To Protect and Serve

Police are assigned to “Serve and Protect”. That is the purpose of being commissioned as police officers and ambassadors of the law. In most cases, society maintains an expectation that police officers are to serve them because they pay our salary or for the gas that is put into our patrol cars. 

When it comes to protection, police officers have trained hard to ensure that they are the most efficient at their jobs. We have drilled over and over again clearing rooms, what to do in active shooter situations, how to respond to fights, and general response to calls that require us to protect society.

While protection is an important aspect of the job, it is always important to remember service as well. When I interviewed for my job, one of the questions I was asked was:

“Why do you want to become a police officer?”

The general expectation for that response, as was told to me after the fact, is that it is something that a person has always wanted to do. Most people, when they are asked that question, refer to their childhood and playing cops and robbers. They refer to always dreaming of becoming a police officer because they saw the television shows or movies.

I like to think that my response was unique. Prior to my interview for my police department, I had just returned home from a deployment to Iraq. I took, and still do, great pride in my service to my country. When I came home, I was part of a small percentage of the population that had served its country overseas and came home to talk about it.

It was a no-brainer for me to respond to the question with, “I want to serve my community”. That was my response, and my frame of mind. I like to believe that I truly impressed the board that was interviewing me with that response because I gave a response that was not expected.

Police officers are public servants. We are charged with serving our community in a capacity that is more than just ensuring that the neighborhoods are safe. We are sometimes the only form of a law enforcement agency that citizens may see. Society’s perception of those in our profession may be formed from the actions we undertake when in public.

Public service is one aspect of our profession that is sometimes overlooked. I have tried to retain that attitude of being a public servant throughout the duration of my career. 

Our local McDonald’s provides meals to our officers free of charge so long as we eat inside of the store. I will, when the occasion is appropriate, sacrifice my free meal and get ice cream cones to give to the children that are eating at the restaurant. This creates a positive perception from those that are in the store and the children usually remember me as the officer that gave them ice cream.

On other occasions, I have stopped in the middle of my patrols to get out of my patrol car and play with some kids in neighborhoods. This action is also greatly appreciated as the children will often enjoy interacting with me.

To me, it is important to do actions such as these to humanize the badge and show people that we are capable of more than what the media has portrayed us as lately. Building these interpersonal relationships are important to the relationship that a law enforcement agency has with its community as well as to the success of the overall mission of police departments.

I would like to think that if law enforcement agencies could enact some type of program to build relationships with the communities from a holistic level we could truly change the face of our profession. We are, after all, public servants. We are the peacekeepers. Without the communities we have nothing. 

If you are a Chief of Police or in a leadership position and read this, I want to encourage you to promote within your ranks building a harmonious relationship with the community. Encourage your officers to take a few moments out of their patrols to get out into the community and establish relationships with those they are charged to protect.

Share some of your stories in which you took some time to serve your community and spend time with children or members of the community.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and letting me share my story with you. You can contact me with questions or input at jamesiven99@gmail.com.