Many officers focus on what's important to them in their current assignment, or ask why they should take courses they will never use. If you're seeking command positions, you'll have to supervise specialties where you have limited, if any, practical working knowledge.
September 4, 2013
I learned a valuable story from an old U.S. Army first sergeant years ago. Never plan for your next assignment/promotion when it is posted. You should have been working on this goal.
February 8, 2013
The Recruit channel and the Training blog have merged into Careers & Training. This new format will have much of the same content from both but now in a central location for everyone. There will also be new material on career planning and tracking.
December 3, 2012
Being the newest officer in the precinct makes life harder than it should be, because you have to dig for every morsel of information to get ahead. So how can you develop a system of building intel for you? Read on.
February 6, 2012
Police careers are much like any other career in life. Consider giving up your seniority, time invested toward tenure, vesting towards retirement, and some stored benefits. Starting over is the real bite!
October 10, 2011
Time-in-service requirements have long been around; they started in the military. If you're working in a grade — let's say patrol officer — you'll have to serve a suitable time period in the pay grade or assignment before you can be promoted or transferred. This allows you to gather valuable experience or what I call exposure.
March 14, 2011
It is a common rookie mistake to think just because you're now a copper with the uniform and shield, you're special. Don't ever fool yourself; the department's staff is what keeps you rolling.
August 17, 2010
Of course, you will be picked on and probably get a nickname related to your mistake, but you take it and walk.
June 9, 2010
If you do your job you will get plenty of complaints and only rarely receive compliments; these are the realities of policework. But how you handle or survive these unpleasantries of life is what is important here.
December 5, 2007
Before every academy class I taught, recruits asked me how they could get better grades. Make time and study with your flash cards.
June 20, 2007