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My Brother’s call seemingly presents itself as a for 10 openings with the Seattle po-
possible template for ambush and/or lice, the department says. Now there
litigation for or against the respond- are 1,000 applicants for 70 positions
Keeper ing Officer. The day-to-day threat of — a drop of more than 90 percent.”
By Bobby Gaddy – State Vice President an officer losing his or her life (on or These facts and numbers are im-
off duty) has become a reality with portant because they emphasize the
Greetings Brothers and Sisters: the recent unprovoked attacks across importance of getting the right peo-
the country. As a profession, we are ple in place! We have to learn to put
It is my pleasure and honor to in a crisis! Yet, despite the many as- aside our sometime “petty” inter-
sociated pressures, our brothers and agency issues and focus on what at-
serve as your State Vice President. I sisters still remain dedicated to their tracts those whom we are seeking to
oath of “protecting and serving.” De- recruit. We have to remember what it
have the pleasure of working with a spite all of the negativity and rheto- was that attracted each of us to our
ric, “we” still come to work every respective agency and has made us
very strong and diverse State Execu- day, (sometimes at the crack of dawn want to stay. This brings me back to
or in the middle of the night), we my original point of being “My
tive Board. We will continue to rep- work our tour and many times go brother’s keeper.” When I first en-
home whenever the mission is com- tered the Law Enforcement profes-
resent each of you in the most posi- plete. sion over twenty years ago, it was
truly a brotherhood. I entered at a
tive light and maintain a level of As Law Enforcement profes- time where “choir rehearsals aka af-
sionals, we must focus on the many ter work socials” were a commonal-
readiness whenever you need us. As positive attributes of our profession ity at the end of a shift or a work
and continue to try to attract well week. It was a time where the work
always, I am at your beckoning call qualified candidates to join our shift was just a time in space between
ranks. Nationwide the interest in squad gatherings. We knew each
and willing to serve and/or represent Law Enforcement as a profession is other and each other’s families.
down and now we have less people These types of interactions fostered
you in any way possible. Feel free at entering into the Law Enforcement trust and comradery within the ranks.
arena. In a recent to news article pub- These types of interactions made you
any time to reach out and call me. lished by ABC News: “…public responsible and accountable for each
safety departments face some of the other both on and off duty and fos-
I believe that it is written in the same problems other employers do tered brotherhood. They enabled
book of Genesis 4:9, “Then the Lord with U.S. unemployment at a 30-year people to understand and be open to
said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your low, police recruiters are addition- acceptance within and outside of the
Brother?’ And he said, “I do not ally stymied by the job’s low pay, tar- group.
know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’” nished image, increasingly tougher As a profession, there has never been
standards for new recruits and lim- a time more than the present that we
Although this is sometimes referred ited job flexibility.” In addition, ABC need to have and foster those types of
to as the “first murder” biblically, I also reports that “Police depart- bonds and connections. This is a two-
ments in Los Angeles, New York and step process, we must first find ways
would like to take a look at it from a Chicago are all working harder at to connect to the newer generation of
recruitment and drawing fewer ap- up and coming officers. We must
different point of view. I would like plicants. But it is also the same story
in smaller cities such as Leesburg, recognize that the way we were in-
to look at it from the context of hav- Va., where the number of applicants ducted into the profession may no
to the police department has dropped longer work, and we must seek new
ing the right person/people at the 90 percent over the past five years, ways to reach out and connect to
and Reno, Nev., which reports a de- them. Because so many of the newer
right time at the right moment. In re- cline of 50 percent since 1997. A dec- generation’s social interactions come
ade ago, there were 3,000 applicants through social media outlets such as:
cent months we as a profession have
seen an increase in violent attacks
that directly target Law Enforcement
Officers. So the question of “Am I
my brother’s keeper” comes to the
forefront. The simple answer is
“YES.” The climate of Law Enforce-
ment and community’s perception
seems to be at an all-time low; yet,
our brothers and sisters across Amer-
ica and throughout the world remain
relevant and vigilant. With the many
acts of violence throughout America
today such as Dallas, Baton Rouge
and most recently right here at home
in Charlotte, it has increased the
pressures associated with being a
Law Enforcement Officer in today’s
society. The days of the old cliché of
a “routine call” are no more! Each Continued on P. 18
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