RE: Humor and hang'n out

Rach,

Humor is always one of the best stress releivers, and cops tend to have a weird sense of humor after some time on the job. Not many people will discuss homicide scenes in graphic detail while eating a nice dinner in a restaurant and be laughing about it too.

But, be careful about limiting too muhc of your social life to just other cops. We need to hang out with our buddies who udnerstand us and work the weird hours we do, but we also need to hang out with non-police types. They help keep us grounded in the fact that most people really are good guys. otherwise, you can develop the us versus them mentality that leads to trouble.

I found a great way to do this is by picking a hobby and joining a club for that hobby. In my case, it was radio controlled airplanes. Flying was fun and a stress releiver and the club was regular people. I still hung out with other cops also, especially when I wanted to discuss work or had a really bad case.

This will help avoid the burnout most cops go through.

RE: Humor and hang'n out

Good advice!! And by all means don't bring it home to the family...enough rubs off on them without you even realizing it. Example: I gave my 8 year old son an "airsoft" pistol that fires plastic pellets together with all the gun safety rules. He is responsible and careful with it. I let him shoot plastic bottles with it and he assumed an aggressive stance and proceeded to shoot rapidly and move toward cover!!! OMG!!! He was hitting it! Gotta tone that little feller down before I take him rabbit hunting!

RE: Humor and hang'n out

I find sitting in a dark room listening to gloomy music while nursing a fifth of scotch does wonders for stress release.

Just kidding <G>.

Hangin' out

Hey guys...

It's interesting how each person is different in relieving stress. And I had to laugh at your comment Steve...eating a nice meal while discussing a homicide scene. Just the other day, my FTO and I met up with our neighbor police dept officer for dinner, and the officer had to tell us a story about a pedestrian accident in which the lady's leg was split open (all the insides coming out, and fat tissue spread on the pavement) type of discription was being given to us while he's eating a coney dog...LOL! I don't think the waitress was thrilled, but all three of us were laughing out asses off over the story he was giving which involved more than what I am posting. My Rueben sandwhich with shredded corn beef was just absolutely delightful!!!

But that's just it, if I ever tried to have a sense of humor like that with non-police friends I find my self alone in a different boat, sometimes. I enjoy hangin' out with other officers cause I can be more myself with out being labeled "friggin' psycho!" I don't seclude myself from the rest of society, but you do have to watch how much you say. Other people don't appreciate you explaining the uh....finer things that happen in society. Some just don't get why we respond to calls with ease or why we do what we do. SO those conversations are avoided and other things are brought up for discussion. Somethings are just better discussed with other cops. Hence why I suggested building up a network of officers that you can go hang out with if you're dealing with something as rough as a drug-addict mother cooking her newborn in the oven to kill it or whatever.

I meet all kinds of people at the range I practice shooting at. We'll get in discussions over different types of weapons, how they compare, etc. That's fun. I do have a unique situation where my husband is also an officer so keeping from discussing the job at home is impossible. Work is brought home, but then again I am talking to another officer who works in the same jurisdiction I do. The only thing is we have to watch what we say around the kids. Like I said...each person has a unique way in dealing with "the job".

"Is your number still 911?" - Ofc. Rachel T.