group) message and still anti-government, cops (always caught in the middle) became targets of ambush and assassination.  White cops were primary targets, but they had already acquired a taste for black blood of those opposing them within their own ranks, so the blood of black officers would be spilled and mixed with the blood of white cops who stood in their way.

In 1967, October 28 to be exact, Oakland Police Officer John Frey was killed and his partner, Herbert Heanes, was wounded after stopping Huey Newton.  The foundation for the Black Liberation Army had been laid, and Newton quickly became a leader (behind bars) and a wave of violence spread quickly, adrift in the wind. The seeds flourished where they landed, as the once loosely organized entity grew tighter and stronger. Joanne Chesimard (the rabid cop-killing bitch who later changed her name to Assata Shakur, enjoying to this day her political asylum in Cuba and breathing good air … my opinion) moved to Oakland from New York and would become a shot-caller when things got violent, “quick, fast, and in a hurry.”  The group needed money and the only way to get it was through robberies and every business was a potential target, including banks.  They needed money to survive, but they needed it mostly for weapons and bomb-making material.  Extortion was not out of the question, since shooting and killing was soon to become second nature.

The group established safe houses in different states, knowing they were about to embark on a nationwide crime spree.

On April 7, 1968 Bobby Hutton and Eldridge Cleaver ambushed two Oakland police officers, but failed when the cops, although both wounded, made Bobby Hutton “permanently un-alive” and wounded Eldridge Cleaver, who was captured and sent to prison.  Hutton “took one for the team” and Cleaver became another patron saint for the BLA. Now claiming anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, Marxism-Leninism and revolutionary socialism as its root ideology (any of this sounding familiar yet, with the presidential election getting close?) it had declared open war on cops.

Then on May 19, 1971 two NYPD Officers, Curry and Binetti, were machine-gunned while on a protection detail.

By May 21, 1971 (For any of you officers who are part of a “Salt and Pepper” team take note.  For the BLA the only thing better than killing a cop was killing two cops, better still one black and one white) Officer Waverly Jones and his partner Joseph Piagentini were targeted for assassination specifically because they were a black and white team.  Shot in the back while walking their foot beat in Harlem New York, their blood pooled and congealed on the sidewalk.  The red blood of brothers spilled. Red, nonetheless, but blue at the same time. (Remember that!) 

December 20, 1971, in Queens New York: two NYPD officers attempted to curb a vehicle. The car did not pull over and sped off. A brief pursuit followed but was terminated when one of the BLA occupants tossed a military-grade hand grenade at the squad car, disabling it. They BLA wasn’t fucking around!

January 27, 1972, was a bitter-cold night in the East Village of New York.  On their foot beat, 23-year-old Officer Rocco Laurie (two years on the job - shield 11019) and 22-year-old Officer Gregory Foster (one year on the job - shield 13737) were in full NYPD uniform. Their beat on Avenue B was among the deadliest in New York City.  The officers passed three men on the sidewalk.  The men parted to allow the officers to pass. It was not as a courtesy.  As soon as the officers were a few steps beyond, the trio opened fire on the two officers, a fusillade of bullets tearing into them.  Foster was struck eight times and Laurie six.  As the officers lay dying on the frozen ground, two of the men calmly strode up to them and while being encouraged by the third of them to “Shoot him in the balls,” one fired two additional shots into the crotch of Officer Laurie.  The other shot Officer Foster two additional times, once in each eye, obliterating his head, reducing it to an unrecognizable mass of blood, bone and brain matter.  The officers’ service revolvers were stolen from their bodies and the assassins fled the area in a waiting car.  The third ran off after firing celebratory gunshots in the air while standing near the bodies.

When other units arrived on the scene, the pool of blood seemed never-ending.  The most hardened cops in the city were visibly shaken and sickened by the sight.  Officer Foster was already dead, his blood comingled with that of his still-dying partner. Officer Laurie was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.  The two police officers served in the United States Marine Corps together, served in the NYPD together, and requested to be partners and specifically requested assignment to the area where they also died together.

The getaway car was discovered and three sets of fingerprints belonging to BLA members were lifted from within: Ronald Carter, Twymon Meyers and Herman Bell.

The heat was on the BLA in New York and the group responsible for the deaths of Officers Foster and Laurie headed out of state.  A caravan of three cars, one rented by Joanne Chesimard, fled to an already established safe house in St. Louis. It was February 16, 1972.  After setting up in their new “set of bricks,” four of the group, Thomas “Blood” McCreary, Twymon Meyers, Ronald “Sha Sha” Brown and Ronald Carter, jumped in one of the sleds, a green Oldsmobile, and went out in search of newspapers for updates on the murder of the NYPD officers.  Until now there had been no known link between St. Louis and the BLA. That was about to change.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has been around since 1808 and has always had a no-nonsense approach to police work and a rock solid reputation.  Two patrolmen in the 8th district (at the time) Richard T. “Frenchie” Archambault and his partner, Larry Tinnell, spotted the green Oldsmobile on Grand Boulevard near Cass Avenue.  It had a funky-looking cardboard temporary tag out of Michigan, so they lit it up and curbed it.

“Frenchie” approached the car and observed the four occupants. The story told to Officer Archambault didn’t add up.  All the windows of the Oldsmobile were down (a clue to the new cops that shit might be getting ready to “pop off”… you don’t want all that glass flying around!) I imagine the men in the car were nervous and the driver’s skin was leaking. The driver, McCreary, was armed, as were the other three occupants. They were itching to kill some cops, and St. Louis was as good a place as any. Plus the trunk of the car was full of rifles and ammunition. If they got arrested they would be going to the “Walls” in Jefferson City for a long, hard time. “Frenchie” knew his world was about to go to shit in a rickshaw! In a matter of moments the interior of the car exploded in white-hot muzzle flashes as the four cut loose on “Frenchie” and Tinnell. “Frenchie” got hit, but the tenacity of the SLMPD rose to the occasion. “Frenchie” and Tinnell fired back with Frenchie scoring some solid hits on Ronald Carter, who was the front seat passenger and the one spoiling for a shootout (according to a later interview with McCreary). SLMPD has never been afraid of trigger work!

Responding officers engaged in a short pursuit and the crippled vehicle was abandoned, and a running gun battle ensued with three of the occupants.  Carter was dead in the front seat after the exchange of gunfire, struck several times by “Frenchie” Archambault, but ultimately the “kill shot” was fired by one of his friends in the back seat.

Meyers escaped, but McCreary and Brown were wounded and arrested (one of them shot off a fence by a famous female SLMPD officer), the word spread quickly, the SLMPD wasn’t fucking around, either!

A search of the shot-up vehicle revealed a cache of weapons and the service revolver of NYPD Officer Rocco Laurie.

Herman Bell was eventually charged with the murders of Officer Waverly Jones and Officer Joseph Piagentini.

April 14, 1972: NYPD Officer Phillip Cardillo was ambushed responding to an officer in need of aid call in a Harlem mosque and was murdered.  The ties to the Black Panther party, the Black Liberation Army and any spin-off group run deep. The Nation of Islam is as dangerous as their sympathizers in other groups.

May 2, 1972: New Jersey State Trooper James Harper conducted a car stop on the turnpike. His backup unit was Trooper Werner Foerster. Almost immediately, a gun battle started. When the smoke cleared, Trooper Foerster and a BLA member were dead. Trooper Harper was wounded. Also wounded was Joanne Chesimard (Assata Shakur) who was charged with the murder of the trooper. She later escaped (1979) from prison and made her way to Cuba where she was granted political asylum where she enjoys celebrity status.  She is still idolized by the community that spawned her and her treacherous allies.

November 14, 1973: Twymon Meyers (remember him?) after escaping during the shootout in St. Louis, met his end at the end of an NYPD officer’s gun in a gun battle in the Bronx.  The deaths of Officers Foster and Laurie were certainly avenged.

Here in St. Louis, I have seen a resurgence in Black Panther tattoos, occasionally you might find a Huey Newton Gun Club T-shirt, and shirts emblazoned with the piece of shit who murdered Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Faulkner on December 9, 1981 (25 years old with five years on the job - shield 4699). His killer was also a member of the Black Panther Party.

Look into the history of these folks and get an idea about what goes on with them, whether you know they’re in your midst, or you haven’t a clue if they are or aren’t.

It’s literally a timeline of they kill us and we kill them right back and like the recent attacks in NYPD precincts, it’s nothing new. On August 29, 1971 a San Francisco a police sergeant was killed while seated at his desk when BLA members lit up the station house.

Can a leopard change its spots? Absolutely not, it’s still the same.  Research the history of policing and our adversaries; it could save your life.  Just noticing a particular T-shirt on someone, or a tattoo, or seeing a fucked-up license plate or temp tag on a bullshit car might just save your ass as well.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach

There is no one-size-fits-all approach
By: Chris Scilingo

Law enforcement organizations are regularly filled from top to bottom with officers ranging in age and coming from different backgrounds.  Baby boomers to millennials currently make up police departments across the country.  Although law enforcement organizations appear to be made up of a homogenous group of professionals; individual officers still hold their idiosyncrasies which can pose a particular challenge to law enforcement leaders.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach to leading a group of individuals toward a common goal. A successful leader will know how to use different leadership styles at his or her disposal.  A successful law enforcement leader must know which leadership styles are effective for different situations that they may face.

Fortunately, for today’s law enforcement leaders, we do not have to reinvent the wheel!  History has provided us with some great scholars such as Bernard Bass, Warren Bennis and Stephen Covey, all of whom have studied leadership extensively and developed theories.  The list of exemplary leadership scholars and military leaders is far-reaching. I do not aim to take credit away from the many while crediting the few. I just mention ones I have personally studied.  I intend to emphasize that there are models that we as law enforcement leaders can turn to for guidance when we are faced with a particular situation.  We do not have to feel stuck and resort to applying poor leadership practices.  We should not be afraid to educate our minds and expand our understanding because we could appear weak or in need of help. It is perfectly OK to seek guidance if it means that we will be able to effectively lead our law enforcement organizations toward our goals, whether they are short-term, long-term, or superordinate.  As Ret. Gen. Stanley McChrystal would put it, we should, “Listen, Learn…Then Lead.”

Some of the more common leadership styles that have been studied are those from the autocratic-based, democratic-based, transformational and servant-based.  There are plenty of others and we must remind ourselves again that one style of leadership does not fit all situations or work well on each officer.  Imagine the autocratic leader, for example, applying that style across the board. I can see more potential negative effects than positive effects resulting from autocratic-based leaders.  Autocratic leadership does have its role and can benefit the outcome of a situation when used effectively.  Successful law enforcement leaders applying an autocratic-based style of leadership will be able to make quick and precise decisions, under stressful conditions. Sometimes suitable directive leadership is required.  Applying autocratic leadership under the wrong circumstances can lead to discouragement within the organization, resentment, crippled morale, and it can snuff out creative solutions.

On the opposite end of the leadership spectrum would be the democratic-based leader.  Perhaps in situations where time is a luxury or long term and superordinate goals are the target, democratic leaders can be successful.  Officers within the organization would be encouraged to share ideas and opinions with the leader and more commitment would come from the group rather than an individual.  However, this style does not work so well if the majority of the group has communication issues or they are not very skilled.  Transformational leadership is what comes to my mind when I think of the word leadership.  Transformational leaders do what all leaders should; they move the organization toward positive progress. Otherwise, they are just in charge in some positional authoritative capacity and maintain the status quo, which is not leadership, it is management. There is a difference. 

Last, I want to briefly discuss the servant-based leadership style, another one of my favorites.  I had some great servant-based leaders during my time as an enlisted active duty Marine.  Servant leaders serve their subordinates and put subordinate needs first before the leader's own needs. Servant leaders empower, develop, and uplift their staff when demonstrating this leadership style.  Some benefits of an empowered staff are that they perform at new, higher levels. They become purpose-driven, which leads to higher skills, knowledge and abilities among the members, trust is fortified.  Trust could be the most beneficial byproduct of this leadership style. Stephen Covey advocates that trust is the one thing that changes everything and his book on the speed of trust talks about how trust drives organizational performance.

Since we know that law enforcement organizations are filled with diverse individuals who form a homogenous group; we as law enforcement leaders can deduce that no one-size-fits-all approach, can effectively work on everyone or in every situation.  Learning about various leadership styles can help a law enforcement leader become a successful and effective one.  Knowledge of different leadership styles can help law enforcement leaders make better decisions for their staff and their organization.   Knowing when and how to apply different leadership styles is vital in the success and survival of today's law enforcement organizations.

Shot in the Head, Forgotten, Abandoned, and Fired: Sergeant Matthew Schoolfield’s Story.

Shot in the Head, Forgotten, Abandoned, and Fired: Sergeant Matthew Schoolfield’s Story.

By Chris Scilingo

Law enforcement officers are tasked with tough jobs and placed in some of the most dangerous situations one could imagine. Always operating within the gray areas of the law, law enforcement officers have no choice but to place themselves in harm’s way to do their job.  But when an officer does his or her job, carefully and bravely, and while being wounded by gunfire multiple times — even being struck in the head — one should expect honors, medals, and celebration for the hero officer.  Instead, Sgt. Matthew Schoolfield of the Chickasha, OK Police Department, was fired, forgotten and abandoned.

Forgotten and fired is the exact result after what happened on Sept. 17, 2017, during a search warrant execution at the property of a kidnapping and assault suspect. Chickasha police officers arrived at 3507 S. 4th Street with a search warrant in hand and armed with a police tactical team in case things went south. When no one answered the door, the police made their entrance. 

Unbeknownst to the officers, suspect Alex Warren Klinger waited inside armed with a semiautomatic .308 rifle, ready to murder any officer attempting to take him into custody.  The aftermath of the warrant execution resulted in seven officers being injured.  Sgt. Schoolfield took at least five rounds from Klinger’s .308, including one that penetrated his ballistic helmet.  But warriors such as Schoolfield don’t go down so easily.  He was able to get himself out of the kill-zone where other officers could render first aid to him.  Klinger had the luxury of surviving the gun battle and was ultimately convicted for his crimes and sentenced to 10 consecutive life terms.  After a long road to recovery, Sgt. Schoolfield returned to work in a limited capacity, still as a sworn law enforcement officer, but not for long.

This is the part of Sgt. Schoolfield’s story where the real injustice takes place.  The Chickasha Police Department removed the position that he worked in, thus leaving him with no job. In February 2020, Schoolfield’s department officially fired him.  No public outcry, no media blitz, not even a blue line of solidarity from his peers to support him — no blue wall of officers standing shoulder to shoulder to back up a hero police officer who was limited to light duty because of the wounds he sustained while serving the community. Could it have something to do with the right to work laws where the sergeant is from? Were other officers fearful of political retaliation from the city? Was Sgt. Schoolfield abandoned by his brothers and sisters because there was no police union to back them up, to stand up against an ungrateful city administration?

I feel only shame for those brother and sister officers who, for whatever reason, have accepted their excuses not to stand in solidarity and support Sgt. Schoolfield. As for the Chickasha officials and the police administration puppets that the city pulls the strings of, they neither have the gratitude nor respect for the sergeant’s years of honorable service to the city and its community.  To add insult to injury, the city offered Sgt. Schoolfield an ultimatum; take a lower-paying civilian job or take no job at all.  Somehow the city officials can stand behind that decision and feel that they are offering Schoolfield a good deal.  He may have been fired due to whatever fiscal excuses that the city can cook up, but he should never be forgotten and abandoned by his employer, his community and especially his fellow officers.

All law enforcement officers and supporters must examine Sgt. Schoolfield’s situation and reflect on it.  Think about how you would react if one of your brothers or sisters in blue was fired after being severely injured in a gun battle with a criminal.  We know all too well that every shift that we put the shield on our chest and gun on our hip could be our last.  It could be any of us that are walking through the door of a home or walking up to the window of a car, and suddenly everything could change in a moment. Bad things happen in this profession, sometimes it’s inevitable, but it’s the aftermath and response to those bad things that separate us from every other profession.  We can accept to some degree that we may be harmed while doing our duty, but we should never accept that we will be forgotten and abandoned by our brothers and sisters.

Blue Magazine stands with Sgt. Schoolfield.

THE POLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION

THE POLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION
By: Joel E. Gordon

"Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light" - George Washington

What could Brett Kavanaugh and myself have in common? It is the attacks on our character and reputations just for our willingness to offer ourselves to public service. So many have been subjected to attacks in an attempt to make those with different political views or interests become targeted victims of the politics of personal destruction.

In my case, was I shocked to learn that untruths were being told about me on behalf of the establishment candidate? Absolutely not ... disappointed but not surprised

Here’s my response to the initial rumor being spread about me and my past employment:

Rumor Alert: No I was not fired or terminated from my appointed position as Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood in 1995!

Here is an excerpt from my published book (copyright 2014) Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story:

"then… I was actively working with The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) on Kingwood becoming the smallest police department to be nationally certified. Almost simultaneously the news was out that a recent City Council election resulted in a return to the previous political regime and ultimate reinstatement of the Chief of Police that I replaced."

"I was offered a position as an officer... This was unacceptable to me so I gave them what they seemingly wanted, my resignation."

"I was now a victim of the “good ole’ boy” network. The newly elected mayor and certain council members made it clear to me that they were looking for a “yes” man. Having been privy to much confidential information as a result of my task force affiliation... I will factually tell you that once I was gone, the Mayor and Council quickly succeeded in contributing to the demise of the regional drug task force. The loss of the task force resulted in a large increase in criminal activity, such as burglaries, over the years since aborted. The drug problem grew to include increased heroin abuse throughout North Central West Virginia, something I had hoped I had left behind in the Baltimore of the 1980’s."

When political adversaries, whether on the federal, state or local level spread false, exaggerated or unsubstantiated rumors about an individual or a campaign, it only serves to energize the base while angering many others. Nobody wants to see a campaign for someone's willingness to offer themselves to public service turn into a mud-slinging contest.

Personally, I would NEVER use any unsubstantiated or false information by presenting accusations of improprieties as being factual in an attempt to sway the outcome of an election.

The reality is that it is those of us seeking progress and positive change versus certain establishment political figures (commonly known as the mob or the swamp). On my local level, some political operatives who have had status quo influence for decades mistakenly thought that they got rid of my chief deputy designate Terry Queen and myself many years ago when they succeeded in the abolishment of our Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of which I was once vice-chairman and Terry Queen was unit commander. Sorry not sorry... WE ARE HERE - better, stronger and more knowledgeable than ever and willing to work to take our county back by enforcing the law without fear or favor.

Socrates has been quoted to have said “When debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers.” Unfortunately, there are always those who have unwavering support for entrenched politicians. I just don’t get why they run campaigns using the same playbook of personal destruction however unsuccessful history shows such a course of action can be. Have they no concept of a possible damaging boomerang effect?

Although seemingly taking the low road by promoting an untrue story about me, my problem isn't necessarily with individuals who have been reported to have repeated falsehoods about me on behalf of an establishment candidate being endorsed. In fact, it is the people and certain members of law enforcement who have issues that need to be resolved, and as a serious candidate for a leadership position as sheriff they are now looking to me for answers. After all, the sheriff is the only law enforcement official, being elected to his or her position, who answers directly to the people.

While other untruths and misrepresentations are reportedly being composed and disseminated about me, I look forward to better days ahead with inspiration from those who have successfully gone before me. We will continue on with our solution- and idea-based campaign. I want to take the Preston County West Virginia Sheriff's Office to new levels of professionalism. Our goal is to be the envy of law enforcement agencies both in state and nationally. Leadership with integrity and commitment to truth will be an excellent way to begin on our journey.

Lessons Learned: The Baltimore Police Strike of 1974

The Baltimore Police Strike of 1974

By Major Wesley R. Wise (Ret.)

(Note: The following account of the Baltimore City Police strike of 1974, the only work stoppage in the department’s history, is based on my intimate knowledge and memory of the events as they happened)

 In the beginning . . .

In 1974, new Baltimore police officers were paid a disgracefully low starting salary compared to surrounding departments. In fact, of the more than 15,000 police departments in the U.S. at the time, BPD was in the top 20 for professionalism, effectiveness, and efficiency, but you would have to look long and hard to find it anywhere on pay scale comparisons.

Morale was low due to the low pay, and the only secondary employment sanctioned was driving a cab, which was allowed only because officers were required to be armed at all times, and to take action in the face of lawbreaking. The department felt it was a way to put more police on the street without paying them. That severely limited officers’ ability to earn extra income to offset the low pay and exacerbated the morale-killing factors of working as a police officer for the Baltimore Police Department.

The department was probably only able to attract as many new officers as it did because at the time there was a large contingent of former soldiers returning from Vietnam, many of whom had been military police while in the Army and who looked at civilian police work as the perfect next step in their lives. So the department had a large pool of eager and well-qualified men (it was strictly a boy’s club at the time) to pick from; men who looked at the job as a career, not merely as a job.

BPD officers received scheduled raises only every five years (in some years there were also small cost-of-living increases, which of course didn’t keep pace with the actual cost of living).

Rising Tensions . . .

At the time of the strike, there existed an AFL/CIO affiliated police union and a fraternal police organization, the Fraternal Order of Police, which many officers joined in addition to the union, but the union was the bargaining agent for the department’s sworn members, so virtually all of them belonged to it.

In the Union Hall and on the street, talk of a strike emerged and grew. As it grew louder and more strident, the union convened and a strike vote was held, resulting in an “intent to strike” order. The few officers who felt that the city offer was a fair one argued and voted against a strike, but they were outvoted and many claimed that they were thereafter ostracized by many of the officers they had thought of as friends. One thing about strikes – you soon found out who your friends were.

Unionized BPD officers who went on strike did so almost strictly for better wages (“We Won’t Die, for Five point Five” was the union’s slogan, referring to the city’s pending offer of a 5.5% wage hike over three years which most veteran officers felt was not just too low but was actually insulting). BPD joined other municipal workers who struck at the same time, part of a city-wide demonstration by the AFL/CIO.

As public service employees, police officers were prohibited by law from striking. Officers who opposed the strike for that reason believed they had a sworn duty to serve and protect the city and its citizens, and they intended to keep the oath they had sworn to when they joined the department. They were fully cognizant of the fact that without police patrolling the streets, anarchy soon would erupt. And soon after the strike was made public, it did.

Dissatisfaction turns to action . . .

History will show that the Baltimore Police Strike began on the 11th of July, 1974, but actually it was preceded on July 7th by a “Blue Flu” epidemic. This “Blue Flu” was not a full work stoppage but instead was designed as a warning of things to come if the city didn’t budge from its “final” offers to all city workers, including the police. Most of the officers who didn’t have the flu and came to work that day engaged in a campaign of intentional misbehavior that more or less legitimately took them out of service for as long as possible. As an example, turning in a penny as found property to the Evidence Collection Unit. During all of this, of course, there were very few, if any, officers available to handle the growing number of calls for service.

The Strike Begins . . .

The strike began in earnest on the 11th of July 1974, when a large but unknown number of on-duty officers, first from two of the nine police districts where tensions and dissatisfaction were highest and then from the other districts in a rolling wave, staged a “walkout.” The officers and supervisors involved simply parked their radio cars and walked out and “went on strike” at a pre-arranged time, with some leaving their radio cars lined up at the entrances to station houses, blocking access in and out.

They then changed into street clothes and formed picket lines, carrying professionally made signs provided by the union. As the day wore on, many off-duty officers in street clothes began joining the picket lines.

The idea of parking their radio cars at the entrances to the station houses was brilliant, as it prevented officers who chose not to strike from getting to and from work. It took hours for non-striking supervisors to find the spare keys to all of the radio cars so they could be moved out of the way. The on-duty officers who abandoned their cars also abandoned their posts, their duties, their responsibilities and ultimately, in many cases, their careers.

The Department’s Response . . .

The first night of the strike (now known in some quarters simply, and inaccurately, as “civil unrest”) was chaos, though the fact that the strike was not well known at first mitigated the damage. The department was aware in advance of the probability of a strike and was prepared with a plan outlining steps to be taken to address the expected problems. The plan was created immediately after the initial work slowdown of 7 July.

First, command determined the names, assignments, status, and contact information of all sworn personnel and projected their work schedules so they’d know which officers were scheduled to work at any given time. This information was used for two purposes; to enable quick notification of all off-duty officers in the event of an actual strike to report for duty and to help the department establish exactly who the initial striking officers were for possible disciplinary action later.

Detectives and sworn personnel whose assignments didn’t involve working the street (known as “house cats”) were assigned to the districts in uniform in place of the striking officers and doubled up two to a car to patrol the areas thought to be most vulnerable to rioting and looting. Only in-progress and high-risk calls were to be dispatched. All other calls were logged but no one was assigned to respond to them.

Detectives were assigned to ride with a district unit for obvious reasons - they did not patrol with other detectives. By the second day, all officers were working 12-hour shifts patrolling two to a car. Non-district officers were to meet at the HQ building to be bused to their districts of assignment.

Maryland State Troopers were brought in the next day to augment the beleaguered city officers who had crossed the picket lines and help restore order, their small number working side by side with non-striking Baltimore officers, supervisors and detectives.

The first night, before the full impact of the almost total lack of a police presence on the street, rioting and looting were somewhat muted compared to what was to come. Despite the arrival of Maryland State Police reinforcements, on the second day rioting, burning and looting broke out in earnest all over the city. Mob rule was the name of the game.

The rioting, burning, and looting continued nearly unabated for the first three days and nights of the strike, until finally on the fourth day many striking officers, seeing the futility of their efforts and the looming prospect of personal consequences for their participation, began to cross the picket lines and go back to work, reinforcing the overwhelmed non-strikers little by little as order was restored a block at a time.

During the four-day strike, working police officers, supervisors, detectives, and State Police troopers were considered, and loudly called, “scabs.” Working officers were routinely subjected to officer vs. officer confrontations, spitting, and name-calling by the striking officers as the non-striking officers crossed the angry picket lines to go to work. There were even a few incidents of rock and bottle-throwing at the buses being used by the city intended to help avoid individual picket line contact.

After the Strike . . .

When the strike ended, a departmental task force was formed to investigate and report on all aspects of the strike. The task force was comprised of supervisors from the Internal Investigation Division, the Inspectional Services Division, the Criminal Investigation Division and two supervisors from the Planning & Research Division. The P&R supervisors were not investigators – rather their job was to coordinate all of the investigators, analyze the information that was developed and write the after-action report, which included all known information concerning the activities of each striker on each picket line.

In the end, the union and striking officers gained nothing from the strike except varying degrees of punishment meted out to striking officers, including loss of vacation days and leave time, transfers, fines, resignations, and in some extreme cases, termination, which was reserved for the most egregious acts by those officers who were known to have been the strike ringleaders, instigators, and agitators. Disorderly conduct on the picket lines in some cases led to terminations.

While many other municipal workers staging work stoppages at the same time were given an increase in their wages and won other concessions, police officers were given only the already offered 5.5% increase (over three years) in pay to begin the next year.

In other words, the strike was a total failure for the union and for the striking officers, and the scars of that strike on the city itself, her citizens, businesses, and on the relationships and futures of her police officers were felt for an entire generation of city police officers.

Police Commissioner Donald D. Pomerleau, based on the weeks-long investigation of the events during and surrounding the strike, would eventually punish and even fire many of the officers involved and revoke the union’s bargaining rights. That was the end of public-sector unionization for the Baltimore City Police Department and enabled the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to assume the bargaining rights abdicated by the union.

As far as I know, none of the strikers, even Officer Wally Brenton, who scored at the top of virtually every subsequent promotional list during the rest of his abbreviated career, were ever promoted – they were effectively blacklisted.

Today’s Baltimore officers are faced with many challenges in their working conditions with a lack of patrol staffing and a restrictive consent decree. With morale once again at a low, could a full-blown police strike once again result in the City of Baltimore? That seems highly unlikely if history is the guide to the future.

Possible images for use subject to copyright: https://images.app.goo.gl/uEowgCeTGTX772ZA9

Why be a volunteer victim?

Why be a Volunteer Victim?   
By: Joel E. Gordon

“Worlds are colliding!” - George Costanza (Character from the TV comedy show “Seinfeld”)

Maybe sometimes the reason something fails to work out for the best as one would hope and often expect is more aptly about worlds colliding as portrayed in the 1995 episode of the television comedy “Seinfeld” entitled “The Pool Guy”.

UrbanDictionary.com describes the Worlds Collide Theory as: A theory which states that a man must keep his personal life (i.e. friends) separate from his relationship side (i.e. girlfriend). Should the two worlds come into contact with each other (by means of his girlfriend becoming friends with his friends), both worlds blow up. "If Relationship George walks through that door, he will kill Independent George! A George divided against itself, cannot stand!" - George Costanza

It would seem as though the “Worlds Collide Theory” has some practical applications beyond those of interpersonal relationships. Here are two examples:

MOVING DAY

As I read the news headline “Baltimore Newcomer Carjacked, Attacked” it reminded me of some observations that I made as a 1980s Baltimore city police officer.

I can remember some 1980s-style “yuppies” pulling in front of their new home in a high-crime area. The beautiful mansions of an era gone by were laden with gold inlay work among the ornate hand-carved woodwork. Purchased for pennies on the dollar these young new homeowners seemed oblivious as to why the value of these homes had been so drastically diminished and seemed to be unaware of the hazards of their new surroundings. They parked their shiny new Volvo in front of their new abode, proudly displaying their valuable possessions along the sidewalk as the moving van unloaded. Predictably, within their first week of living in this crime-infested environment they experienced the inevitable burglary and theft of items. Area law enforcement officers considered them to be “volunteer victims.”

RESIDENT OFFICER

When I became a Baltimore city police officer in 1980, I was required to sign an agreement stating that I would become and remain a Baltimore city resident within nine months of and for the duration of my employment. In fact, I did become a Baltimore city resident shortly thereafter, moving into my first apartment after moving out of my parents’ home which was located in the Baltimore county suburbs. It only took a few months before someone attempted a break-in through a rear first-floor window to my apartment bedroom. I was home at the time as the perpetrator was scared off by my 70-pound Doberman-shepherd mixed-breed dog. I was awakened by the perpetrator who had absconded through a wooded area never to be located. Fortunately, the agreement that I and others had been required to sign was deemed null and void as it had been declared an unlawful requirement for police employment within the State of Maryland. Before long, I would buy my first home in rural and soon to become suburban, Harford County, Maryland, a full 14 miles north of Baltimore’s beltway and about 25 miles from the city police station to which I reported to roll call.

Today, it is said that only about 20 percent of Baltimore city’s sworn officers live within the city limits. Current Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young, then-City Council president regrettably criticized cops earning city dollars while living in counties by saying, “They’re raping the city.”

Days later, after making that public decree, police said a Baltimore city officer was alone and sleeping in his home in the neighborhood of his northeast Baltimore city residence when a suspect broke into the officer’s home. In this case, the armed burglary suspect was fatally shot by the awakened off-duty police officer. Fortunately, the officer, who was home alone at the time, was not injured.

The deceased suspect had a long criminal record and previously had been flagged as one of “the state’s most dangerous supervisees” by state parole and probation officials. He was due in court two days after his death for violating probation in connection with past crimes including convictions for armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and car theft, but had repeatedly avoided significant prison time. That was despite repeatedly violating his probation.

Although there is a case to be made for law enforcement officers residing within some of the higher-crime jurisdictions that they serve, the question of risk versus reward remains. In my case, the balance between my desire to help those residing in a violent high-crime area balanced well with my need to reside in a calmer setting to be at my best and refreshed for duty.

Perhaps the idea of worlds colliding offers valuable insight into reasons why sometimes discretion is the better part of valor and why the case can be made for why one should not knowingly become a volunteer victim then or now.

“Pray With Me, Don’t Prey On Me”

“Pray With Me, Don’t Prey On Me”
By Julia Torres

Last year, a measles outbreak in various New Jersey counties and Rockland County, New York created quite a stir within communities, schools and with health officials. During 2019’s first three months, the Garden State alone had surpassed the amount of measles cases in 2018. Additionally, although the measles disease had been officially eliminated from this country in 2000, the Big Apple still experienced an alarming measles crisis.

This commotion led to the prohibition of unvaccinated children in public places; a federal judge disallowing unvaccinated students to return to school and health officials affirming vaccination to combat the spread of measles. Soon thereafter, Democrat Sen. Loretta Weinberg sponsored legislation to cease with religious exemptions as a reason for children not to be vaccinated. Previously, a child’s ability to attend school had not been withheld if religious beliefs were cited as reason to refrain from immunization.

Originally intended to include public and private schools and colleges, this bill was later changed to include only public schools. However, this attempt at compromise did nothing to appease the many New Jersey residents who stand against this controversial bill, leading many to stand their ground in Trenton on Monday, January 13, 2020, when the bill to prevent parents from exercising religious exemption against vaccinations was returned for a second reading in a Senate voting session.

Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney was confident in acquiring a victory similar to California, Maine, Mississippi, New York, and West Virginia. However, as discussions remained in the State House, hundreds of protesters flanked its courtyards. One specifically, Manisha Lad, strongly disagreed with Democrat Assemblyman Herb Conaway’s comment that, “Vaccines are safe”.

Having known firsthand how vaccinations affected her son Akhil with autism, Mrs. Lad stood behind a microphone, voicing her concerns against mandatory vaccinations in front of the State House. Surrounded by peers, thousands in the area chanted, “Kill The Bill” or carried signs such as, “Pray With Me, Don’t Prey On Me,” “My Child, My Voice”, and “Fear God!, Pharma… You Answer To Jesus,” while the press interviewed Mrs. Lad. It is her strong desire that no parents have to endure the challenges Akhil has faced as a result of mandatory vaccinations.

Spectators’ passion and protection were evident as Mrs. Lad completed her interview. The crowd recited the Lord’s Prayer as Pastor Steve Hannett from Abundant Grace Christian Church in Rutherford led the prayer. Tears streamed from mothers as fathers held their children close, confirming their commitment to family to the powers-that-be behind the doors.

Surely God answers prayer, as the Senate adjourned, not passing the bill leading a group to chant “Thank you, God”. While the outcome brought residents relief, it was understood that the bill is not gone for good. Clearly, Manisha Lad will have much company the next time another similar bill is proposed, proving love conquers all.

REMEMBRANCE - SERGEANT GLENN HUTTO, JR.

Sergeant Glenn Hutto, Jr.

“Sergeant Glenn Hutto, Jr. spent the final moments of his life doing what he was best known for. Standing beside his subordinates and showing them what it means to protect and serve.”

View fullsize

On April 26 2020, Baton Rouge Police received a tip that a suspect who had just shot and killed his girlfriend’s stepfather earlier in the day was inside of a residence in the city’s Howell Park neighborhood. Officers from the First District knocked at the front door to try and make contact with the offender. Sergeant Glenn Hutto, Jr. and one of his officers made their way to the backyard of the property to secure a possible point of exit. The suspect was waiting and callously ambushed them with a rifle. Sergeant Glenn Hutto, Jr. was killed in the attack. Corporal Derrick Maglone was critically wounded but survived. The gunman was later arrested after a standoff with police.

For his sacrifice in the line of duty, Sergeant Glenn Hutto, Jr. was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He spent much of his two-decade career with the Baton Rouge Police Department working as a crime scene investigator before shifting to uniform patrol supervisor. He is remembered as man of true courage who led from the front.

DESERTED: DOCUMENT NOW

Deserted: Document Now
By: George Beck, Ph.D

On March 25, 2020 when NYPD Detective Cedric Dixon was admitted into North Central Bronx Hospital with flu-like symptoms, the coronavirus was raging through the NYPD and support staff. 

Three days later Detective Dixon, 48, was dead from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. His coworkers described Detective Dixon, a 23-year veteran of the force assigned to the 32nd precinct in Harlem, as a great officer with a heart of gold, who went out of his way to help friends repair their broken electronics and technology.

As of this writing, over 6,700 officers are out sick— nearly 19% of the department—and the numbers keep climbing. Seven civilian employees have also died, and among the approximately 1800 infected officers are two chiefs and the deputy commissioner in charge of counterterrorism. As the coronavirus continues to decimate the ranks; the NYPD and many departments around our nation are on the verge of collapse. 

Officers and other first responders are asked to do what others will not. Being on the front lines, they do not have the comfort of quarantining to protect themselves and their families from a virus that is twice as contagious as the flu and spreads like wildfire during the dry season. They do not lockdown, sheltered in their homes, while the casualties pile outside their windows. 

Officers are out there risking their lives to stop the spread of this virus.  In these uncharted waters, they are enforcing social distancing orders and shutdowns, while handling the routine police workload, which includes arresting people and increased contacts with many civilians—many of whom have been exposed to the coronavirus. Also, several officers were targeted by lunatics with the virus who used their illness to assault the police. The rate of exposure in this unsafe battlefield environment is exponentially higher than the general public; yet, many departments are not adequately equipped to meet these grave demands. Many lack the required personal protective equipment and training to perform their job safely. 

Are officers expendable? Many agencies did not have adequate stockpiles of necessary supplies such as N95 masks, protective gowns, hand sanitizer, gloves, and disinfectant wipes. To assume a pandemic of this magnitude would not happen is negligence. Therefore, unprepared agencies saw their supplies evaporated within the first few days of the coronavirus outbreak.

Agencies frantically sought to create a stockpile to meet the demands, but it was too late. 

Officers sought to mitigate the dangers on their own, purchasing supplies out of their pocket, but it has become nearly impossible to privately buy hand sanitizer, an N95 mask, gloves, or even a bottle of Zinc vitamins. So while their departments have failed them, the workload continues, and they are placed at higher risk without the proper equipment or training.

Therefore, while working in this unsafe environment, an officer must document every interaction, especially those with known carriers of the coronavirus. Why? Because soldiers exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, burn pits during the wars in the Middle East, and toxic exposure during the recovery efforts of 9/11, and other negligent exposures, involved monumental health and legal battles in instituting safety protections and monetary compensation for victims and their survivors. The response efforts to the coronavirus pandemic have similarities that we cannot ignore.  Again, document everything.

Future generations of officers will learn valuable lessons from the illness and deaths of the officers who have gone before them like Det. Dixon, who died a hero on the frontlines serving and protecting the community he loved.  The Blue Magazine offers its most profound and sincere condolences to the family of Det. Dixon and the honorable men and women of the NYPD who are forced deeper into harm's way.  We will get through these challenging times, but the lessons learned will be higher than anyone expected.

Officer Dixon was not expendable. His life mattered. May he rest in peace. 

BLUE SUICIDE - A Real Life Interview

The Blue Magazine interviewed Erika Vicente, an 18-year veteran of the Paterson Police Department. She is a cop who enjoys interacting with different people and meeting with a variety of situations each day. However, there is more to Erika than that which shows on the surface. In this interview, Erika explains how she came to be in a dark place in her life, and, like many others, found ways to hide it until someone noticed.

The Blue Magazine: What was life like before you sought help?

Erika: Work was my escape, but I was depressed at home. The ability to push my feelings away and concentrate on the job made me a better cop. I wanted to be the first one on hot jobs. I was easily angered, almost aggressive. I would explode when I was home, making it evident that there was an issue. There was plenty of crying and sleeping. My family noticed, but I disguised it by blaming it on exhaustion from working. I wanted to be left alone.

The Blue Magazine: When did you decide to get help?

Erika: It peaked about a year ago. It began to affect my eating and sleeping. I didn’t want to go to work, eat, or shower. I wanted to sleep in order to keep my feelings away. I didn’t want to wake up. Various people noticed my puffy eyes and asked if I was alright. At this point, I stopped working. I had the flu multiple times. Although I refused to talk about it, a friend saw what was happening. Rather than asking if I was okay and allowing me to say “yeah” and avoid the conversation, they looked me in the eyes and genuinely cared. They put everything aside, leaned over the table, took my hand, and said, “You’re not okay”.

The Blue Magazine: Can you describe the Florida House Experience?

Erika: I was there for a month and a half. With encouragement, I realized I needed help, called the Florida House, and booked my plane ticket. I was surprised when the doors of the House locked behind me. I had expected a resort and felt manipulated, hating everyone involved with getting me there. Others there had dependency issues, and I felt that I was better than them because I didn’t have those issues. To me, it was an eating disorder and sadness. The more I learned, the more I understood that we all have the same underlying issues but at different levels. It all starts with mental health. I was nasty to the staff for days until another first responder came in to speak to me. She related exactly to the way I felt. I realized that our problem was the same at the core: mental health. Dependency is just a symptom of it and a way to hide the problem. After several days, I saw we all had the same issues with work, family, and stress. Those problems are all intertwined with PTSD and mental health.

The Blue Magazine: Did they teach you anything else?

Erika: The first thing they addressed was my eating disorder. Later, it was discovered that the issue was PTSD Hyper-vigilance. There are several things they do including therapy, questionnaires, and tests in order to find your diagnosis. I have Hyper-vigilant, Anxiety, and Compound PTSD as well as a brain injury. They teach that First Responders are always hyper-vigilant, and we tend to go into our careers predisposed. Florida House is a safe environment because you’re with First Responders, and you can talk realistically without being judged. The employees were all former addicts or former mental health patients and experienced it first hand. I didn’t figure out what made me depressed. I think it’s the way I am. Depression is something many of us have. It’s always there but sometimes gets aggravated. Some of us are prone to it, and some of us aren’t. I don’t regret going. In the beginning, my ego outweighed the truth of my mental health issues. I was ashamed when I first got there but not when I left. I am happy to be living contently, enjoying myself, and helping others.

The Blue Magazine: Is there any advice you’d like to give?

Erika: It’s been fourteen months since Florida House. I’m alive today because of Florida House, and the people who got me there. I’d like to encourage officers in a dark place to try Florida House. Approach an officer in need. We hear rumors about others, but we don’t speak to that person. I think that would make a big difference. We need to stop thinking it isn’t our problem and make it our problem. It is our brother or our sister, and maybe they need that helping hand. We need to save lives, and we need to start with those of our brothers and sisters. I believe a solution starts with being proactive. Perhaps counseling would be effective as long as it’s kept confidential.

The Blue Magazine: What is your objective with the Moment of Silence organization?

Erika: Moment of Silence was the friend I spoke about. They were the ones who were able to reach me after years of being unreachable. They hold dinners, and that is where I first got wind of asking for help. I encourage officers to attend, observe, and try to feel comfortable speaking. Anyone is welcome. We will not judge you.

The Blue Magazine: Is there anything that you would like to say that I left out?

Erika: Yes. I used to think that people who went to Florida House were officers that were weaker in some way because they're not able to deal with their sh*t. Then I realized they're actually strong because they're opening up and letting people in their world and tell them “yeah, I have a problem, but I did something about it”.
Let me help you. To me that was an eye-opener and that helped me there. I saw the other officers doing that and I said, you know what “I'm going to do that. I'm going to pay it forward instead of being quiet and just doing it for my benefit and being ashamed and that stigma following me”. I'm not going to allow that because we need to break it. We need to save lives out here and we need to start with our brothers and sisters.

Gay in Law Enforcement: Equality

Equality: Interview with Sgt. Tommy Reyes
By George Beck, Ph.D.

Blue Magazine recently sat down with Sgt. Tommy Reyes for an exclusive interview. Sgt. Reyes is a 14-year veteran of the City of Miami Police Department, currently serving as their FOP Union president. Before becoming a cop, Sgt. Reyes had dreams of working with animals, applying to become the elephant keeper at the local zoo with hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian. However, as Sgt. Reyes tells, he sort of “fell into” law enforcement, and ever since his first days at the police academy, he’s never looked back. Sgt. Reyes proudly tells how being a cop is a self-fulfilling career as a community helper, and he wouldn’t trade it for any other profession in the world. It’s the brotherhood, the camaraderie that motivates Sgt. Reyes to be the best officer and union leader for his fellow brothers and sisters in Blue. In this uncensored interview, Sgt. Reyes discusses his experiences as an openly gay officer and how his “coming out” has helped many others in similar situations become comfortable with who they are in the career they choose. Blue Magazine thanks Sgt. Reyes, for his professionalism and commitment to our profession.

The Blue Magazine: How long did you keep your sexual identity to yourself before you came out at work?

Sgt. Tommy Reyes: I think back when I was younger, I guess I thought being gay was a phase, and I thought it’ll go away. I'll grow out of it. I was already on the job for about four years before I came out. And it wasn’t like one day I just decided to come out as some people do — it just sort of happened little by little. I didn’t make a big announcement or send a department-wide email. I just didn’t hide who I was anymore.

So, who's the first person you came out to?

My ex-wife. She really helped me become comfortable with who I am, and it helped that I had a supportive family. After my wife knew, I started, you know, coming out to the family.

Did you suspect she had known?

Yeah. I think she kind of knew — she kind of had an idea. When she found out she took it, I think better than anyone would expect. She has a gay brother, so she doesn't have any issues with gay people.

How did it feel when you were married, and hiding your true sexual identity?

Well when I married her, I didn’t really know I was gay. It was a great time for both of us. We loved each other very much, and I believe we still do. It’s just not a romantic kind of love. We also have our daughter. We are both very lucky to have our daughter, and I’m very lucky to have an ex-wife that doesn’t hate me like a lot of other guys have to deal with. Mutual respect is the secret to that.

Is your partner on the job??  What’s the deal?

My partner is not on the job. He works in the airline industry.

How were you treated by your department before and after you came out?

I think I've gotten more props for being as comfortable as I am. But I believe other departments are way more progressive than we are. Miami is still an old-school machismo Cuban community — we still have a lot of people that think like that. So, I guess I was the first gay guy in my department to come out. We had tons of lesbians, and that's been somewhat more accepted, at least from my point of view. But I think we still have the old boys club, right — that thinking that the lesbian is going to do her best to fight with the boys. But you know, the queer, the fag, is not going to hold his own. But I don't think the young guys think like that. There may be a few old-school guys, but it's not like in a hateful way. However, still, there are specific terms and words that people use, and they don't necessarily mean it in a harmful negative way. They'll say it around me, and then they'll realize, oh shit.

Have you felt any resentment from being openly gay?

Well, there's a particular police website that is festering garbage. It’s called Leo Affairs. It's a rather popular website. They do articles, but where they make their money is the message boards and cop space. They talk shit about each other. It’s disgusting. It's all anonymous. It’s just nasty. They say the stuff the cowards are too afraid to tell you to your face. They go on there and talk shit. There was some stuff on there about me —derogatory comments about me being gay. But what bothered me the most was  when they lie — you know, they call me a fag and queer and I’m like, yeah, OK, but I'll tell you recently when I was running for union president the most hurtful thing that was said is when they called me slug. That means you don't do shit. I’ve worked hard my entire career, and they know it.

What do you say to officers out there who are bullying or harassing somebody because of their sexual identity? Speak directly to them.

I think a lot of it has to do with your own insecurities. Whether it is because you are gay or have gay tendencies, I think a lot of it has to do with that. You're insecure with who you are, and whether or not you are gay; you feel the need to mess with other people. So, get over your own insecurities.

Workplace harassment in general. How big is the problem of workplace harassment, in general, against everyone?

From a union president's point of view, I think nationally it varies by department and region. It depends where you are and where you work and the culture of the department. Yeah, some departments just breed that kind of stuff. And other departments are poorly led, and the culture of the department permits that horrible stuff. Everyone who is being harassed should stand up and fight back — whether because you are gay or not — harassment of all kinds is unacceptable, and we need to end it.

Is it harder to tell somebody you're gay or harder to tell somebody you're a cop?

I think it depends on the crowd. I guess you could say, looking at me, I am not the one that screams, “Hey look at me, I’m gay.” I wear cop shirts all the time. So, if the event is appropriate, yeah, I'll wave a gay flag. I don't care, but I'm not the guy, you know, I don't have bumper stickers. I meet people  all the time that don't know I'm gay. But being a cop, most people introduce us to other people as a cop, so I guess it depends on the crowd. In today’s day and age, you have to be more cautious about who you tell that you’re a police officer versus being gay. I feel like our country is moving in a direction that it is acceptable to be gay, no matter which side of the political aisle you stand on. But many on a particular side of the aisle are not accepting of anyone in law enforcement. That’s unfortunate. Your profession or your sexual identity should never give anyone the right to hate or judge. As a society, we are much better than that kind of nonsense.

Were you ever in a dark place struggling with your sexual identity?

Um, yeah, I think maybe for a little while, but I don't believe it took me too long to get out of it because I saw the support I had. As I said, there was a lot of support  from my family, which was really good. My coworkers were excellent. I had a boss who was a lesbian, and she took good care of me. I went and saw a therapist, although, for only one session, it helped. It is totally anonymous unless they feel that you are, in fact, a danger to yourself or somebody else. And with our contract, we're entitled to up to six sessions for free and at no cost to our insurance. But yeah, it’s normal, I guess. I got through it. If you need outside support, do not be afraid to seek it. Help is out there!

Speak to that officer right now out there somewhere in America who's struggling with his sexual identity and might be in a dark place.

I’d tell him or her that there are others out there. You're not the only gay cop. There are lots of us out here, and I found that I've got gay police friends in probably every major city in this country and a lot of small towns, too. And I think that's the important thing is to know is that you're not the only one. Even if you are struggling with the stress of exposing your true sexual identity, you're still probably not the only one in your department. You may be an excellent example for somebody else. Since I came out, at least a handful of other guys also did. I've had cops come to me and tell me they appreciated it. We even walked in Pride together. I took the initiative to talk to the Chief and got us the approval to march in Pride for the first time two years ago. This will be our third year walking in Pride. I invited a lot of those guys to join me. So, I also say there are supportive people out there. It's not just you struggling, and you don't have to worry. As long as you're a good cop, that’s what matters.

How do organizations like Moment of Silence and BBO help offset blue suicide? Do they help?

These organizations are essential. Moment of Silence is attacking the stigma of blue suicide. Until recently, nobody spoke about police suicides — they weren’t even tracked. They are helping to bring the problem to the light and showing officers who are struggling that there is support out there.

Brothers Before Others is an amazing organization. There are a few things that we are working on when it comes to police suicide, but I think the most important thing is just the support from brothers and sisters. Sometimes it’s hard to speak to people you work with. BBO exposes us to like-minded people that are not associated with your department, thus sometimes making officers feeling more comfortable talking with them. From an LGBTQ viewpoint, they do an amazing job as showing that it’s OK to be LGBTQ and are extremely supportive.

Let's talk about unions. What's your view on the overall power of unions? Are they as strong as they used to be?

I don't think they’re as powerful as we usually think. But, I guess it depends on the state because obviously, the laws vary by state. What's happening now is everybody's catering to the social media warriors or the Circuit Court of Facebook, and they make decisions based on that and not on due process. Although we have the due process rules set up, a lot of times, there are administrators on the city's side or whatever agency you work for who don't want to follow due process because they're afraid of what social media is going to say.

It seems like many union leaders come in with the best intentions. But once they get elected, it switches where now their number one job is staying elected. If they can do that and help the membership, that's great. But if they have to choose between staying elected or helping the membership, staying is sadly what many leaders choose.

I've seen that before. Yeah. I'm not that type of person because I love being on the road.  I'll go back to being a patrol supervisor. I’d be a happy guy if my phone stopped ringing. I also think it depends on the union. I believe in the past, my lodge was run by people like this. It appeared to many that their primary function was being re-elected and using their positions for personal gain. I have strong beliefs that my job as FOP president should not be used for personal gain. In actuality, up until this point, I feel like it has actually stunted my advancement.

When dealing with politicians, do you consider yourself more of a fighter or a diplomat?

I'm definitely more of a diplomat. If I have to fight, I'll fight them. I'm not afraid to fight. But if we can sit down and have a drink and come to a reasonable conclusion for both sides, I am OK with that, too. In my short time thus far as president, I have led demonstrations at city hall and filed ethics complaints on a commissioner. I would much rather sit and discuss things with leadership and try to work out our issues in the best way possible for my members and the residents of our city.

Any role model union leaders you would try to mold yourself after?

Yes, we have a guy who's one of our past presidents. He is one of the smartest people I've ever met, and he got a lot done for us in the ‘90s, and he is still around. His name is Al Cotera. He's our pension chairman, and he will tell you the exact numbers of our pension and how it works and where the money is invested and how it's done. Then he'll recite your phone number from memory. He's been retired for a while, but he's still very active. He’s still very involved. He’s the first person that comes to mind. However, I have several excellent examples of what a union leader should look like.

President Donald Trump. Good or bad?

Oh, yeah. Listen, I'm a Trump supporter. I think he's doing good things for us as a whole. I mean, do I like everything he’s done? No, but I don't think we ever agree a hundred percent with anybody. Especially a politician.

Do you believe Pres. Trump’s support for the gay community is real, or is it publicity driven?

I think his support is genuine. I think it shows because he's not out there like preaching it, rubbing it in our face. Right? Yeah, it's just he does what he does. I don't expect him to be running around waving the rainbow flag. Trump’s not like that. I guess to him being gay is normal, just like everyone else. And that’s a good thing.

Do you find your views and support for the president, conflict drastically with other members of the gay community?

Oh yeah, big time. I get a ton of pushback. Yeah. I think even among the gay cops. I think it’s split, really. Yeah, it's definitely split, and it's hardcore. But I think the people who are the most hardcore against Pres. Trump don't do their homework, and they just hear the media and regurgitate that nonsense. They're not open to listening. As much as I am a Trump supporter, and I did vote for him, I still listen to what the Democrats have to say with their arguments. It’s all about keeping a level head and an open mind. Also, Trump is definitely rough around the edges, he's definitely arrogant, but he's doing good things. The economy is up. He's making good deals, and nobody else was arrogant enough to beat Hillary Clinton.

What are the differences living as a straight or gay male?

I think not being gay would’ve made my  life easier. But I don’t think easier is always better. I think the question I’ve been asked before and I’ve asked myself is “what if my kid is gay?” As a parent who loves their child, I hope not, because being gay isn’t always easy. There is still some hate out there along with stupid people. But that being said I don’t really care as long as she is happy.

And really, from a relationship perspective, being gay is the same as being straight. “The Gay Agenda” is pretty much the same as the straight one, find someone who loves you for you. Settle down with them and spend the rest of your life with him of her. Some want to have kids and a family, and some don’t. Relationships are pretty much the same a straight ones, we argue and fight over stupid stuff, we nag and get nagged. I’d say the biggest lesson I haven’t learned yet is, “Can you put your dirty clothes in the hamper and not on the floor next to it!”

Any last words?

I'd like to close by telling everyone, to be yourself, be comfortable with who you are. If you are having problems, reach out for help. There are people in and out of law enforcement that will listen and support you. Seek the support of family, friends, and co-workers, and if none of those is an option, reach out and seek professional assistance. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to have a great career and all the benefits that come with being a good cop.

Blue Magazine surveyed active and retired officers from across the United States. The responses to the five key questions offer insight on views toward equality for all officers regardless of their sexual identity.

When asked if the current American police culture is tolerant of gay officers, a resounding 82% percent felt it is. Although the percentage is not 100%, this clearly shows that nationally law enforcement culture is working toward equality for all officers—an encouraging sign that one day soon, we will achieve this.

Next, survey takers were asked if they believed someone’s sexual identity matters in law enforcement. 95% of respondents reported that someone’s sexual identity does not matter, while 5% thought it did. This shows how close we are as a profession to reaching equality for all officers.

The third question asked if gay officers should be encouraged to come out. 83% felt they should, while 14% disagreed, and 3 % were unsure. Although like in the first question, the American police culture is tolerant of one’s sexual identity, 14% of officer’s surveyed felt encouraging officers to come out was not necessary. This shows there is more work that needs to be done in this area.

When asked if officers taking the survey believed administrations discriminated against gay officers, 100% indicated they did not think so. This result suggests the discord is among the rank and file, and more attention in this area needs to be addressed.

And lastly, survey takers were asked how they felt about a department adorning their vehicles and patches with rainbows for gay pride month? 95% reported they did not want their vehicles and patches to be altered with gay pride insignia, while 5 % of respondents were unsure. There are multiple ways to interpret this response. However, it appears after speaking with officers who took part in the survey, tradition is a significant part of law enforcement, and they felt their traditions should not be compromised for any reason.

Editor's Point of View : George Beck, Ph.D.

There should be no doubt about where we stand on one of the most pressing issues of our day. It’s on our cover. We are not afraid to speak, and speak loudly, for what’s right. Throughout our country, many gay officers serve with honor but, at times, face difficult situations at work because of how they identify. Harassment in law enforcement based on sexual identity, or for any other reason, is unacceptable.  Officers with that kind of hate must find a way of overcoming it and be the best officer for our communities or find a different line of work. The stakes are too high.

 Blue Magazine thanks City of Miami Police Sgt. Tommy Reyes for sharing his story in our exclusive and uncensored interview. Sgt. Reyes’ “coming out” has helped many other officers feel at peace with who they are as officers serving and protecting our communities. We are all human beings with the right to live openly and with dignity.

As I write this, clueless agitators in New York City are lashing out against the police for “over-policing” in the subways. Meanwhile, in the courts, bail reform is placing victims and society at great risk.  Criminals are given hugs and kisses for their bad behavior. Mets baseball tickets are handed out for pinky-promises lawbreakers to entice them to appear in court. Really? There are laws set up to correct irresponsible behavior like failing to appear in court. Enforcing the law sends a clear message that wanton disregard of the law is not acceptable. A free ticket to a Mets game sends an entirely different message. It’s pathetic that people who call themselves intelligent act and think this way. It’s a slap in the face to victims and law-abiding residents. New York City and many areas in our country are upside down.  We’ve reached a point where the cops are perceived as the bad guys, the criminal’s victims, while real victims and law-abiding residents do not matter to lawmakers and politicians who offer the criminals cover.

 Blue Suicide is spiraling out of control. Social media law enforcement groups are a powerful source of information because they allow us to discuss incidents that are either not reported or underreported in the media. Every few days, like clockwork, we hear of an officer committing Blue Suicide. This is unacceptable. Blue Magazine and our sister organization Moment of Silence are continuing the fight. We encourage all active and retired officers to attend our upcoming Blue Suicide event at the Village Inn (Wayne, NJ) on March 19, 2020. Let’s work together to fight Blue Suicide. We hope to see you all there!

 Once again, this issue is packed with excellent articles written by the best law enforcement voices on the local and national stage. Our writers are fearless. They speak up when many others will not.  Why? Because fear is a powerful emotion that can control lives, limit potential and pervert justice. My hope for 2020 is that officers across the country step up and push back against all injustices. Blue Magazine is your voice. If you are compelled to tell your story, reach out. We have a team of writers and editors available to help you.

Fette Ford Answers The Call

Fette Ford Answers The Call

Whether you run a business or a charity, funding is among the top priorities of either. As the saying goes, “Money isn’t everything, but try do anything without it.” What often gets overlooked is the connection that sponsors or donors bring with them. Too often, businesses and charities fail to recognize that there is more to the aforementioned than simply dollar signs. The QUALITY of a sponsor or donor will reflect on the recipient. That is why it’s important that the quality men and women behind the scenes be recognized.

On December 10, 2019, Jersey City (NJ) Police Detective Joe Seals was killed in the line of duty as he interrupted two individuals who, while already wanted in connection to a murder that had occurred days earlier, were mustering plans before carrying out a much larger attack on Jersey City residents. While lives were lost that day, Detective Seals’ proactive police work and ultimate sacrifice undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives. Detective Seals left behind a wife and five children. 

Detective Seals’ oldest daughter, 18-year-old Hailey, has been commuting back and forth to college using mass transit or rides from friends and family as her family’s budget simply didn’t allow for her to own a vehicle. Enter Troy Mol and John Fette of Fette Ford (Clifton, NJ). Already well versed in her father’s heroism, when both were made aware of Hailey’s need for her own vehicle, there was never a question; they were making sure she had one. 

On February 13, 2020, Hailey was taken to Fette Ford under the guise that her parents were looking for a new car. Once there, she was seated in a brand new Ford Ecosport when she was met by Troy who informed her that the vehicle she was sitting in was actually hers.

The generosity of both Troy Mol and John Fette serves as a perfect example of the kind of sponsor/donor that businesses and charities should aim to surround themselves with. These men are more than simply sponsors, they are family; a concept that the law enforcement community specializes in. The fact that both men understood the need to take care of the child of one of our own, lost in the line of duty, demonstrate just how seriously they take their role in this that we do. That kind of loyalty and care is unmatched and precisely why our members have followed Troy Mol wherever he has gone.

Yes, money is something. But you can always find money. You can not always find someone like Troy Mol. As anyone who has ever sat with him and taken advantage of his services and expertise will tell you, Troy treats you with the same level of care and concern as he would one of his own. As such, on behalf of the members of Seals family, we collectively wanted to take this opportunity to thank both Troy Mol and John Fette for their unparalleled level of benevolence and concern for the law enforcement community and the families that support them.