I stepped into my first roll call as a 21-year-old rookie on October 15, 1981.  I remember that day like it was yesterday. My path was unsure and I was extremely nervous. I sat down in a seat that had no seat in front of it.  Our “roll call” room also served as the municipal courtroom for the City of Marietta.  Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize that the seat I sat in was the favorite seat of a tall officer who liked that particular seat because it was the only one without a seat in front of it. Officer Ray Smith towered over me with his hands on his hips and said, “You’re in my seat.”  I mumbled an apology and quickly moved to another seat. As I changed seats, I began to question my job choice.  It wouldn’t be the last time this happened early in my career. Why did I want to be a police officer? I took a $100 a week pay cut to take this job, and I was already questioning my choice.  In the end, I stayed because I wanted to work where I could indeed make a difference. I took a stroll down…

I have never really given much thought about Barbara Bush.  Frankly, I didn’t know much about her before she died.  Of course, I knew a few things about her, but I mainly thought of her as a past First Lady and the mother of President George W. Bush. When she died on April 17th, I watched the news coverage with a lot of interest and realized that she was so much more than what I had previously thought. In fact, Barbara Bush was a remarkable woman who left a lasting legacy on the world. That set an excellent example for the rest of us. I can’t recall such nice things being said about someone by almost everyone, including people who might not ordinarily be a supporter. Universal Praise Let’s take a moment to review a few of those statements. President Bill Clinton said, “Barbara Bush was a remarkable woman. She had grit & grace, brains & beauty. She was fierce & feisty in support of her family & friends, her country & her causes. She showed us what an honest, vibrant, full life looks like. Hillary and I mourn her passing and bless her memory.” President Barack Obama shared his thoughts…

I have always believed that law enforcement can improve their relationship with the communities they serve if every police officer treats each call for service as though it is the most important call of the day. Having this attitude can be a big challenge for most officers. The call may be the most traumatic event that has ever happened to the caller although but just a “routine” call for the police officer.  Many of the calls for service come are from people calling the police for the first time. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.  Take advantage of that first interaction. A contributing factor that makes it worse is the fact that police departments have a monopoly on the service they provide.  Unhappy or poorly treated “customers” have little recourse.  In most cases, callers can’t just call another department. How It All Began I attend Vertical Life Church in Dallas, GA.  At the time you read this, 25 of us will be in Allen, SD, which is one of the poorest, if not the poorest, cities in America.  Allen is on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The majority of the team flew out, but one…