There are many of us on Police1 who read, comment, and share advice. So I ask the question, “Who are we, and why do we care?”
The answer can come in many forms, and with plenty of enthusiasm from all who post and share safety and training tips.
The main reason for me: the profession is worthy of protecting and the men and women who take time to become members of the site to look, listen, share, and learn are worth my time and energy.
This profession has so much time for negative feedback from all sources that we tend to fall into the “poor me” mode.
“Nobody cares about me so why should I give a damned about them?”
Actually most people don’t even give us a second thought until they need you — then and only then will they take notice to who you are and what you can do for them.
This job is not about you or me. It’s about protecting the people — the hard working everyday citizens of this country.
You don’t get paid to be happy, you get paid to protect and serve the people. Like it or not that is our job. So many good people who pay attention to the law and obey the daily flow of a peaceful society.
Of course there will always be the ones, that small percent who try to take the peace and throw it to the ground and stomp the life out of it. The ones who are acting with no regard for the way society is supposed to roll.
When we become the ones who fail to keep society and our profession moving in a positive direction, we suffer the downside of negative policing and fail to take proper care of ourselves and those who work around us. We hesitate to find the good in what we are hired and paid to do... We see the dark side of everything and become suspicious of everyone.
So it is understandable that when a member contributor posts an article about keeping yourself safe and healthy — maybe it’s a video of a hands-on technique that may help an officer escape a choke hold, maybe it’s a comment added beneath a news story that is intended to remind us of a tactic we were taught years ago — all . We get all the naysayers and critics of the person who cared to share.
For me, trying to find the positive in everything that I see posted here.
Thanking those who still care on or off the job (retired) such as myself, Lt Dan, Gary Klugie, Police One Editor Doug Wyllie, and many others who find the time and the need to share something they feel will help another officer.
Our officer down page is on the down turn this year and we need to keep it that way. So the point of this message is, just look, listen, critique, discard, use, lose or do what you want with a tip. Just show respect to the trainer or writer in a professional manner.
These officers — retired or new to the job — have only one thing in mind:
We care to share.
All we need from you is constructive criticism and a fair evaluation so that we may continue to keep the word of professional LE and encourage others like us to do the same.
Stay safe, stay focused on your health, stay positive, and most of all, be professional.