What do you want your legacy in policing to be?

Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. And Today’s Tip is for everybody in public safety. 

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Think back to when you graduated from the police academy. After graduation, you probably entered some type of field training program. Many different senior officers showed you the ropes. Some probably stood out more than others.  

Although you learned something from them all, which ones had the most profound impact on your career today? Are they retired? Does their legacy still leave a lasting impression on you, your peers, or the agency? 

I’m guessing that once you were released into the wild, the experiences of those veteran members and the legacies they left behind contributed to how you conduct business today.  

This brings me to an obvious question. What do you want your legacy to be?  

Your legacy doesn’t evolve through want or desire. It evolves from what you do, naturally. That means doing the right things, exhibiting positive behaviors, and constantly working outside of your own self-interests.  

It means setting the proper example all of the time. Helping your crew when they need guidance. Seeking personal enrichment. Knowing and following your agency’s policies. Continuously learning. And above all, taking care of yourself so you are adequately equipped to take care of others. 

Over the years, I’ve met thousands and thousands of dedicated professionals who regularly give 100% day in and day out. Public safety professionals are a unique breed of human beings. They don’t do this job for recognition or status. They do it because they want to be part of something bigger than themselves.  

Think about the legacy you’re going to leave behind when you retire.  

How do you really want to be remembered? 

And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham signing off.

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