Ask the Chief

Police work has changed greatly since I became an officer over 23 years ago and I believe that the majority of changes have not been good. When I was a new officer, I was idealistic and eager. I was motivated to make a difference by enforcing the law. I believed that I could deal with the trauma and ugliness of police work and therefore should do so, so that others would not have to.
As I matured and grew with experience as an officer, I began to see the complexity and challenges faced by officers. It was depressing. The overwhelming flood of crime, trauma, injury, and disrespect that people had toward each other was smothering. It was hard to find hope and joy when all you ever deal with is tragedy and evil.
So why did I stay a police officer and why do I like being your Police Chief? I recall a day in which I was feeling especially beaten. Everything seems to be one step forward and two steps back. It was on this day that my wife told me that a young man had come to her and told her about an encounter he had with me a few years earlier. This young man wanted to thank me for what I had done for him. I had no recollection of the incident but I supposedly held the young man accountable for his actions. The young man said that the contact he had with me had a major impact on him and changed his life for the better. When my wife had finished, I was in tears (just as I am now recalling this story).
I was very thankful that the Lord allowed for the chance meeting of the young man and my wife. His kind words gave me the strength I needed to keep being a police officer. Over the years I have had several of these conversations with people I have helped and it reminds me each time that I do have a positive impact on others and that my sacrifice along with the sacrifice of my family was not wasted. As a Police Chief, I get to continue along this path. As “the boss” I am afforded the authority to make decisions that I feel maximize the impact I have on others, especially young people. I get to take the “precious little time” we have and try to make a positive impression. I have not always been successful. I recall times when I made a fool of myself or said something that hurt someone else. I am truly sorry for doing so. Yet, the positives vastly outweigh the negatives and there is still much to be done.
I have three years left before I retire and I plan to put as much positivity into the time I have left so that I can say I did my best and with the Lord’s help leave a positive mark on the lives of others.