Whenever an officer falls in a small town or a remote place, the same shocked refrain repeats: things like this don’t happen here. But that’s not true. It’s a pleasant fiction born of ignorance and a wish to remain sheltered, and that fiction puts rural officers at further risk when it provides cover for failures to staff, equip and train appropriately. Read More
Therapist, Counselor or Friend?
In my “retirement,” I’ve had the privilege of working with many law enforcement experts while developing video courses and resources for the state of California. After a recent video shoot, I rode with a frequent PORAC contributor, Dr. Cherylynn Lee (“Doc C”). Our conversation turned, as it usually does, toward past and more recent experiences likely attributable to a law enforcement career. Read More
Better Than Just OK
My first deployment as a police psychologist was to a homicide scene. The page came out sometime around midnight. I remember sucking down the leftover coffee from breakfast as I threw on my polo and headed out the door. Deputies had the suspect contained at the scene, and patrol was attempting to establish communication as additional resources were arriving. Read More