Editor’s Note: This week’s PoliceOne First Person essay is from PoliceOne Member Joseph Hood. In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. If you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members, simply send us an e-mail with your story.
By Joseph Hood
Police1 Member
I was recently reflecting on my first year on the job as a police officer, and thinking that the experiences packed into this past year are mindboggling.
While one year in this career is hardly enough time to truly develop expertise in anything, I do feel like it qualifies me to address other rookies, especially those even newer to the job than I am.
So, here in part two this two-part series (click here to check out part one), I want to share with you some of my personal observations and lessons learned.
Learn From Others’ Mistakes
It is unfortunate, but along with meeting some of the greatest guys and girls you will ever have the pleasure of knowing, you will also work with one (or maybe more than one) of the biggest dummies known to man.
However, even the biggest screw up on your watch has something to teach you.
Keep an eye on these officers, and try and find where they are going wrong. Taking the time to identify their flaws and missteps can go a long way in preventing you from making the same mistakes.
Stick Together, and Help Your Fellow Rooks
If you are going through your early years with other new officers, take the time to share your experiences with each other. Not only does it feel good to talk with someone that you feel is “on your level,” but they may have picked up some things that can help you, or vice versa.
If you happen to see another new officer struggling, I would encourage you to help them out. I don’t mean to berate them and act like you’re the rookie of the year; I mean work with them on a peer-to-peer level to help bring them up to speed.
At the least, you’re making a buddy and helping a comrade. At the most, you could be correcting behavior that could get them, you, or someone else hurt or killed in the dynamic environment in which we work.
Train and Learn
I encourage you to seek out and take advantage of every training opportunity you can. Whether that means signing up for LEO training classes, furthering your formal education, voluntarily working tough/interesting calls, working with specialized units, or any other situation that allows you to advance your knowledge and skills, use every opportunity you can to learn.
I would also advise you to familiarize and introduce yourself to people from both other units within your department as well as from different facets of the criminal justice system. Knowing detectives, narcotics agents, prosecutors, admin staff, etc can often times make your job a lot easier.
Dedicate Yourself to the Job, but Don’t Overdo It
Your first year will take a large mental, physical, and emotional toll on you. Factors such as the instant calm-to-conflict nature of the job, the huge learning curve, and so many other daily pressures will soon begin to wreak havoc on your personal life if you don’t learn fast to stay grounded and find ways to deal with the stress.
A combination of wanting to succeed and seeking out the (often far and few-between) adrenaline thrills found in police work led me to pour myself into my work for a while. I soon began to feel anxious and on the verge of an early burn-out. Luckily, through the advice of another officer, I was able to identify the problem and took steps to relieve myself of some of the pressure I was placing on myself.
For me, it was finding outlets through setting fitness goals and pursuing other hobbies outside of work. The nature of this job can easily suck you in and turn you into someone who no one really wants to be around.
If you find yourself lacking happiness or comfort anywhere outside of your work environment, it may be time to take a step back and find a hobby or two.
If you have a family, make time for them. This job will expose personality and relationship flaws and increase the exponentially. Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it. Though we as officers have to wear many hats in this job, remember you’re a cop, not a psychiatrist.
Have a Blast
Even with all of the stress and struggles endured this year, it’s still the positive aspects of the job that come out on top. I think back on the friendships and deep bonds I have formed, the mixture of the exciting and hilarious times we had, and the people we helped along the way.
These are the things I cherish and hold on to that keep me excited about going to work every day.
You have chosen a challenging path, but it is a rewarding one if you learn to do it right. Have fun, be safe, and I hope you love your job as much as I do.
