Since our Academy days, we have been working to perfect our observation skills. Cops not only see things differently, we see more things. The more you can process and the speed you process it, makes you a better street cop. I have always believed, that a short attention span — or an ADD-type of cop — catches the best bad guys.
The problem with this hyper-vigilant personality, however, is trying to turn it off, when you’re off duty.
I am not talking dummying-down your off duty officer safety. I am talking about letting the little things go. Your health and family will be helped by deescalating.
Case in point, let’s look at a cop’s trip to the store. I will not even cover the drive there. Let’s start as we exit the car to go inside.
We begin our walk into the store. After almost being hit by a driver on his cell phone, we make our way past the group of cars parked in the fire lane.
We enter the door on the right, which is labeled exit. We next pass a nice lady who welcomes us to the store without making any eye contact. We search her visually for weapons.
We continue past her into the store, where we see a young man kneeling down, looking in all directions, with a video game out of the security case.
We make it to our aisle to grab one item, nearly run down as we walk on the right. We grab our item and head to the 10-items-or-less lane express lane, where we end up standing behind a cart with 23 items, (of course, we counted).
We exchange monies for services, trying not to notice a not so concealed duty weapon on a brother Officer to our left. Search all those visually behind us, and exit the line. We make it to our car, dodging oncoming distracted drivers, as we watch a healthy young man run across the street with a back pack under his arm, looking back for pursuits.
Notice cars all around and head home. Sound familiar?
When I bring my Police K-9 home after shift, I have a ritual to calm him down. It includes removing my uniform and his work collar to calm him into home mode.
Find a way to take off your work collar.
Mine comes alone, high on a mountain, hunting early in the morning. Oh no, just look at that goof ball with his finger on the trigger crossing the stream...
Crap...
Ok, I’m working on it.
Stay Aware,
P. Jones WCSO