Murphy's Law for Police Rookies
Murphy's law also applies to recruits, so don't be surprised when things don't go your way.
by William Harvey
Murphy's law is the adage that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Several websites and books are dedicated to Murphy's law and how these truisms can be applied to various occupations, stations in life, and situations. As for the true origins of Murphy, most scholars differ but I tell you this, Murphy is Irish. If there ever is a definitive race of people who could exemplify this, it is us indeed. You may remember reading in this column about my blue-haired Irish mother. If Murphy had written about being a police rookie, what would these proverbs state about "rookiehood?" Here are three:
You will have an accident in your first year.
Don't panic about this one. Police work has a learning curve. Nearly every cop I know had a "bump" during the first year on the street. Nobody died. Most of the time, it was nothing serious. During my first week, I backed into a dumpster and put a scratch on the car. Not too bad, but Murphy was right.
Most of these little inconveniences will give you a chance to learn how to fill out the department's pesky accident paperwork. You'll be called "Crash," and you'll get to know the inside of the sergeant's office. It will be a a wake-up call reminding you to wear your seat belt, slow the heck down, and use this as a safety learning experience.
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Having A Third Person in the Interview Room
By John Reid & Associates
Privacy is considered the single most important psychological factor contributing to the success of an interview or interrogation. This is something we each inherently recognize. For example, if a man wanted to discuss marital problems with a close friend, he would not meet his friend at a crowded bar to discuss this sensitive topic. Rather, he would meet his friend in a quiet restaurant or cafe to discuss his personal problems in private. Quite simply, it is easier for a person to tell the truth when communicating with one other individual. Consequently, we recommend that in most cases interviews should be conducted one-on-one, with only the investigator and suspect in the room.
There are exceptions to this guideline. Perhaps an investigator and his/her partner both want to be present during the interview. A male investigator may be interviewing a female sexual assault victim and, to protect against a false claim of misconduct, request that a female observer be present during the interview. In other cases, the suspect may not speak English requiring that an interpreter be involved during the interview. Finally, a parent, supervisor or union representative may want to be present during the interview or interrogation. Each of these circumstances will be discussed separately.
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Surviving Your Relationships
By Sgt. Betsy Branter Smith
Cops have a notoriously high divorce rate, but divorce statistics are only part of the story. Think about all the engagements, live-in boyfriend/girlfriend situations, or same-sex partnerships that don't work out either. Let's face it, we tend to be lousy at intimate relationships.
In the Street Survival seminar, we talk about surviving this job not only physically and tactically, but emotionally, and a large part of our survival is dependant upon the success of our personal relationships. I can't tell you how many officers have come up to me after a seminar and said "All this time, I thought it was all my wife's fault that we don't get along, but now I'm beginning to understand that it might just be me."
The majority of the research and writings on this topic tend to focus on what our spouses can do to make our marriages better. If only our partners would change their attitudes, be more understanding, learn to communicate better, and deal more successfully with the day-to-day stressors that "we," the cops, face we'd all be happier. I'm suggesting that those of us with the badge look in the mirror, look into our hearts, and try to figure out what we can do to improve our relationships; here are a few suggestions
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Are you Considering Transitioning out of Law Enforcement? Here's some Expert Career Advice for You
"If your day isn't complete until someone calls you Chief and salutes you, you're going to have a difficult time when you enter the corporate world. It's going to be a totally different experience," said Tim Hardiman, who spent 23 years with the NYPD.
This was just one piece of advice offered up by a panel of law enforcement and physical security professionals who shared their personal experience changing careers. These expert panelists, some of whom sort through hundreds of r�sum�s for every job they post, gave attendees advice on how to prepare themselves in advance for a career change. If you're considering leaving law enforcement and transitioning to another field, here are some things you should keep in mind.
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View a list of law enforcement training offered throughout the country.
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