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What are the tools of our trade? For a Police Offi- cer, most people believe it consists of a gun, hand- cuffs and a badge. If that’s the case, what happens to you when these tools are no longer available?
Regardless of your career choice, and regardless of what tools are provided to assist you in doing your job, the most important tool we possess is not a mass-manufactured item but the one between our ears. Physical tools do not define us; they add seasoning to the recipe.
As we grew up, we all had jobs before becoming a Police Of- ficer. Each of those jobs had tools to assist us in getting the job done. Each new job we started came with a new set of tools. So, whether you have had many jobs in your life or just a few, one constant tool remains: your brain. Employers can take away some of these tools, be it temporarily or permanently, but they can never take away the one that matters most.
So, what happens when an employer withholds the other tools? For a Police Officer, it takes away their “police powers” (i.e., powers of arrest and the ability to lawfully carry a gun). This restriction can seem unbearable. Does taking away these tools makes us any less a contributing member of society? No, nothing could be further from the truth.
The tools we carry define our jobs, not ourselves. Don’t let it get to you. Police Officers use their most important tool — their
brains — more than any other tool they possess. The ability to control a conflict or provide support for someone in need is uti- lized tenfold more than the use of their gun and handcuffs. If you have felt the effects of “tool removal” and need someone to talk to, please reach out. You might be surprised to hear that you are not the only one, and this too shall pass.
Stay safe!
ThirdVice President’s Report
Tools of the trade
JAY RYAN
Knapp Medical Center
You Take Care of Us...
We Take Care of You and Your Family
We take our commitment to you PERSONALLY
• Serving Chicago Police Officers and their families since 1957
• We accept Approved CPD Health Plans and all Private Insurance
• On-site Pharmacy
• On-site lab for bloodwork and EKG
• On staff at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center and Illinois Masonic Medical Center
• Convenient Location with Free Parking in rear
Knapp Medical Center LTD Keith C. Knapp, Jr, MD
3303 S Halsted St • Chicago, IL 60608
Hours
Monday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. • Tuesday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday 6 a.m.–5 p.m. • Thursday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m. • Saturday 8 a.m.–Noon
CALL NOW for an appointment: 773-890-0800
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ FEBRUARY 2019 11