Police Links: The Most Dangerous Job

It's nearing the end of another month, so it's time for another post covering a sprinkling of Internet morsels you might have missed, including a sleepwalking defense and jobs statistically more dangerous than yours.

Melanie Basich 2012 Headshot

It's nearing the end of another month, so it's time for another post covering a sprinkling of Internet morsels you might have missed. Here we go.

To start off with, here's a shaky excuse that reminds me of the Twinkie defense: sleepwalking robbery. A man has claimed that he was technically asleep when he tried to steal an octogenarian's purse outside of a Connecticut casino and has no memory of the incident. I guess anything’s possible, but I can't help wondering who the defense will get to provide expert testimony. 

Have you ever been scolded by a superior for being too free with some choice words on the job? Who hasn't? The Which End Bites blog comes from a dog handler outside the United States who recently wrote a humorous post skewering the politically correct policies agencies sometimes create. He offers management suggestions for gentler alternatives to curse-laden phrases. One example: Try saying, "That's interesting," instead of, "WTF?"

If you need some food for thought, on his blog Just a Cop, Sgt. Brian Cain of the Holly Springs (Ga.) Police Department brings up some good points as he shares his experiences as a law enforcement officer and a police chaplain. In a recent post called "Getting Old," he discusses the importance of remaining open to rookies' suggestions for new useful policies and technologies. You may laugh at the dinosaurs of your department complaining about using apps on smartphones now. But will you be the one telling the young’uns that holograms are too difficult to use later on in your career?

Everyone agrees law enforcement is a dangerous field. Yet in a list of the most dangerous jobs based on statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, law enforcement comes in at number 10. If you haven't seen the list of more dangerous jobs than yours, including fishing and roofing, check it out.

As promised, the second installment of Paul Clinton's Web-exclusive series "Returning to Duty" appeared on PoliceMag.com in June. This time the focus is on injured Fremont (Calif.) PD officer Todd Young. Be sure to also view the accompanying photo gallery and read Dean Scoville's Shots Fired article about the OIS in which Young was injured.

Want your law enforcement-related info considered for a future column? E-mail the information including at least one Web link to Managing Editor Melanie Basich at Melanie.Basich@policemag.com.

Related:

Police Links: Breaking the Ice

About the Author
Melanie Basich 2012 Headshot
Managing Editor
View Bio
Page 1 of 7
Next Page