Law Enforcement Technology

MAY 2014

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38 Law Enforcement Technology May 2014 www.officer.com LEADERSHIP behavior and became a safer driver? W ho would have solved that burglary, taken that accident report, or spoke to the eight grade civics class on "Public Safety Day?" Never lose sight of the fact that the minute you come to a scene your presence alone changes lives for the better. The elderly widow who has been burglarized starts to feel safe when you come to investigate. The rape victim who has been trem- bling in terror until you arrive begins to heal the moment you do. You affect the lives of individuals each and every time you come to work. Now don't confuse any of this with that "Mission Statement" that may hang on the wall of your police department's lobby. That's probably just for show. The organization may have certain goals, but it's the people who accomplish the mission. And everyone, not just the sworn person- nel, should have that sense of mission: the dispatcher who keeps the victim on the phone until officers arrive, the records clerk who gets the report ready for court, even the janitor who cleans the locker rooms. In fact, of all the teams I supervised as a sergeant, my animal control officers were the ones who never seemed to lose that sense of mission. I'm not saying they didn't get frustrated or a little cynical at times, but they always seemed to be strong in their convictions. I know that dogs don't gen- erally commit armed robberies and cats don't generally abuse their kittens, but there's a lesson to be learned from those ACO's. The majority of the animals they served were someone else's victim, and they never lost sight of that. Police work isn't the most dangerous job out there. In fact, it's not even in the top ten. Commercial fishing is usually considered the most risky profession, but keep in mind that the fish aren't actively trying to kill the guys trying to catch them. There are always going to be crimi- nals who want to kill cops, so do every- thing you can to keep that winning mind- set. Never lose the sense that you're on a mission, and that your mission matters! Finally, remember that someday this mission will end and you will retire. The healthiest and happiest retirees are the one who see whatever they do after retirement as their new mission; so for those of you who are preparing to retire decide what your next mission will be and begin the your next adventure. ■ Sgt. Betsy Brantner-Smith retired in 2009 as a 29-year veteran of the Naperville, Illinois Police Department. She began her career as a police dispatcher at age 17, and became an officer four years later . She has held posi- tions in patrol, investigations, narcotics, juvenile, hostage negotiation, crime prevention and field training. She can be reached through her website at www.femaleforces.com. 2014 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES Three Conferences to choose from -same place and dates, different sessions: JULY 8-10, 2014 AT THE BEAUTIFUL GAYLORD TEXAN RESORT AND CONVENTION CENTER, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS These conferences provide an opportunity to share ideas, strategies and resources for those who wish to work toward collaborative approaches and solutions. Conference participants will attend dynamic and thought- provoking plenary presentations by internationally recognized speakers, along with general sessions and workshops featuring a variety of related topics. WWW.CONFERENCEEVENTSERIES.ORG ANTI-BULLYING CONFERENCE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SAFETY CONFERENCE 27TH D.A.R.E. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Learn More and Register at: Circle 13 on Reader Service Card LET_37-38_Leadership0514.indd 38 4/18/14 2:12 PM

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