The American public continues to be fascinated by what it means to be a cop. Novels about detectives and bad guys have long captured our collective imagination. And the popularity of police-themed television shows and movies is evidence of this continued fascination.
Being a cop just isn’t like being an accountant or truck driver. Something about this work seems all-encompassing, which is probably why it is so fascinating to the public.
What it’s really like to be a cop?
There is of course no single answer to this question. Vernon Herron, who currently serves as the director of the Officer Safety and Wellness Section (OSW) at the Baltimore Police Department, tells his story of a life in law enforcement, and all that it implies, in his book, “The Weight of the Badge.” It’s a story with lessons for the profession benefiting from its personal and specific nature. He gets right to it.
Herron begins the book by recounting his upbringing in East St. Louis, Illinois, a childhood he describes as “filled with joy and tragedy.” Among the tragedies was seeing his friend and neighbor killed at 16 years old and being terrorized by a local gang. His unflinching storytelling here is powerful.
It is not at all uncommon for law enforcement officers to be drawn to the job because of adverse childhood experiences. Like Herron, they seek to rectify these injustices through their work, understanding the incredible power law enforcement officers hold to do good. In my experience, these are some of the best officers out there — duty-bound and clear of purpose. They want to make life better for ordinary people. There is a lesson here for law enforcement recruitment.
In Herron’s case, the first job upon completing college was as a civilian clerk with the Federal Bureau of Investigations in St. Louis, Mo. In 1976 he left that position to join the Maryland State Police (MSP), then under consent decree. “There were more African Americans in my academy class than in the history of the Maryland State Police,” he writes.
How Herron’s career experiences shaped his understanding of justice
The chapters on his experience with MSP are fascinating. They describe state-level political corruption, traumatic calls, a dogged approach to bringing justice to victims of crimes, and an evolving sense of self. What these chapters make clear is that being a cop isn’t easy; justice is hard-won and never secure for very long. This is relentless, human work he describes.
And, as he tells it, the pursuit of justice often takes a profound toll on our officers, as well as the people they are sworn to protect. The divide between cop and community isn’t as clear as it is sometimes portrayed.
Why officer wellness is central to Herron’s story
Herron knows this perhaps better than anyone. Now the director of officer safety and wellness at Baltimore Police Department, he has developed one of the best wellness programs in the country. For him, it’s personal. He sees himself in the officers he’s serving. He knows their challenges and is with them in the depths of their despair. He sees the community of his childhood in the communities they serve. But it is ultimately a story of hope.
You get a sense of the man’s unwavering integrity in these pages. Temptations abound for those wearing a badge. Herron has no patience for them. As part of a presidential security detail at Camp David, Maryland, he was given the opportunity to have his picture taken with the president. He declined. Why? Because his daughter had a middle school basketball game at the time it was offered. I get the sense this isn’t a sacrifice for him. His daughter is more important than a vanity photo with a sitting president.
| RELATED: For the Baltimore Police Department, officer wellness is more than just a catchword
Herron doesn’t avoid the difficult subjects or sugar-coat the job. Too often I’ve seen police trainers tell officers, for example, of the perils of alcohol, only to grab drinks with the leadership at the end of the day. On the other hand, I’ve seen Herron present on this subject and he’s crystal clear: “If you drink a little bit while you’re in the academy,” he said, “you’ll likely drink more after. And then in a decade or so there’s a good chance you’re an alcoholic to avoid dealing with the trauma you’ve experienced.”
This kind of directness and clarity is impactful and necessary. How can we expect young officers to deal with their childhood trauma and trauma accumulated on the job if the people at the top of the organization don’t practice what they preach? Cops are perhaps better than anyone at sniffing out hypocrisy. In a world of ambiguity, confusion and slippery slopes, having a firm compass as a law enforcement officer is a requirement for the job.
What Herron says officers must do to stay healthy
In the final chapters Herron recounts some strategies for keeping fit on the job mentally and physically. These are recommendations you’re probably accustomed to hearing at this point. But it reads differently under the weight of the preceding chapters and he reviews them quickly. Get more sleep, eat better foods, get an annual physical, try mindfulness, go to therapy if you need it, have fun outside of the job, avoid drugs and alcohol, and so forth. There’s no getting around the simple facts of life. There are no shortcuts.
So what’s it really like to be a cop? You could imagine certain chapters being made into television series episodes or even a movie. But the wisdom of his experience is accumulating and transcends a simpler telling. The same idealistic man who signed up for the force in 1976 is still there in a real sense, and also we feel a maturity accumulating with the pages.
He closes the book, “These men and women have dedicated their lives to protecting our communities, and the very least we can do is protect them.” You see in these pages a good life come full circle, from wanting to protect his brothers and sisters from violence to protecting the protectors at Baltimore PD and beyond.
Why this book matters for every stage of a policing career
For veterans of the force, it will remind them of their own sacrifices, challenges and the ultimate nobility of doing this work well. But this book is, in my opinion, best suited as a gift to the young person considering a life in law enforcement and those early in their career. Not just because of the stories, but also the variety. From the FBI to state patrol to the director’s office, it’s a wild ride and nothing is given.
Recruiters, take note. People like Herron are rare — people with iron integrity, stubborn even, who hate the injustices they see perpetrated against vulnerable people they love — but they are out there. If you can identify, guide and support them, they can make the world a better place.
About Vernon Herron
Vernon Herron has more than 35 years of experience in public safety and law enforcement. He currently serves as Director, Baltimore City Police Department, where he manages the Officer Safety and Wellness Section (OS&W) which houses both the Early Intervention and Health & Wellness Units. The Officer Safety and Wellness Section, promotes both physical and mental health through training, seminars/workshops, wellness initiatives and programming, health publications, and supporting officers’ in times of crisis. Additionally, OS&W facilitates police officers with immediate access to a mental health clinician, as soon as officers have been involved in a traumatic event, such as a “Police Officer Involved Shooting.”
Prior to joining the Baltimore City Police Department, Director Herron served more than 27 years in the Maryland State Police, he also served as the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Public Safety and Director of Homeland Security in Prince George’s County, Md.
Throughout his career, he has lectured across the United States on crime strategies and public safety. He holds a Master’s of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University. He also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, University College. Mr. Herron is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy, Session 187.
