Wear Positivity Memories Like Armor: Counterbalance to a Crazy World

By Lt. Joseph Pangaro CPM, CSO

In 2001, after the attacks on the World Trade Center, I was a detective with 16 years on the job. From my perspective, the profession I was in was one of the best things a person could do for a career I could imagine. The public thought very highly of us law enforcement types, thanks to the brave officers who died trying to save lives in the tower collapses.

Their act of bravery and dedication to duty exemplified what every cop already knew, but the public had to be reminded of from time to time; that the men and women of law enforcement don’t just talk about service, honor and duty, they live it every day with sacrifice to the point of death.

The public opinion of law enforcement was at an all-time high. People openly thanked you for your service with a smile on their faces and you could feel that it was genuine. We officers felt pride in our work and chosen profession and there was an overall consensus that our work was important to the entire country. It was, and still is no matter the current slump in public opinion we see today.

We felt that our mission to protect the innocent and weak from the criminals that plagued our cities and towns was one fully supported, funded and easily understood. In fact, proactively targeting criminals as individuals or groups was the right thing to do; it made for a safer society for everyone. Yes, those were the days.

Fast forward to today.

Through the slow drip of time and circumstance, media coverage and the ascendency of “woke” thinking and political correctness we find ourselves in a totally different place when it comes to public opinion.

The illegal and highly inappropriate acts of a few of us in our ranks has added steam to the anti-police culture shift we are all living through currently in modern America. We are the newest scapegoats for society’s ills. As a result, the once-vaunted practice of pro-active policing has now taken on a stigma of advancing multiple sets of “Anti” behavior, even where no such real belief exists. Of course, I mean the perception that law enforcement officers negatively target certain groups of our citizens for racial, ethnic, religious or socio-economic reasons.

None of that is true. I have never attended a meeting where we sat around before a shift and decided who we wanted to “get” that day to satisfy our hatred or feelings of superiority. In fact, the belief that we do that kind of thing at all is left high and dry by the fact that our ranks are now very diverse and every group they think we hate is now represented in our profession at every level and we stand as brothers and sisters in blue.

Nonetheless, that belief exists and is repeated by many people who have ulterior motives for their anti-police rhetoric, or can gin up ratings on their TV shows or otherwise use the made-up conflict between law enforcement and the public we serve to suit their own needs, personal and political.

This struggle is real and the internal conflict it has caused for the public and for every member of law enforcement to one degree or another is detrimental to our country on a large scale and to each human being on the small scale. The anger directed toward our law enforcement community members can cause a form of PTSD. It is a constant attack on us, albeit it in small and occasionally large doses, but the damage can and is being done.

The open conversation about the “Ferguson effect,” that being officers abandoning proactive police work for a reactive response status, is common among our ranks and is a symptom of the PTSD and damage to our mission that is taking place. What the public is missing is the reality that it is pro-active police work that keeps us all safe in our communities. Without it, crime rises as we are seeing every day.

So, if we accept this premise we have to ask a few questions: One, is this sustainable? Can our society survive where crime runs rampant, and criminals have the advantage? And two, can our officers survive this constant barrage of mental and physical attack?

The answer to both, I posit, is no.

Our society cannot sustain itself if we continue on the road we are on. But the solution to this societal downturn is a larger question for every citizen and requires a response that only the people of the nation can answer and solve by the choices they make.

As for our law enforcement community we do have some options.

We cannot or will not quit in droves. Some may leave the profession as we have seen, but we will not leave in numbers significant enough to make a real difference. What we can do is understand the concept of creating a counterbalance to the negativity we may be feeling as individuals so we can survive the adverse impact of the attack on us as law enforcement officers and people.

We create a counterbalance by understanding the concept of counterbalance as it relates to human emotions and perceptions we feel internally.

A counterbalance is a concept that if we think of the scales of justice, you know, all the statues we see of Lady Liberty and justice with the blindfold and the scales. If one side of her scales is over-filled they list in that direction, but if both sides are filled then they reach equilibrium and are in balance; same thing here.

There are some old sayings that offer some insight as well- “Junk in – Junk out”, or “you are what you eat,” I’ll offer a new one: “If all you hear, see, and feel about yourself and your profession is negative, you will be negative,” So the key here is counterbalance the negative we hear with positives so we can be leveled.

We could add to our lives more positive things such as church or religious activity, more time with friends (and not talk about work), more time with family, develop or explore a new hobby or an old one you have not had time for, and the dreaded one - find a counselor and talk about how this negativity has affected you.

There are many ways to counterbalance ourselves and build up resiliency, the new buzz word for “dealing with it.” No matter what you choose, it helps to choose something because we can’t wallow in it. We must stop listening to the news and dwelling on the difficulties. Think about the people you have helped over the course of your career. Even if you have a hard time coming up with incidents, the reality is you have helped some people and some of them in significant ways you many never know, but trust me you have. These are all positives that help us displace the negatives and buoy our spirits. We need to do this.

In 2019, the statistics showed 14 people per 100,000 die by suicide each year. For law enforcement the number is 17 per 100,000, higher than any other profession. That is a dangerous statistic for each of us because that statistic in based on active-duty law enforcement officers and doesn’t include the retired people who kill themselves in their retirement years. In the COVID year of 2020, the numbers were higher for every group. It’s like playing Russian roulette and it’s not a game we need to participate in.

I won’t dwell on law enforcement suicide other than to identify a bridge between PTSD, suicide and living an unbalanced life of stress. The connective tissue here is obvious and we should all take note of it and take a personal stake in it as well as for our profession.

We must support the idea of creating counterbalance personally and professionally since our lives and mental health depends on it. It is something in our grasp if we seek the positive and work hard at it.

Ours is a noble profession, one that society needs. Without us, the Blue line of law enforcement, our society will crumble, and they know it as well as we do.

In my 30-plus years in this profession I have seen the pendulum swing both ways, as we were regarded as heroes to zeros and then back again. As sure as the sun rises, law enforcement will regain its place of esteem and respect. It is inevitable because we represent good, decency and justice and evil will always be present. Someday, in some way, evil will rise again and people will clamor for the centurions in Blue and we will, as we always have, answer the call, come to the rescue and do our duty and society will be grateful we are on watch at our posts.

Hang in my brothers and sisters, things will get better. In the meantime, find the positives where you can and wear them like armor and counterbalance the negative at every turn.

Let me know what you think. JPangaro@TrueSecurityDesign.com 

Tribute: Walk to Remember Detective Melvin V. Santiago

By Vincent DeFazio

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We started our annual walk in July 2019 in Melvins memory for his 5th year taken (I do not call it an anniversary bc an anniversary is something you celebrate, Melvin being taken is not a celebration).

We continue the walk because we don’t want Melvin’s memory or his sacrifice to be forgotten, especially during these times when police are so disrespected and their lives disregarded it is extremely important to make sure that no officers ultimate sacrifice is forgotten and the public understand that the men and women who put that uniform on to protect their communities are human beings with families, friends, people who care for them. Their life matters too. Melvin’s mission as an officer was to show a new side of “community policing”. He went to the projects on his lunch hour and played basketball with the kids on the court, he spoke with the youth and seniors, bringing a new respect and understanding to the job and community. His time was cut way too short. Mel would have done amazing things for Jersey City and community policing.

We plan on making the walk a yearly event for Melvins memory, all officers lost and for our present LEO working.

http://MYM2650.org

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A New Approach: Chief Medina & Pastor Paul work to prevent Blue Suicide

By Robert Foreman

Chief Gustavo A. Medina of the Tequesta Police Department in Florida has worked in public safety for over 23 years. However, he began his career in New Jersey where he worked for the New Jersey Department of Corrections, the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office (ECPO) and the Professional Standards Bureau.  His years of experience in New Jersey have given him some valuable insights into officer training and support that he continues to draw from today. However, he did not realize how greatly both he, and his current department, would be impacted when their paths converged with Paul Beresford, a retired Baptist pastor.

“I am so blessed to have met a person like Paul Beresford. He is one of the most sincere, caring, empathetic individuals you will ever meet. He has a genuine love for all, but especially for our men and women in blue. He often stops me in the morning and lets me know if we lost one of our heroes to suicide. He can quote the numbers and tells me every day – 'we need to do more; we need to do better,'" said Chief Medina.

“When I came to the Tequesta PD, I knew I wanted to help implement a program that focuses on the mental health of all our officers. Pastor Paul was sent to get certified in Crisis Intervention, after which I designated him the Critical Incident Stress Manager, a position he will tell you he finds even more personally rewarding than his previous role as a pastor. He is constantly learning new ways to communicate with our officers, and his love and commitment for our men and women is the reason we have been successful with our mental health efforts.”

Chief Medina noted that they started by providing Pastor Paul with his own private office within the police department. In the entry to his office, a sign reads, “Friends, Family gather here.”  The sign is Pastor Paul’s way of letting all the officers know that everyone is family and that they are in this together as one.

“The goal was to create an environment where officers feel comfortable to simply talk, air their frustrations, discuss a troubling call or share personal struggles they are experiencing. The officers know that what is shared with Pastor Paul remains between them and he would never violate their trust,” said Chief Medina. “I then made it a point to go in his office, close the door and have my own de-stressing sessions so that my officers could see that it is OK to speak with the pastor. We are all humans first and if a chief, director or superintendent is serious about helping reduce blue suicides, they must lead from the front and be the example.”

Chief Medina believes that the keys to the program being successful are consistency and trust. Without consistency, one would not be able to build trust with the men and women in blue. He noted that the designated person must always be accessible, regardless of the time or day. Additionally, the designated person must be properly trained, not rush the process, and be real and genuine with the officers at all times. Above all else, the person must follow up with the officers and never violate their trust.

“We have also made our program available to other local police departments and we continue to spread the word of the work that Pastor Paul does.  I once asked a neighboring police department chief if we could come by on their training day to tell them about the necessary work that Pastor Paul does for us and to let them know there is no shame in asking for help,” said Chief Medina.

“We must never stop working for all of our officers. Not until the day where officer suicides are non-existent, as anything less than that is unacceptable.  Our program should not be the exception but instead the norm in law enforcement.  No matter the size of your department, if you are blessed to be in charge then be in charge and protect your officers. Our profession is in desperate need of strong leadership that stands up for the great work that our officers are doing in this nation. To repeat Pastor Paul’s words - we need to do more; we need to do better!”

SEPTEMBER 2021 : Editor's Point of View

Welcome to another significant issue of Blue Magazine. It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the attack on 9/11/2001. I am sure many of us can recall exactly where we were on that morning and how this national tragedy from New York City to the Pentagon to Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and beyond had changed our lives.  We recently sat down with former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to get their perspective on 9/11 then and now. A lot of things were brought out from that day and the rescue effort that you're not going to want to miss. We also discussed a lot about where we are today — how police went from being heroes to zeros, how they went from being respected to disrespected and how our so-called woke culture contributed to that, and what this means for law enforcement and society.

We are proud to announce we have a new managing editor, Joel Gordon. He's a retired chief. He has great talent and expert journalism skills. Chief Gordon's ability to work with our writers is unmatched. He is the perfect person for the job. We're happy to promote him. We're glad he's a big part of Blue Magazine.  As many of you know, Blue magazine started as a very small local magazine in New Jersey. Founder Daniel Del Valle was literally publishing and distributing the magazine from the trunk of his car. Over the years, we grew to become the leading national law enforcement publication. Our success didn't happen overnight.  Chief Gordon helped us bring Blue Magazine onto the national stage. We appreciate him.  Once again, congratulations Chief Gordon. You deserve it!

 Blue Magazine and Moment of Silence are teaming up again for a Blue Suicide Event like none seen before. This year we will have a retreat here in New Jersey starting Friday night, Sept. 17, and ending Sunday, Sept. 18.  There will be many speakers and workshops to teach us skills to help others and ourselves.  The event will be held at Saint Paul’s Abbey (Andover, NJ). All 500 private acres are reserved for us! We hope to see you there!

Enjoy this issue of Blue Magazine.  Every article is worthy of your time.  Should you need us, be sure to reach out. We are here for you.

The Bag: A warrior's mindset

By Kirk Lawless

I like to tell the kids at the police academy about “The bag.” I ask them, and none seem to know what I’m talking about.  They apparently weren’t issued one. They didn’t issue one to me when I was in the police academy and I thought by now it would be standard equipment. It should be.

Back in the day, you just rummaged around and found your own.  I still have mine and there are many of them.  They are cumbersome and everywhere.

I’m not talking about “The bag,” as in the uniform. I’m talking about the other “bag” the one every cop gets whether they want it or not, they’re enormous and plentiful. In fact, the supply is endless. 

“The bag” and what goes into it, comes with a formula. Let’s say that with every call you go on during your career you receive an appropriately sized rock, or brick, or cinderblock, and that’s where “The bag” comes into play.

Every natural death you respond to is sad.  The ozone in the room where the body lays has changed, you can smell it. It’s a sort of staleness, the void created by a human life snuffed out.  You’ll remember that smell and you get one “brick.”

Death from illness, also sad, “two bricks.”

Accidental death, sad, “two bricks.”

Suicide, sad, tragic, and pathetic, “three bricks.”

Homicide, sad, tragic, anguish, rage and disgust washes over you, “five bricks.”

Rape/sexual assault, anger, empathy and the rage, when it kicks in, “the bricks” will flow in, in appropriate numbers commensurate with the shit you see.

When the victim is a child the sadness, tragedy, the rage is incomprehensible, and gut-wrenching, “10 to 100 bricks”

Maybe you know the victim. You factor in all the variables, grief, sorrow, and pity, “500 bricks.”

Any of the above, when the victim is a brother or sister officer, you’ll get the sadness, anger, thoughts of revenge, pity, sorrow, loss and the “bricks” will probably become cinderblocks and the weight will be measured in tons.

“Shit, my bag is full. What now?”  Grab a new bag and start filling it.  “The full one, what I do with that?”  You can try to get rid of it, but you won’t be able to shake it.  Tie a knot in it and stuff it in your locker.  When that’s full, you’ll probably start taking them home (that’s where the fun starts) folks want to see what’s in the bags.  They want to hear about the bricks.  For me, they are private things, and it’s best not to talk about “the bags” or what’s inside. Soon the bags will be everywhere: in the garage, in the attic, in the closet, way up high, top shelf, near the old gray wool blanket reeking of mothballs that will one day be your own death.

Your heart will grow heavier, likewise the badge, heavier than when you first pinned it on. After 20 years it feels as heavy as a ¾ ton pickup truck pinned to your uniform.

You shoulder the weight as best you can. Maybe you will start to struggle with it back bent, leaning into the wind.  Your legs might buckle, but you power through it.  It’s hard to ask for help, so you don’t. That’s the cop way.

Every bullet hole you see or apply direct pressure to, to staunch the flow of blood, will weaken the mental dike and you keep hammering in those plugs, but as fast as you do, another leak springs, but it ain’t water, it’s blood.  Gallons of it, sometimes it’s a stranger’s blood, sometimes it’s another officer’s, sometimes it’s your own.

So now you’ve got these damned bags of brick, cinderblocks, hunks of asphalt covered in blood.  You start accumulating them in the attic of your mind, in your dreams, your nightmares.

In the basement of your mind, where it’s dark, that’s where you’ll put the blackest, bloodiest bags.  They’re heavy and they leave a slick trail down the cellar steps, the weight of what’s inside thumping against every stair. Once hidden, you turn and run up the steps as fast as you can, because whatever was in that bag sounds as if it’s chasing you, breathing down the back of your neck, but you’re able to slam the door and throw the bolt.  Whatever had been chasing you slams against the door bowing it from its frame, heaving with every inhaled and exhaled breath coming from the other side. “It” wants you, not today but maybe someday.

Shotgun suicide to the face, “Hollow head” is a frequent flyer with me. When he gets out of his bag, he’s annoying mostly.  He doesn’t do much, appearing from my peripheral vision, walking quickly and steadily near the foot of my bed and coming around to my side. His hollowed head has no eyes, no ears.  I can see the inside of his skull where his brain once sat, before he made an extraordinary and grisly piece of carnival “spin art” out of his head with a 12-gauge shotgun while sitting near a ceiling fan on its fastest setting.

His body language is inquisitive and with what’s left of his head nodding, neck craning from side to side trying to listen, but without ears to hear. No eyes, but straining to see. He’d like some answers, maybe some help, but for him they just aren’t coming.

Picture a locomotive, tons of steel, cannonballing down the track. No brakes, curve ahead, and beyond that a bridge, but the trestle is out.  So fast, so fast, off the rails, plumes of smoke, hot ash and flames, then nothing, blackness, zero sound and waking up in a puddle of sweaty, torn sheets.

Shit, shower and shave, put on the “bag” (uniform) and head out the door to “Get back after it.”

Maybe you should talk to somebody? You might. One day. No shame in that at all. You’ll know when it’s time to do that.  The older cops know. Find a good one and reach out. Chances are they will lift you up.

Roll call is over and it’s time to hit the streets.  The old Sarge whispers, “Don’t forget to grab a new bag kid. I think you’re gonna need it.”

Kirk Lawless is a 28 year, decorated veteran police officer from the St Louis area. He’s a former SWAT operator, narcotics agent, homicide investigator, detective and Medal of Valor recipient. Off the job due to an up-close and personal gunfight, he now concentrates on writing. He’s a patriotic warrior, artist, poet, actor, musician, and man of peace.

Now he needs us: President Biden is depending on cops to save him from progressives.

By: Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.

The president doesn’t want to alienate the liberal wing of his party. But there is little to no proof that his non-police proposals work. Considering the social, political and research implications currently at hand, it’s possible that nothing will work.

I was part of a team creating presidential briefing papers on crime when I was a Senior Specialist for the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse. My counterparts today are delivering similar messages to the president’s staff. They are saying that his proposals except those encouraging cities and states to use federal money to hire more cops have little to no proof that they work.

The only thing that has a research base for lowering crime is proactive policing.

We Need the NYPD

The primary message from a second crime summit came from Eric Adams, the pro-police probable next mayor of New York City who, I believe, told the president that his agenda (and that of Democrats throughout the country) depends on a strong approach to violence based on research proving effectiveness.

Per Mr. Adams’ campaign website, “If we are for SAFETY – we NEED the NYPD” - Eric Adams. He was a New York City cop for 22 years, retiring as a captain.

Mr. Adams and aides are telling the president that exploding violence is creating a huge political liability for him and his party. They are also advising him that his proposals (i.e., violence interrupters, programs for ex-offenders, gun control and social programs) are not going to reduce violent crime.

They are telling him that because it’s true. Go to the Department of Justice’s Crime Solutions.Gov (the supposed gold standard as to what works to reduce crime) and search for programs rated as successful focusing on violence interrupters, programs for ex-offenders, gun control and social programs. There is little evidence that they work.

Proactive Policing

The only thing that works is proactive policing. That’s the message being delivered by Mr. Adams. Police operations under the banner of proactive policing seem to have the best track record of violence reduction. Proactivity is probably the only modality with a research base as to reducing crime per a literature review from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Proactive policing prompts officers to take action (i.e., a person with a history of violence suspected of carrying a gun) when they have a legal right to investigate. But proactivity requires enormous risks and is the center of endless complaints against law enforcement.

In the final analysis, many make insistent and passionate claims of success for a wide variety of violence prevention programs. Most are wrong.

There are no easy solutions. Police-based programs seem to work where others fail. But hiring more cops when police officers are leaving in droves and with recruitment down by 63 percent (per the Police Executive Research Forum) will be a monumental task. There is an anti-cop agenda painting one million employees with a broad brush of violence and corruption and it’s mostly being delivered by progressives and liberal media.

There are real concerns with reintroducing proactive policing when city cops refuse to engage in the practice and residents are unwilling to support it. Considering the social, political and research implications currently at hand, it’s possible that nothing will work.

Biden Risks Alienating Liberals 

In a meeting at the White House, President Joe Biden urged mayors from some of the nation’s largest cities to invest in police departments and establish community-based programs that could help rebuild trust between people of color and law enforcement, saying Americans owed law enforcement and community leaders “big time.”

The meeting sent a clear signal to progressives in his party and Republican critics that he would crack down on crime, reports the New York Times. It is a difficult position for Biden, who risks alienating liberals in Congress and voters who are pushing for criminal justice reform after police killings of Black people last year.

Biden’s plan also includes urging communities to use $350 billion in funds from his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package to increase hiring at departments as well as support more community-focused organizations. And by inviting Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president who won the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor in part by making public safety a centerpiece of his campaign, Biden is reflecting his support for balancing reform with strong anti-crime efforts. The “first responsibility of democracy,” the president said, “(is) to keep each other safe.”

The White House is encouraging state and local governments to use funding from the COVID relief package passed earlier this year to address a summer rise in violent crime as pandemic restrictions loosened nationwide.

The administration’s strategy to combat crime, a White House memo obtained by CNN said, “uses the American Rescue Plan’s $350 billion in financial support and clear guidance to provide state, local, territorial, and tribal governments the money they need to put more police officers on the beat — including hiring above pre-pandemic levels in communities experiencing an increase in gun violence associated with the pandemic — as well as the other resources, training, and accountability they need to engage in effective community policing.”

They Need To Hire More Police Officers

“I’ll underscore his commitment to ensuring their state and law and local law enforcement have the resources and support they need to hire more police officers and invest in effective and accountable community policing,” White House Press  Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Still, Republicans have attacked Biden for being “soft on crime.”

I have no agenda regarding the president. I wish him (and any president) well in all endeavors.

But we’re in a pickle. The president doesn’t want to alienate the liberal wing of his party. But there is little to no proof that his non-police proposals will work.

It’s clear that there are a wide variety of people who want more cops engaged in proactive policing, but can we hire more officers when so many are leaving and recruitment is dismal?

Even if we hire more, will they return to proactivity after years of violent protests?

It’s fair to suggest that we have created a massive problem with growing violence and fear without solutions.

While I wish the president well, he’s the same person who railed against police abuses, painting all officers with a broad brush. He’s the same person who supported alternative solutions with little to no evidence that they work. He’s the same person who called for bail reform and cutting the prison population in half.

And now, he’s dependent on cops to save him from a problem partially of his own making.

Frank Voce: Sober living for success

By Frank Voce

 Frank Voce graduated from the police academy in July 2015 and has spent the last six years of his life as a law enforcement officer in New York State. However, my drive to serve the community began as an Eagle Scout and a volunteer firefighter during my late teenage years. I played football in both high school and college, where I majored in Criminology.

Additionally, I spent much of my time in the gym training for powerlifting competitions. In 2014, I graduated and went on to pursue my personal training certification as a way to help other people reach their fitness goals. Yet few people knew that as a police officer I was enduring my own private struggles with sobriety.

When I first started drinking it was on the weekends… you know, ‘normal,’ social drinking. Just out with the boys after a shift for a few cold ones that sometimes went to three or four in the morning. It’s what young people do in their twenties, and it’s especially what young cops do. Drinking culture is practically threaded into the career of a law enforcement officer. I thought my drinking was just what guys like me did. I didn’t see anything wrong with it for a long time.

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I felt invincible and totally in control. That is until my drinking started interfering with my life, my relationships and my personal happiness. What I failed to realize was that I was not in control at all. My ego was at the wheel, and right beside it was fear. I was fearful of being judged by my co-workers, by others in the weight room and even by friends and family. And I masked it with alcohol.

I wrestled with my demons in 2018 and 2019, and have been sober since September 2019. Yet I was not just content to address my own demons; I wanted to help other first responders find a safe haven to face their anxiety, depression or addiction. From that calling, I founded Reps For Responders (RFR). One of the first people Voce helped was his own father, a true public servant and volunteer firefighter for over 40 years. Voce’s father has been sober since November 2019. The mission of Reps For Responders is to support the mental health and wellbeing of all first responders, whether they are active or retired. First responders are at greater risk for anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse and suicide than their civilian counterparts. As a result, RFR focuses on spreading awareness about mental health in the first responder community through its social media channels and community events. 

The group promotes three pathways to “recovery,” which include (1) physical activity, (2) proper nutrition and (3) peer support. When needed, referrals are made to a specialist who is trained to work with first responders. Through fitness, support groups, addiction peer recovery coaching and live/virtual group events, first responders have a family within the RFR community.

The myth that a cop can’t have a career and live sober is now a relic of the past. I give people so much credit for being sober and facing their problems head on, rather than masking them with drinking. For myself, living sober has taught me that I don’t need to impress anyone, I only need to be better than the ‘Frank’ from yesterday.

Reps For Responders is a Non-profit 501c3. If you are struggling with addiction, or wish to make a donation, feel free to learn more at repsforresponders.org

Frank Voce has always felt called to give back to his community. His service to others began as an Eagle Scout and a volunteer firefighter in his late teens. In July of 2015, Frank graduated police academy. After battling with personal struggle in 2018 and 2019, he finally reached out for help and support. Once Frank improved mentally and physically, he felt called to help other first responders who struggled the way he did, and provide them a safe space to face their anxiety, depression or addiction in an environment that had brought Frank so much mental and physical strength once before. From that calling, Reps For Responders was born.

Pure Psychosis: A World Turned Upside-Down

By: Lt. Patrick J. Ciser (ret.)

How is it possible that our country has changed so dramatically, in only a few years? How did so many fringe ideas that we thought were ludicrous for decades suddenly become mainstream and pervasive throughout our society? The answer would seem to be in the insidious indoctrination taking place within our educational system. Yesterday’s liberal “hippies,” (think of the 1969 Woodstock era) became many of our college professors who, apparently, fed our children Marxist ideas over time. Suddenly, the 1970s Critical Theory, which evolved into CRT, now has wide acceptance in academia today.

Most Americans for years basically believed that America was a good country, with core values and a strong Constitution that ensured freedom and basic human rights for all. Duh! It’s 2021. Nowhere did we see this more than when a young, charismatic, African American got voted into the White House, twice! And we all know that Barack Hussain Obama, wouldn’t have stood a chance without the majority white vote. Today, there are countless Black millionaires across the country, and millions more earning 6 figure-plus salaries. In fact, America has more Black millionaires than any other country in the world. These men and women range from businesspersons to entrepreneurs, athletes to entertainers, political figures and so much more. So often many of our largest cities are run by Black politicians; from the Chief of Police, to the District Attorney, to the Mayor; but somehow, they are still “racist” cities! WHAT?! Do people realize that 60% of the NYPD is made up of minorities? American companies over the years have bent over backward to hire capable Black workers while also embracing affirmative action. Blacks in Hollywood are represented by a much higher percentage than 13%, although Blacks make up only 13% of the U.S. population. Although

many inner-city Blacks may have few white friends, suburban whites and Blacks hanging out together is very common, and many form close friendships. So why do so many want to ignore all the progress America has made in the last 50 years, and pretend we’re suddenly back in the Jim Crow era? Jim Crow laws came from the Democrats, as did the Ku Klux Klan, after the Civil War. Democrat politicians over the years have done a good job distorting our history, however, since a Republican president freed the slaves. Blacks became Republicans in droves after the Civil War, and even Republican politicians.

Hey look, slavery was a horrible thing, and believe it or not, still goes on in other countries today. But none of us, both Black and white, had anything to do with that horrible time in American history. Also, the population of the United States in 1800, at the height of slavery, was 5,308,483. Today, with a population of 330 million, our country barely resembles that long-ago state. People have immigrated to America for over two centuries since, and today have no ancestors alive that were here back then. Are they still responsible because of the color of their skin?

Blacks on the west coast of Africa in 1619, when slaves first started to arrive here, at King George’s 13 Colonies, kidnapped their own people and sold them to white Europeans with their massive ships. There were many tribes in Africa and many rivalries existed. Had Europeans gone into the jungle, they surely would’ve been overwhelmed and slaughtered. So, forget “The 1619 Project” about America being founded then, as the United States of America was not yet even a dream, and the “Founding Fathers” weren’t even born yet.

As a teenager in 1968, I witnessed racism first hand. But playing basketball with my best friend in 8th grade, who happened to be Black, I didn’t pay it much mind. I did witness; however, things dramatically improve over the last 53 years since. So why do so many want to lie about the state of race relations in America today? The Democrat/Socialist party has an agenda, and unfortunately, there’s a lot of useful idiots around to propagate their lies. Maybe now we should look at some truths?

Black males in America make up approximately 6% of the population and Black females make up about 7%. Black males, however, are responsible for almost 50% of violent crime, including homicides. That’s a crazy number to be sure, yet the “left” thinks it’s a good idea to defund the police to get us off the backs of these criminals. But polls show that 80% of Blacks in America do not want to defund the police, and would actually like to see more cops in their neighborhoods. Remember, every time a dopey white liberal wants to save a criminal, they simultaneously throw their countless victims under the bus. Fourth of July weekend 2021 saw over 400 shootings across the country, with 150 fatalities; that’s ONE weekend! Congratulations BLM, and their enablers, you got what you wished for.

Body Count Rises: Reimagining the police is a complete failure

By David A. Clarke Jr., Sheriff (Ret.) Milwaukee County

 As crime and violence rises in major cities all across the United States, all under the spell of progressive soft on crime policies, the casualties continue to mount in the form of human carnage stacking up like cordwood.

 All of this is preventable. The problem is that this new age of police executives have either gone soft or on the way up the ladder to their current positions, they have gotten a case of amnesia about crime control strategies. It’s embarrassing and untenable.

 Front-line cops are frustrated about a lot of things. Chief among them is that they know what to do to suppress crime, but they have been turned from crime fighters into security guards. That is not a knock on security guards. It’s that security differs immensely from police work.

 There seems to be a renewal in a push by police chiefs about this call for more community policing. I have heard numerous times in the last several months where police executives have held a press briefing relative to the rise in violence by saying we need more of an emphasis on community policing. What, I asked?  What the hell exactly does that mean?  Are they suggesting that community policing will lead to a reduction in crime and violence at street level? Seriously?

I started in policing with the Milwaukee Police Department in 1978. That is when this new form of policing was introduced. It was called community policing. Millions of dollars in federal grants were passed out to local police agencies to embrace street cops “getting to know the people on their particular beat.” It was a flop from the start. Front line cops abhorred the thought of this idea that was hatched in some think tank and recoiled that it was being shoved down their throats. It was a social engineering experiment that had no front-line officer’s input. I know cop behavior.

 So for the next 40 years of my working in policing, executives have been on this fantasy that community policing was the ticket to crime prevention, suppression and reduction. So here we are today still on this antasy about community policing.

 Here are a few thoughts on this nebulous, elusive esoteric concept of community policing. When have the street officers never worked with the community to keep neighborhoods, businesses and schools safe? That is the only way police could have achieved the success that they have. Imagine that! Additionally, police in the past had more time for a tactic called preventive patrol where a good part of their tour was spent being a visible presence in the neighborhood. That no longer exists. It made street crime tough for criminals to pull off. It is why much of the violent crime occurred when streets got dark. It offered crooks the advantage of concealment.

 Now much of the street violence occurs in daylight hours. Why? Because police ranks are so thin and 911 calls keep them going from assignment to assignment with no time to spend on preventive patrols. There was actually a strategy implemented after that said a particular assignment should only take so long to handle. If a cop was on assignment and exceeded an artificial time for that type of assignment, a sergeant would show up to see what was taking so long. I am not making this stuff up.

In a Newsmax TV interview recently, I was asked to opine on the rise in street crime and violence across America and what could be done about it. My response was simple, just like I like to keep things.

 First of all, I said that I am not hearing from chiefs, a comprehensive CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGY. They keep taking about more community policing. This is irresponsible. People are dying while they engage in progressive initiatives that tie the hands of officers on the front lines. We don’t need more community policing, we need a crime reduction strategy with metrics so they and we can see how they are doing. How do you measure community policing? We need a return to what worked. Quality of life enforcement as defined by broken windows strategies would be a good start. This led to historic reductions in violent crime all across America. Think of the lives and misery saved with fewer crime victims. 

 Recently in Chicago, Superintendent David Brown introduced yet again a new crime plan.  It is the same leftovers from last year that resulted in nothing. It targets the gun and goes after gun manufacturers. That’s right, gun manufacturers are committing the gun violence. That is akin to going after automobile manufacturers for drunken driving deaths. That’s stupid. So is Superintendent Brown’s idea. He should announce that he is going to allow his officers to engage in the strategy of stop, question and frisk, increased traffic stops in high crime areas and quality of life enforcement. This along with warrant sweeps and working with probation and parole to do searches of residences and cars of people out on probation and parole. Anyone arrested should be intensely debriefed to collect info to develop intelligence that can be passed onto front-line officers. Brown needs assurances from the Soros backed Cook County States Attorney Kimberly Foxx that people arrested for a violent crime will be held on high bail and charged.  The goal is to keep them off the street for the longest time allowable by law.

 The objective has to be to target the criminal and their violent behavior, not the tool they use.  This is not new. We did before.

 In 1994 then-Sen. Joe Biden authored the Clinton crime reduction bill. It went after violent offenders and utilized the federal code to punish career violent offenders. It didn’t go after gun manufacturers. As I said previously, it led to historic reductions in crime and violence.

 Let’s stop listening to nonsense about reimagining and reinventing police and let’s get backed to what worked.  Identify, arrest and lock up career repeat offenders.

Strength: Captain Salerno shows vigor & courage in cancer battle

By Catherine Angel

LODI, NJ - Police Capt. Robert Salerno has served the Lodi community for over 30 years. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the community not only through his work as a police officer, but also by serving on the Hasbrouck Heights Board of Education for three years, and with the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department for four years. Capt. Salerno also volunteered as a baseball coach and lent a helping hand to the Junior Aviators football program. He is happily married with three children.

Recently, Salerno’s simple life was turned upside down with the unfortunate diagnosis of Stage 4 liver cancer. However, his story is not one of sympathy — it is a testament to his strength and courage. While faced with tremendous adversity, Salerno continues to work, and maintains his normal routine, keeping a positive outlook while many other people would have crumbled.

Capt. Salerno is a true inspiration — a stable ship in a storm, and a role model for everyone facing challenges. Blue Magazine wishes Capt. Salerno much success ahead as he continues the fight.

Catherine Angel: Tell us about yourself and your career.

Capt. Salerno: I've been a police officer here for 32 years with the police department. I was hired on January 2nd, 1990. I was promoted to the rank of sergeant, January 4th of 1999. I was promoted to lieutenant in 2014 and last year I was promoted to the rank of captain. I've been assigned to patrol for 19 years before currently being assigned to the records division where I'm in charge of records. I process firearms applications. I do a multitude of other things from grants to telephones. I assist with the IT stuff. So, I have a broad spectrum of responsibilities that I do here.

What was the proudest moment in your career?

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I think probably the proudest moment of my career was when I attained the rank of captain last year.

Have you had any negative experiences?

There's nothing really negative. There are things that come with the job that cause you to go on—negative things that affect you for a while. All cops deal with many of the negative aspects of our careers. But, you know, you deal with them and you move on and work through them.

Can you tell us about your health condition?

Sure. Recently I went to the doctor because I was having some pain in my side. He sent me to the hospital for a series of tests. And he told me that I had Stage 4 liver cancer. I'm currently being treated up at Sloan Kettering for liver cancer. I have a few spots on my lungs that metastasized from the liver. So that kind of created a little bit more of a situation than I was really expecting. And when I received the news, I was actually devastated and so is my wife. I couldn't believe it and it's still hard to process it because I'm still trying to think, you know, ‘how?’ and ‘why?’ and ‘where?’

Can you take us back to the day of your diagnosis? What was that experience like?

Well, I thought I was having some pain in my side here by my ribs. And, at first, I had thought that I had pulled a muscle. But my doctor said there may be something more to it. So he poked around my abdomen and said something didn’t feel right. He said I needed further tests and ordered a series of them at the hospital. So I went to the hospital on a Tuesday afternoon around four o'clock, after I left work. I had a CAT scan of my liver, my abdomen, and my chest to see what was going on. After I was in the emergency room for a number of hours, they came back and they told me they were going to admit me overnight, and the next day my doctor wanted to come see me around six o'clock in the morning. The next morning my doctor came knocking on my door, kind of woke me up, and said the news wasn’t good. I've developed a relationship with my doctor that is very good so he was straight with me and said I have liver cancer. After that, we did a biopsy. We did a couple of other tests including an MRI of my brain to make sure the cancer didn’t go to my brain. My doctor ordered more tests and told me we’re going to get through this. He set me up to go to Sloan Kettering for treatments. I remember he asked me if I wanted to call my wife. I said, I really didn't think I could do it so he called my wife and informed her of my condition. And after that, you know, we dealt with it. And that's the morning I spoke with my chief, who also gave me hope that we will get through this. He said 'we're going to work through it.' And that's exactly what we're doing now. He told me I have the support of everybody here. Also, everyone in my family has been extremely supportive. The number of friends I have supporting me is unbelievable. The outlets I have right now make it so much better for me to deal with what we're dealing with.

You mentioned something about support from the officers here. Can you elaborate on that support?

Sure, they call me constantly. There is a sergeant who works in my office who continually hounds me to make sure I drink water, making sure I eat something. He’s a wonderful friend. Everybody that I work with here, including the guys that are behind me here, they constantly reach out. They check to see how I am doing and how they can help. How can they help my family. And for me, that's huge. Even with the support from the people in the borough hall that know that I have this. They ask what they can do to help. ‘What do you need?’ ‘Can we get your food?’ ‘Can we get you this?’ ‘Can we take you for your treatment?’ Just those things, in general, are like amazing things that when the chips are down, you see who actually comes out and who is going to help you. And for everybody here, we have 46 cops, and they will do whatever they have to do to help me.

Is there a message you want to tell your kids today?

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Well, I actually have three children. One daughter, who lives in South Carolina and is currently a dialysis nurse, and I’m constantly on her to ‘make sure you take care of yourself ,’ ‘make sure you're doing what you have to.’ I have another son who lives in South Carolina. He's a state trooper. So I constantly tell him some of the things that I just told you. ‘Be on the street and be respectful to the people.’ ‘Do what you have to do again.’ He was a football player. He played college football, great high school football, so he knows how to maintain his health. So he's always doing it. I have another son who lives in Pennsylvania who is an IT guy. He's a part-time college football coach. And I tell him the same thing. You know, ‘make sure you take care of yourself— go for walks, lose weight, eat a good diet’, so they never end up in the situation that I am in. And again, they're all far away, but I talk to them every day, sometimes four times a day, so we constantly have communication.

What do you want to be remembered for?

I have been here for 30 years. My biggest legacy is to know that when I do leave here, I leave the place the way I wanted it to be. And the people that I worked with will always remember me. And, you know, I think, ‘oh, yeah, he did that’ or ‘he put this into place.’ So that's important to me.

A Hero Remembered: Chicago Police Department Officer Ella French

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Article & Artwork by Jonny Castro

On August 7th, Chicago Police Officer Ella French and two other officers assigned to the Community Safety Team were conducting a traffic stop on Chicago’s South Side. During the vehicle investigation, the passenger pulled a gun and opened fire, striking two of the three officers. Though gravely wounded, they were able to return fire and hit the gunman. Officer French suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head during the attack. Her partner remains in critical condition, fighting for his life after being shot multiple times. All three suspects involved have been taken into custody.

Officer French is remembered as one of the good ones. She was a bright, charismatic young woman who joined the Chicago Police Department back in 2018. She was proud to wear the badge, and brought honor and distinction to what it stands for. Officer French was a person of integrity and always believed in doing the right thing. Most importantly, she took this job to help people. Officer French was assigned to the 10th District, but respectfully requested to be detailed to the Community Safety Team to try and make a difference in a city plagued by gun violence. Officer leaves behind her mother and brother, and would have celebrated her 30th birthday at the end of August.

My, Oh My How Things Have Changed: Harness the power of Christ

By: Chris Amos

Perhaps one of the characteristics about Jesus that I am most grateful for is found in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” As I watch everything around me change at a frightening pace, I am so thankful Jesus Christ does not.

Many reading this may have experienced the pain, the emotional heartbreak from the ever-changing affections of a loved one. Maybe your spouse has fallen out of love with you. His or her feelings for you have changed. They aren’t what they once were. Divorce soon follows. Or maybe your dream job has changed, becoming more and more like a ball and chain around your ankle. Maybe your best friend in all the world has died, or perhaps even worse, moved on no longer having the time or interest in keeping your friendship going. Things inevitably change, for better or for worse.   

As we recognize the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, I remember watching this scene play out on television from the comfort of my office while serving as a Norfolk Police Officer. In the days and weeks that followed I remember the wave of patriotism that swept the country. I remember that while in uniform my money seemed to be worthless, as people would eagerly pay for my meals as a sign of support and appreciation. I remember the cards from elementary school classes that were made by the kids and mailed to the Chief’s Office. I remember being stopped everywhere I went by folks just wanting to shake my hand and thank me. I remember the pride I had, not a personal pride, but a much greater pride I had just for the uniform and the countless men and women willing to sacrifice all, in service to their respective communities. 

Well that was then and this is now and my, oh my, how things have changed. Twenty years after first responders could do no wrong, now seemingly, they can do no right. In New York City where police officers and firefighters were once hailed as national heroes, now they are racist, intolerant, incompetent buffoons who are good for nothing. Not just in NYC but in many parts of the country, but none more so than in our major cities. A profession, once revered as being professional, noble, and one of great integrity has been reduced to a job fraught with minefields that no one in their right mind desires to pursue.

The era of proactive policing has given way to officers who operate under a constant state of fear and second guessing. Oh, they are not afraid of doing the job. They are afraid of what would happen if they don’t do the job perfectly, 100% of the time! They are afraid of becoming the next headline, forced to take a life because of the criminal actions of another. They are afraid of renegade Commonwealth and District Attorneys wanting to make a name for themselves. They are afraid of chiefs and sheriffs that might abandon them in their greatest hour of need. They are afraid of losing their jobs, their homes, their freedom all because of decisions they are forced to make in seconds, without the luxury of knowing the full story. They are afraid of making mistakes in good faith, realizing that they are no longer afforded good faith. Ironically, according to the recent Gallup poll, police officers are still one of the most trusted professions in the country, and yet they are operating in an environment, where far more time is spent coddling the guilty, while ignoring the victims of crime.

I personally find tremendous peace, comfort, and hope in knowing that while the society in which we live is constantly changing, and many of those changes are not for the better, I can rest in knowing Jesus Christ NEVER changes. His love for me is as great, as deep, as wide and certain today as it was yesterday, and as it will be tomorrow, for all the tomorrows of my life. I rest in knowing that no matter how society changes with its attitude toward law enforcement officers, Jesus does not. His calling does not change. His need for, and love of police officers does not.

I am reminded of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the shouts of praise by all of those in attendance knowing that within five days the shouts of praise would be replaced by shouts of condemnation and “crucify Him!” And yet Jesus stayed the course. He did not allow the fickle and feckless mob dictate how He would fulfill His own calling. To my Law Enforcement Friends, so too I encourage each one of you to stay the course! Jesus knows what you are going through; in fact the promise of His never-changing nature is only surpassed by one more promise, the promise to never leave you nor forsake you. You are not alone. Look to Jesus for peace, comfort, and for the assurance that this world has long since abandoned.

Spineless Law Enforcement Leaders Castrate Themselves For Cop-Haters - By Sheriff David Clarke Jr

By Sheriff David Clarke Jr. (Ret.) Milwaukee County

Police chiefs have reached a new low in being accomplices in the War on Cops with the revelation that law enforcement officers all across the country are being disciplined, up to and including suspensions, demotion and dismissal from the service, for expressing on their own time and on their own social media sites, posts expressing a dislike for the cop hating scumbags from Black Lives Matter (BLM). I called them scumbags, not the officers who posted.

Here is a sample of what officers have posted on social media about Black Lives Matter according to a Washington Times news story. Two officers in New Jersey have been fired or demoted for calling BLM, terrorists. In one post, one of New Jersey’s finest was investigated by her agency for denouncing BLM tactics and called them terrorists. Another officer from the same agency “liked” the post and offered support for her colleague’s post. Even though the agency took no action, a town committee fired one of the officers and demoted a sergeant for calling out local politicians who sided with rioters. The chief did not back the officers. The chief should have exercised leadership here and refused to carry out the town committee’s obviously retaliatory firing and offered his own resignation instead. Now that would have been an act of courage, but I digress.

In another instance, an officer from the Bellevue, Idaho Marshals’ Office was suspended for a week for a posting calling out NBA basketball star LeBron James after he put out a tweet regarding an Ohio officer who used deadly force on a knife-wielding suspect who was attempting to stab another girl. James posted the officer’s picture in the post with the sentence, “You’re next, #Accountability.” He deleted the post from his account that has fifty million followers. The damage had been done and he knows it.

And in yet another incident, a Norfolk, Virginia police lieutenant anonymously donated to a defense fund for a man, who in an act of self-defense, shot and killed two suspects and wounded another during a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin last summer. The man was charged and is awaiting trial. The lieutenant did use a city email address but did not identify himself or the agency. He wrote that the rank and file were behind his claim of self-defense. After what the police union said was a cursory investigation, the officer was fired.

A Los Angeles Police Dept. officer shared a meme on Valentine’s Day that had a picture of George Floyd with the caption, “You take my breath away.” He didn’t create the meme, he shared it. Should he have used better judgment? Of course. Should he be fired? Absolutely not, but LAPD Chief Michel Moore wants the officer fired. A reprimand would be in order here but again, Chief Moore’s moral preening and virtue signaling is more important to him than having his officers’ backs. George Floyd unfortunately has been elevated to icon status. This is the creep who held a loaded gun to the stomach of a pregnant woman in a home invasion robbery looking for drugs and money. He served eight years in prison. George Floyd’s death has caused enough damage and destruction all across the United States. He was involved in a criminal act, geeked up on fatal levels of fentanyl and not complying with an officer’s lawful commands to take him into custody. Chief Moore using the career of one of his officers as cannon fodder is disgraceful.

One defense attorney was quoted as saying, “You shouldn’t have officers sounding off on political issues.” He went on to say that, “Officers, have to represent and protect everyone in the community, and how are you going to be able to do that effectively in a majority-black city if you’re posting anti-Black Lives Matter stuff?” He cites no example where police have refused to serve and protect. He also does not point out that BLM is a Marxist movement that advocates for the killing of police officers.

Now let me stop there for a moment to sound off on that claim by a defense lawyer. As to whether or not officers will protect everyone in the community regardless of their personal feelings, this defense lawyer needs to be reminded that five, count them five Dallas police officers were ambushed and killed with another nine wounded in 2016 while working to protect Black Lives Matter sympathizers at a protest. They were killed by a Black Lives Matter sniper. How is that for protecting everyone in the community?

Two New York police officers were assassinated in a New York City borough as they sat in their cruiser, serving and protecting a very diverse population. In Los Angeles, two LA sheriff’s deputies were ambushed and shot as they sat in their cruiser serving and protecting a very diverse community in Los Angeles. They were rushed to an area hospital and were met by a group of BLM sympathizers who blocked the emergency entrance at the hospital not letting the ambulance through while shouting anti police slogans.

There have been no reports or accusations that police are refusing to serve minority communities in spite of this hateful BLM movement. Officers have been spit on, have had rocks and bottles thrown at them along with urine- and feces-filled balloons and shot at as they are ordered to “stand down” while protecting a diverse group of people as they protest and even riot. There is obviously a need for law enforcement executives to be able to set standards for off-duty conduct. In fact, there are court cases allowing it. As a former elected sheriff responsible for the good order of the service, a balance needs to be struck on this, however. It should be narrowly applied. I read all the posts referenced in the previously mentioned cases. None of what was posted in my view was over the top nor did it discredit their agency. In fact, I feel the same way about BLM that they do. If this was brought to my attention, I would not have ordered an “investigation.” This didn’t warrant an “investigation.” I would have called the officers in and told them to be careful what they post on social media. I would have ordered that a memo to go out to the entire agency reminding them of the good order of the service because the cop haters are on the prowl and looking to take them out through internal discipline. The end. A verbal warning would be appropriate. Suspension, firing and demotion for this is overkill and unnecessary. It is nothing more than virtue signaling trying to appease the cop-hating goons. It doesn’t work.

Our officers are under tremendous stress. They are working long hours due to riots, defunding efforts and short staffing due to retirements and resignations. It is affecting their mental health and quality of life outside work. These are human beings, not drones. Don’t these spineless police chiefs realize that? Do they even care? Our cops need a release from time to time and some empathy from their top commanders. Maybe if law enforcement executives said something that pushes back against the cop haters of Black Lives Matter, rank and file cops would not feel a need to spout off in their own defense.

Sheriff David Clarke Jr. is former Sheriff of Milwaukee Co, Wisconsin, President of AmericasSheriff LLC, Board member of the Crime Research Center, author of the book Cop Under Fire: Beyond Hashtags of Race Crime and Politics for a Better America. To learn more visit www.americassheriff.com

In a World Gone Crazy: Politicians Abandon Police and Citizens

 By: Lt. Patrick J Ciser (Ret.)

 When I was a younger man, 30-40 years ago, I saw division on many political issues. Sure, we had both extreme left and right groups, but they were certainly in the minority, and few people took them seriously. I remember a time, believe it or not, when Democrats believed in and supported law enforcement and the rule of law. And for the most part, I always saw some wiggle room for reconciliation on both sides.

A few months ago, we saw a radicalized party, against all odds, take the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate, at the end of a very tumultuous year. I’m struck with deep sadness that we find ourselves in this position. Democrats seemed to be on the wrong side of so many important issues facing our nation, yet still won. Let’s take a look at a few of these extreme positions one by one.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

There was a day, as I said, when ALL politicians wanted to protect our citizens from crime; especially violent crime. We all have loved ones we wish to protect, and most of us have repeatedly supported victim advocacy groups over the years. We’ve seen the strengthening of domestic violence laws and the increased prosecution of sexual assaults. So why are many Democratic politicians doing everything in their power to assist criminals? Sounds extreme, right? But it is happening in all of our Democrat-run states coast to coast. We’re suffering from bail reform on steroids! Even some violent criminals are immediately let out so they can terrorize their victims again. Witnesses are being threatened and are now scared to death of testifying, even more so than before. Why do you think that half of the homicides in our inner cities aren’t solved? “Warn a Brother” and “No Snitchin” are some serious shit to be sure! Victims learn quickly that our feckless judicial system isn’t going to save them or their kids any time soon. Why do we parole cop killers who should’ve gotten the death penalty? Why do Democrats turn a blind eye to the destruction caused by BLM and Antifa, and even support bailing them out like Vice President Harris has done? Why are Democrats not in favor of deporting criminal aliens and passing “Kate’s Law?” And there’s so much more!

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

At the DNC primary runoff last year, all the candidates from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris were asked, raise your hand if you’re in favor of giving free health care to illegal immigrants. Every hand on that stage went up! There are an estimated 18-22 million illegals currently living in America. That admission alone could entice a million more to cross the border in the coming four years of the Biden administration. And you know who gets hurt the most, even more than the taxpayers? The illegals who are already here. If an illegal farm worker goes from $5 to $8 or $10 an hour over a few years, he/she will now lose their jobs to the new immigrant willing to take $5. Some Democrat governors curtailed interstate travel from certain states because of COVID, while the Biden administration is welcoming all immigrants regardless if they’re bringing in any disease from COVID to tuberculosis. He’s actually sending out letters to illegals who were deported by the Trump Administration to come back for a new hearing. Many gang members, like MS-13, are no longer in jeopardy of deportation under Biden’s rules.

TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

I never understood bias against gays/lesbians in America. Ultra-religious groups, unfortunately, seem to have disdain for them to the extreme. I always thought, even decades ago; who are they hurting? Certainly not me. So why don’t we simply wish them well and move on? But today, this “group” has grown to be called the LGBTQ community. Now I, like countless others, definitely have a problem. You see, gay rights never infringed on other people’s rights, but transgender “rights” absolutely do! None of us want a man, who believes that he’s a woman, to share the same bathroom with our teenage daughters. No one wants to see their little girl dreaming while growing up, of competing in the Olympics one day, suddenly beaten by a transexual. When your rights trample another’s rights, that’s where we have a problem! We have “Special Olympics,” perhaps we need “transgender” sports.

FIRST and SECOND AMENDMENTS

Censorship; did you ever think that in America we would see such a thing? The CCP, Russia, North Korea, among many others, have always had Government Controlled Media. For you old guys like me out there, remember during Watergate, when we actually had investigative reporters who looked out for the people? Today, we have liberal media that actually acts like an arm of the DNC. Progressives have infiltrated our media outlets and universities to a point where they’re able to snuff out free speech at every turn. Why is it for years now you can’t hear a conservative lecture at our top universities? And now we actually have censorship on all social media platforms. Mao would’ve been proud.

Biden and company also have BIG plans for our Second Amendment; how do they win with this stuff!!

Pat Ciser is a retired lieutenant from the Clifton Police Department, and a 7th Degree Black Belt. He was a member of 5 U.S. Karate Teams, winning gold medals in South America and Europe. He is the Author of BUDO and the BADGE; Exploits of a Jersey Cop (BN.com/Amazon), and is a guest writer for Official Karate Magazine.

The Good Old Days: A Pennsylvania State Police Memory

By: Dale Gabriel

Today's PSP Memory takes me back 33 years. March 18, 1988 -- A day I will NEVER forget; my graduation from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey. It was a TOUGH five months for me, but seeing the huge smile on my dad's face that day made it all worthwhile. I was just a kid. Look at this picture. I did not even know how to wear the "big hat" correctly.

To those of you NOT in law enforcement, it's much different than you THINK. It's not like what you see on TV. It's a calling, not a job. It's a way of life. It's what we ARE, not what we do. When others run for safety, we run TOWARD danger. Yet, there is so much hatred, So much disrespect. But we are still out there doing the job every day, much of the time for people who do not appreciate it.

Here is MY story

Going back five months earlier ... it actually all started on Oct. 19. 1987. That day, I embarked on what would be perhaps the most difficult, but also one of the most rewarding journeys in my life. I packed up my canary-yellow Firebird, kissed and hugged my girlfriend (now my wife for 33 years, and my parents goodbye, and headed east. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Other than being 20 miles away at Saint Vincent College, and coming home most weekends, I had never even been away from home. The next five long months seemed like a lifetime for this college boy, about as anti-military as they come. I never DID learn to march very well. The classroom work was simple. Pool time was easy since I had swam nearly every day possible for the past 12 years or so (although we did not have it long because of a problem with the pool) Sure, the ONE thing I would be good at, and it was gone! The rest of the academy time was NOT easy.

My knees could NEVER take the morning run of up to 5 miles. If you could not make it by a certain time, you were punished, forced to do push-ups. I had become a push-up machine! Physical training had its ups and downs. There was fight class, actual live hand-to-hand combat. Sometimes you were lucky enough to get the weak; others you WERE the weak. Range, working details, and much more; this was NOTHING like college! NOTHING!! And then there were the constant inspections. They certainly were not my friend, especially considering I did not have my mom to make my bed or do my clothes. I wondered every day what I had gotten myself into, and if I was going to be cut out for it.

But after that long, hard, seemingly IMPOSSIBLE five months, and finally passing the required tasks including the obstacle course at the exact time I needed (I still think they shaved a few seconds off my time), I would become a full-fledged Pennsylvania State Trooper. And we were here on this day celebrating. We had lost about a third of or original cadet class to grades, discipline, being unable to complete necessary tasks or just plain giving up! Other than being a father, this was easily one of most important accomplishments in my life.

I would spend the next 25 years doing what I still considered to be very important work, taking me from Shippenville in Clarion County, to Greensburg, then Kiski

Valley. I was proud of the work I did. Proud to be a "Road Dawg" for the entire time. I was punched, kicked, bitten, spit on, run down by a car, dragged by a drunken driver, and even attacked off duty, resulting in a fractured skull and severe facial injuries. Not your routine 9-5!  I kept plugging away. Several times, I was among the top 10 in DUI arrests in my troop, receiving the High DUI award. For about 18-20 of those years, I had the most DUIs at my various stations. I probably took part in taking a thousand drunken drivers off the road, and I hammered underage drinkers. Hard! Fair or not. Right or wrong. These were the violations that I despised.

I thoroughly enjoyed the hundreds of programs I put on at schools, old folks homes, town meetings, Scout troops, 4-H Clubs, PTA meetings and many more. I was extremely proud to incorporate, then put on for five years, "Camp Clelian," a one-day police camp for the students at Clelian Heights, a school for persons with special needs. It was the first of its kind. EVER! Each year, it got bigger and better. After the last one, I received a personal phone call from Gov. Corbett and our PSP Commissioner. What great memories!

Unfortunately, though, as many do not know or cannot understand, the job eats at you. It takes so much out of you, changes you. My outlook on life changed. We see a multitude of things the average person does not see. I had so many ups and downs over the years, hundreds of dead bodies, mostly fatal accidents and suicides, a few drug overdoses, fatal fires, even a few murders. I saw a man die screaming while trapped in his truck as fire raged around him. I found my daughter's best friend dead at a crash site. I sat and held a woman's hand as she expired along the side of the road while awaiting an ambulance, talking to her for what seemed like hours. Delivering death messages to people, telling them they had just lost a loved one, was very difficult, completely draining you. You have to be direct and honest, yet compassionate in giving them what is likely the worst news of their lives. Over time, it hardens you. I saw people at their very worst, injured, hurt, and scared. Very often, however, I was able to provide them some kind words, some comfort, which I firmly believe helped them deal with the situation.

And I was blessed to work with and become friends with so many great people along the way. Unlike a "normal" job, your co-workers become more than just friends. They become your life line. They are guys and girls you know you can count on when the shit hits the fan. Brothers and sisters that you know will have your back, just as you have theirs. It's not just those in your own department, but many of the neighboring police officers you work with. Unfortunately, some of them were taken from us at the hands of murderers. May they all rest in peace.

All in all, it was a great career for me. I am proud of my body of work. I am proud to have set an example in my neighborhood, someone people knew they could count on and someone the kids could look up to. In addition, I was able to work midnight shift for much of it, which allowed me the time and ability to stay active in my three daughters' lives, which I think helped them turn into strong and successful adults.

I just cannot believe it's been 33 years, and I have been retired for almost nine.

An Open Letter to LeBron James: The Division and Hatred Must Stop

By: Deon Joseph

Dear LeBron:

I am not going to come at you from a place of hatred. There will be no name calling. I was raised to see the whole of a human being. Not to hyper focus on their flaws or make said flaws the whole of who they are. I’m an honest man.

What you do for children, and other acts of charity, shows a huge heart. You show to be a family man, and that’s to be respected. You play for the team my family has cheered for since the 1960s, then myself since 1979. But… Your current stance on policing is so off base and extreme. Your tweet that targeted a police officer in Ohio who saved a young woman’s life was irresponsible and disturbing. It showed a complete lack of understanding of the challenge of our job in the heat of a moment. You basically put a target on the back of a human being who had to make a split-second decision to save a life from a deadly attack.

It was a decision I know he and many others wish they never had to make. Especially when it involves someone so young.

Instead of apologizing, you deflected. You said you took your tweet down because you did not want it to be used for hate, when the tweet itself was the embodiment of hatred, rooted in a lack of understanding of the danger of the situation.

I don’t know if this will ever reach you, but my hope is that one day I can sit down with you and talk. As a man of faith, I can have no hatred toward you. But I do feel I can help you understand the reality of the profession of policing, and that there is another side you need to hear. You are tired of Black folks dying? So am I. You hate racism and police brutality? So do I. But you cannot paint 800,000 men and women who are of all races, faiths, sexual orientations and are also mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, preachers, coaches, community members and just human with such a broad and destructive brush.

Unlike some who have dug their heels in the belief that police are inherently evil, I think if you yourself actually sat down and had a real honest and open conversation with a cop, there is a strong chance you may discover we are not the monsters you have come to believe we are, who deserve the hate and disdain you have.

And even if you come away feeling the same way, I could respect it, because at least you gave the other side your ear instead of only hearing one narrative.

The offer is on the table, LeBron. I know it’s a long shot. But this division and hatred must stop. It’s clear based on rising crime in marginalized communities that cops and the community need to build bridges to save lives on all sides. That cannot be done through the demonization of any group of people.

Just putting it out in the universe, brother. Even if not me, please take the time to talk to a police officer instead of judging them. No shade. Thanks for all the positive things you do.

Deon Joseph is a 25 year veteran of law enforcement in Southern California - 21 of those years working in the homeless community to create an environment conducive to change for those in recovery, as a Lead Officer. He’s been recognized for his work locally and nationally, and news stories and documentaries surrounding his work in crime fighting and community relations, featured him. www.deonjoseph.org.

Police are not the problem: Police are the solution.

By: Joel E. Gordon

“The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” - Robert Peel

This is the message that we MUST get out.

Why are the police paid? Training, knowledge plus the fortitude to deal with enraged, often chemically altered individuals in life and death situations are a primary reason that paid professionals are necessary to carry the burden of keeping the peace, often under impossible circumstances.

As someone who has served as an inner-city police officer, I can unequivocally state that cops do more good for their communities than anyone else yet often don't even have a seat at the table while non-experts work to “reimagine” policing. While the untrained armchair police proffer tactical advice based upon emotion their suggestions actually can further elevate risks. It is obvious who has never been actively confronted by an enraged individual who is in a violent and often chemically altered state of mind impervious to pain.

I am particularly reminded of the time that I was confronted by an enraged individual I was tasked to attempt to keep from harming himself or others, later revealed to be under the influence of PCP. Phencyclidine works primarily as an NMDA-receptor antagonist. Behaviorally in humans, its effects are broad-spectrum and can induce hostility, delusions and hallucinations - psychotic effects somewhat related to the positive symptoms seen in schizophrenia. While no evidence exists that PCP can increase strength per se, it does act as a dissociative analgesic, producing a sense of non-connectedness neurologically and a general decrease in pain sensation peripherally. The combination of properties -- with delusions, hallucinations and aggression -- can produce a physiological state where it appears the person is capable of superhuman feats, whereas the reality is only that they are more capable of/willing to commit self-harm and harm others. This particular individual was so powerfully violent in a hospital emergency department that it took six officers to control his violent physical movements until he could be medically “knocked out” to gain control. Imagine the lone officer encountering this individual or someone like him in an uncontrolled setting.

You’ve heard some of the “recommendations” of those who have never experienced such an encounter in a variety of other situations:

Warning Shots: Warning shots are prohibited in just about every jurisdiction in the U.S. Any discharge of a firearm by the police is typically classified as a use of deadly force incident. The officer is responsible for where the bullet goes and any damage it may cause. It should not be too difficult to understand that a warning shot could easily result in an errant bullet lodging somewhere that it does not belong and at the very least, if shot in an upward trajectory, what goes up must come down.

Shoot them in the leg: If struck in a lower extremity this may not stop a threat in a timely manner but it is still a potential actual deadly force by severing a femoral artery or other area causing a person to ultimately "bleed out." If the bullet completely transected the artery, the person would likely lose enough blood to be severely compromised within a minute or two, and they'd bleed out in under five minutes without prompt treatment and transport to a hospital.

Shoot any weapon out of their hand: Maybe on television or in a movie, but in real-time real world scenarios even the best marksman could not be assured of a clean shot in a frantic uncontrolled environment except perhaps in the rarest of circumstances.

Use of Chemical Irritant, Taser or Less Lethal Weapon: Level four or five on the use of force continuum (below). Designed to temporarily incapacitate, confuse, delay or restrain an adversary in a variety of situations but are not necessarily reliable to stop an active threat in all instances such as with an individual who is “feeling no pain,” for example.

Rather than a theoretical hypothesis of what could stop a threat law enforcement professionals use a force continuum, a scale of force alternatives, to mediate the level of response used in a given situation. This continuum has been professionally developed in collaboration with those who possess real knowledge and expertise in a variety of disciplines including behavioral science, defense tactics, anatomy and physiology, ballistics, the law and real-world experience.

The force continuum is typically broken down into six broad levels. Each level is designed to be fluid as the need for force changes as the situation develops. For example, it is not uncommon for the level of force to go from level two, to level three, and back again in a matter of seconds.

·       Level 1 - Officer Presence: The mere presence of a police officer in uniform or in a marked vehicle is often enough to stop a crime in progress or prevent most situations from escalating. Without saying a word, the mere presence of a police officer can deter crime by the simple use of body language and gestures. At this level, gestures should be non-threatening and professional. This "zero" level of force is the best way to resolve any situation, if possible.

·       Level 2 - Verbal Commands: Used in combination with a visible presence, the use of the voice can most often achieve the desired results. The content of the message is as important as your demeanor. It’s always best to start out calm but firm and non-threatening. Your choice of words and intensity can be increased as necessary or used in short commands in more serious situations. Police officers receive extensive training on how to use verbal commands most effectively.

·       Level 3 - Empty Hand Control: Some situations will arise where words alone will not reduce the aggression. This is the time police officers will need to get involved physically. This is a level of control employed by police officers minus the aid of equipment or weapons. There are two subcategories called, “soft empty hand techniques” and “hard empty hand techniques.”

·       Level 4 - Pepper Spray, Baton, Taser: When the suspect is violent or threatening, more extreme, but non-deadly measures must be used to bring the suspect under control or affect an arrest. Before moving to this level of force, it is assumed that less-physical measures have already been tried. Pepper spray, once thought an effective street tool for police officers has lost popularity over the years because of its ineffectiveness, especially on intoxicated persons. A blow with a baton can immobilize a combative person, allowing officers to affect an arrest. The Taser discharges a high-voltage spark (50,000 volts) at very low amperage. The Taser fires two small darts, connected to wires, which drops a suspect at non-contact distance. They can be especially useful for controlling non-criminal violent behavior, such as persons who are mentally impaired.

·       Level 5 - Less Lethal: This is a newer, acceptable and effective level of force that numerous police agencies have added to their use of force continuum policy and procedure. Less-lethal weapons were developed to provide law enforcement, military and corrections personnel with an alternative to lethal force. They were designed to temporarily incapacitate, confuse, delay, or restrain an adversary in a variety of situations. Less-lethal weapons can be valuable when: lethal force is available as backup but it is determined that lesser force may subdue the aggressor or when lethal force is justified but its use could cause serious collateral effects, such as injury to bystanders.

·       Level 6 - Deadly Force: If a police officer has probable cause to believe that a suspect poses a significant threat of imminent death or serious physical injury to the officer or others, then the use of deadly force is justified. It is obvious from all of the news about misuse of power by police, that this is easier said than done.

By the very nature of law enforcement, officers can be confronted with a potentially lethal threat at any given time. In many of these instances, officers may have no other reasonable option, given the totality of the circumstances, but to discharge their firearm in order to protect their life or the lives of others.

The use of force is an integral part of a law enforcement officer's job, particularly when arresting criminal suspects. While most reasonable people believe that police should be permitted to protect themselves and others from threats to safety, what is often disputed is an officer's assessment of a threat and the level of force selected to counter it. The level of force used must be tailored to the nature of the threat that prompted its use. In other words, a response is fully dictated by the actions and threat level of a perpetrator.

Although central body mass is the most reliable and accessible target proven to be likely to stop a threat, even a center body mass shot or shots does not necessarily guarantee an immediate stop to aggression. Case in point: In February of this year a Montgomery County, Maryland, sheriff’s deputy was seen on a widely viewed internet video firing 12 rounds, striking an attacking individual at close range, after the deputy backed away, tried de-escalation, and attempted Taser deployment before the subject finally stopped his forward aggression and the attack ceased. A nearly identical situation, in the days before Tasers, was famously taught in the Baltimore City Police Academy of the ‘80s where a hostile aggressor failed to cease attack quickly after being shot numerous times center mass. Police are taught never to take anything for granted and always remain flexible in their response because in real-world scenarios there is no guarantee that any one technique will immediately stop an enraged aggressor. These life and death situations are not taken lightly.

Is it ever OK to use deadly force?

While there is always room for improvement, more tools and deployment training, it is not realistic to completely eliminate the use of deadly force by the police ... nor should it be in cases involving imminent danger in the maiming or death to innocent members of the public or to the police. There is no license for the police to kill, only a responsibility to stop a threat, to protect oneself and the people who need protection from those who are causing catastrophic harm to those around them. Who has their finger on the pulse of a community more than a front line community cop on the beat who has a sense of obligation toward the community in doing what is best for the overall safety and common good of the areas served? The answer lies within each dedicated and good-hearted law enforcement professional. May the protectors of our society always be the ones to prevail.

Joel E. Gordon is a former Field Training Officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. An award winning journalist, he is author of the book Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story and founded the Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Look him up at stillseekingjustice.com

'Spirit-of-the-Law' vs. 'Letter-of-the-Law': What It Means for Alabama Guardianship Legislation

By Bernard Kerik

One early memory of my law enforcement career was the day I learned the concept of the-letter-of-the-law versus the-spirit-of-the-law.

Simply put the-letter-of-the-law means the law is applied exactly as written. For example - the speed limit on highways is 65 mph, any vehicle traveling at 66 mph or greater is in violation of traffic law and shall be issued a speeding ticket.

The spirit-of-the-law leaves room for officer discretion. This means I could consider other factors when deciding to issue a ticket, give a warning, or ignore a violation all together. Following the spirit-of-the-law allowed me to apply the law as the legislature intended, especially in situations with extenuating circumstances or a warning was more appropriate.

I think we would all agree, darting across the middle of a busy street can create a dangerous situation for all and could be grounds for a jaywalking violation, but casually walking across the middle of an empty street would not warrant a ticket. Endangering others by driving under the influence is not the same as not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.

Sometimes, however, the enacted version of a law does not quite hit the mark. The spirit is clear, but the letter of the law leaves room for interpretation - a loophole. We all know, just as water follows the path of least resistance, if there is a loophole in the letter of the law - there’s a lawyer who will take advantage.

Terri LaPoint, an investigative journalist with RealNewsSpark, has written extensively on the exploitation and civil liberty destroying nature of Alabama’s guardianship laws.

In early April of this year, LaPoint testified before the Alabama House Judiciary Committee on the need for guardianship reform.

LaPoint gave a powerful speech in which she pointed out the guardianship and conservatorship system started out as a way to protect the most vulnerable among us - our elderly. However, LaPoint has seen the system fail even though the 5th Amendment’s guarantees that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

She went on to say some who have been trusted to look after our most vulnerable have used loopholes personally benefit from the way the current laws are written. In her reporting, LaPoint has also found a system, which uses fear tactics and a lack of accountability to exploit seniors and drain their estates of assets meant for their families to inherit.

She said so many seniors have been victimized by the current system that something must be done. At this moment, violent criminals in Alabama prisons have more rights than a senior put under guardianship. LaPoint closed by saying this could not have been the intent of the legislature and called for reforming this system.

I too do not believe Alabama’s guardian and conservatorship laws were intended to be abusive, but as written, the letter-of-the-law permits exploitation. If a loophole can be exploited for financial gain or billable hours, we all know there will be more than a few attorneys who will take advantage.

In most situations, the spirit-of-the-law is sufficient to protect most people, but as seen in Terri LaPoint’s excellent reporting on Alabama seniors, Joann Bashinsky, Marian Leonard, and Marguerite Trent Caddis - it isn’t always enough.

This is why I support Alabama Representative Joe Lovvorn’s (R-District 79) House Bill 603. Rep. Lovvorn’s bill will bring much needed reform to Alabama’s guardian, conservatorship, and probate court rules and procedures.

Among the many improvements proposed in HB603:

•            “undue influence exerted on a person is not, alone, adequate grounds for determining that person is incapacitated and in need of a guardian”

•            bill would prohibit the appointment of a guardian or conservator when a valid power of attorney or health care directive exists and the person chosen is willing and able to perform needed functions.

•            HB603 would declare a guardianship void if the due process rights of the alleged incapacitated person were determined to have been violated.

The American Bar Association Rules of Professional Conduct states, “The legal profession is largely self-governing” and the “legal profession's relative autonomy carries with it special responsibilities of self-government.”

When there is a loophole in a poorly worded law, we expect people to do what is right, not what is what is allowed. Unfortunately, history has shown us, especially in Birmingham, we cannot leave the fox to guard the hen house and expect it to “self-govern.”

Predatory attorneys across this country know exactly what they are doing…and it is disgusting. They are pillaging the hard earned wealth away from their victims, sometimes leaving their heirs with pennies (as in the Marguerite Trent Caddis case – link).

I trust the Alabama legislature will do the right thing and pass Alabama HB603 into law.

As New York City’s 40th Police Commissioner, Bernard Kerik was in command of the NYPD on September 11, 2001, and responsible for the city’s response, rescue, recovery, and the investigative efforts of the most substantial terror attack in world history. His 35-year career has been recognized in more than 100 awards for meritorious and heroic service, including a presidential commendation for heroism by President Ronald Reagan, two Distinguished Service Awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and an appointment as Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Stay Switched On: Five Keys to Survive

By: Eric J. Caron

During my 25-year career as a U.S. government agent investigating terrorism, I became all too familiar with the chaos and destruction that can be caused in attacks by terrorists and other criminals. One of the most deadly and heinous types of attacks is the attack by an active shooter. Because they have the element of surprise on their side, they hit us when we’re unprepared and often blindside us in public places where we feel safe and our defenses are down. The cold reality is that active shooters have become a daily occurrence in the workplace, in entertainment venues, at parades and even in places of worship. Sadly, anywhere people gather to play or pray can become a target of a terrorist or other active shooter. The good news is that there are five very simple tools we can use to make sure we are Switched On and ready for the bad guy.

Before we proceed, let me answer a question I am often asked: “So, what does it mean to be Switched On?”

Being Switched On is a daily decision, a moment-by-moment choice, a constant awareness and mindset. It can become part of our very DNA and act as a coat of armor that protects us from all types of threats, in all aspects of life. When it comes to an active-shooter situation, it can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Those who are Switched On have a high-functioning internal compass and GPS system. They have emotional equilibrium and dexterity. They recognize nuances in their complex environments, and are guided as to when to turn just a few degrees to the left or right, go forward full throttle, back up or come to a dead stop.

We’ve all seen news reports of people innocently going to a concert or theater only to be ambushed and gunned down by some maniac with an AK-47. Sadly, some of us have narrowly escaped such situations, known someone who has or lost a loved one who wasn’t so lucky. So, we must be in the habit of being Switched On every time we are out in public. We must train our brains like a muscle, no different than our biceps. Train the mind and the body will follow. Don’t, and we could lose our lives during an active-shooter event.

Think of your favorite athlete in whatever sport. They develop muscle memory in executing a particular move or play by practicing and visualizing that move or play hundreds of times before you or I ever see them use it in their sport. That repetition is what enables them to make what they do look so easy. It is second nature to them.

By training your most important muscle — your mind — you will increase the likelihood of surviving an active-shooter event. So, take the time to prepare like an athlete. And remember that the event you’re preparing for has much higher stakes than a sporting event — life and death! The following five to survive tools can empower us all so we can enjoy life as God intended us to. Train yourself to:

1. Engage your senses and trust your instincts.

• The essence of being Switched On stems from our minds. Our minds control our bodies, including sight, hearing and smell, as well as our God-given instincts. When we are Switched On, we listen as acutely as an owl, see with Clark Kent vision and sniff out danger like a bloodhound.

2. Scan the environment and devise a worst-case scenario plan.

• Keep in mind that, during stressful events, the mind automatically scans the memory bank for a predetermined plan. If no plan was put into place then none will be retrieved — and without preplanned instructions to follow, the body will freeze or make a fatal decision. The plan should be threefold:

4 Identify a primary and secondary exit. It is good to make a mental note of the locations of the exits but even better if we can physically walk our escape plan before we need it. In this way, we are like the elite athlete practicing a certain move a thousand times so it becomes muscle memory;

• Identify safe havens or places to which we can escape; and

• Identify objects to use for cover and concealment. It’s important to know the difference between concealment (hiding under a table, for example) and cover-and-concealment (hiding behind a refrigerator or thick metal object capable of stopping a bullet, or in a locked room). Whenever possible, cover-and-concealment is preferable because it provides greater protection and safety.

3. Train yourself to scan the crowd, read people and identify potential threats such as a lone individual dressed inappropriately for an event.

And if you see something that doesn’t fit or seems off in some way, say something to authorities. Never be afraid of being wrong and embarrassing yourself. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It could save your life and maybe even the lives of others.

4. Listen to and focus on your breath when you’re in close proximity to an active shooter or any violence.

As simplistic as that may seem, it has a major twofold effect:

• It breaches tunnel vision on the shooter and widens your perspective and eyesight so you can see and identify other threats; and

• Just as importantly, it helps you focus on your previously identified exit-and-escape plan.

5. Memorize this fact, repeat it over and over, and make it your mantra: “My main focus is to identify the threat, avoid the threat, and escape the threat.

Period! Every time I am out in public, I will be Switched On.” Our instinct in times of crisis is to call loved ones or the police — but it’s not the time unless you’re out of harm’s way. As we escape the chaos, we must prepare to encounter police (their response time is typically two to four minutes) by putting our hands up in the air. When they arrive, they will be expecting us to give a description of the shooter or shooters. With active-shooter incidents confronting us on a regular basis on the news, many people become scared and feel helpless. Some even avoid going out after dark or leaving the house at all. But we must not surrender to thoughts and fears of violence. Our minds can be put to much better use. In fact, they can become our best protection for avoiding active-shooter incidents and for protecting us if we should find ourselves facing an active shooter.

Your mind is your best protection and your best weapon! Train it well. Practice often. Remain Switched On. And live your best life.

Eric Caron is a Special Agent (Ret) with 25 years of service. He is the author of "Switched On - The Heart & Mind of a Special Agent." His website is: Switchedonlife.com

Police Chaplains Perspective: The Day to Choose a Side Has Come

By Chris Amos

As the sun was setting on the life of Joshua he delivered an impassioned message to the Children of God. He concluded with an ultimatum: “Choose you this day who you will serve. Either the gods of your fathers or the idols of the land in which you now dwell. But as for me and my house we will serve The Lord.” Jesus nailed home the point even further. “You cannot serve two masters…” This reminds me of a story from during the Civil War. A man lived in one of the border states between the North and South. He was not sure which side to support. One day he came up with a brilliant idea. He would wear a Confederate military shirt and Union military pants. Inevitably, the war came to his small town. The Union soldiers shot him above the waist and the Confederates, below. The moral of all of these points, we all must choose a side.

I choose the side of Jesus Christ and His claim to be the one and only way to God the Father. I choose to believe law enforcement officers are called by God, most do not realize this, to maintain law and order. To protect those unable to protect themselves. To stand in the gap between the sheep and the wolves that seek to prey on them. I do not believe police officers are infallible, far from it. No, they are men and women, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, just like the rest of us who have chosen to pursue an impossible job, not for fame or fortune, or certainly the applause of the masses, but because they simply want to make life better and safer for their families and communities.

The mainstream media, at the urging of their handlers, have made it their life’s pursuit to indict and ultimately undermine policing as we know it. They obsess over the occasional misuse of force, even attempting to paint legal and necessary uses of force by officers with the wide brush of racism, intolerance and hate. The countless stories of personal sacrifice, compassion, heroism and selflessness by men and women serving as law enforcement officers rarely sees the light of day.

During my own, almost 27-year career, I fired my weapon three times, in one incident, while in the line of duty. And this was only after being shot twice while trying to make an arrest. Off the top of my head, I can think of over half a dozen times when I felt in fear for my life or the lives of others and yet did not fire my weapon. This is not unique to me. If you ask any police officer who has served over two or three years, they will tell you the same thing. The point being 99% of those serving in this most noble and honorable profession demonstrate tremendous self-control under the most stressful of circumstances. The attempt to paint police officers as a bunch of racist, trigger-happy, disrespectful bullies just is not true.

Imagine if every interaction of our politicians, schoolteachers, doctors, lawyers, salesmen, nurses, construction workers, ministers, fill-in-the-blank, was recorded. Imagine if those recordings where then put on social media, at times out of context with the omission of particularly important facts. Imagine the field day that we would have. The truth is that at times we do see these kinds of interactions, but usually it is done by anonymous sources and “leaks.” Not so with police officers. Their actions are recorded and released, giving no thought to the context, the stress, the very reason that led to the officers being present in the first place. And often, important facts are intentionally and completely omitted. Facts like the individual shot was armed with a knife or gun and after being told repeatedly to drop the weapon chose rather to turn toward the officer or another person in an aggressive manner.

Do officers make mistakes? Absolutely. At times, those mistakes are in fact crimes so egregious those officers should be in jail if not under the jail. At other times, their mistakes are just that: mistakes. Tragic though they may be, they were still mistakes. Mistakes that do elicit consequences. Consequences that must be experienced by the individuals involved. And yet Jesus reminds us that he who is without sin, aka having never made a mistake, should throw the first stone of accusation and condemnation. Unfortunately, we are living in a time of such unrighteousness and self-righteousness that there is little room for the true righteousness found in Jesus Christ. As a result, the stones are flying from every direction and law enforcement officers are a popular target.

And so where do we go from here? The band-aid to our problems is to support the men and women of law enforcement. Tell them when you see them. Tell your local police chiefs, city council members, city managers and mayors that you support your police officers, deputies, state troopers ... Tell your representatives at the state and federal level that you support law enforcement, and while recognizing the few bad apples you stand in solidarity with the vast majority of officers who do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason. Voice your strong disapproval of politicians attempting to strip law enforcement officers of the very tools they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Police officers are being assaulted and killed at an alarming rate. This must not be allowed to continue. Ironically, the greatest critics against the police, those serving in the public sector demanding the defunding of police, also demand and often receive, law enforcement details to protect them.

The real change is that of choosing this day whom you will serve. The Lord Jesus Christ or Satan, the Prince of this world, and the worldly system he is seeking to establish by any means necessary. The United States of America, while by no means perfect, is the greatest obstacle standing in the way of his desire and design for this world. America may be damaged beyond repair, only time will tell. But until the fate of America plays out it is imperative for those of us blessed to be born in the greatest country in the world to choose this day whom we will serve. “Either the gods of your fathers or the social idols of the land in which you now dwell. But as for me and my house we will serve The Lord.”

See you at the finish line! It is closer than it has ever been.

Chris Amos is a retired officer and former spokesperson for the Norfolk Virginia Police Department. He is currently the pastor at Chr1st Fellowship Church in Norfolk. He is married for over 30 years and is the proud father of three children, two of whom are police officers. He serves as the volunteer Chaplain for Norfolk Police Dept. and Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.