Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. SUZI HUNTINGTON VANTAGE POINT The loss Of institutional knowledge uring my travels in a neighboring state I had the occasion to go on a ride-along with the local police department. The agency I rode with is moderately sized, which affords it the ability to field extra units to police the city more proactively. I rode with one of those extra units. The officer had the freedom to roam around the city and was responsible for creating his own activity — he was a two-year veteran. When he introduced himself I picked up on the “I lost at rock, paper, scissors and got stuck with you” attitude, but having had this same attitude in my young career, I figured he’d get over it. Before we got going I made sure the officer knew I was retired LE from California and was armed. I asked about his patrol car setup in the event things went to poop, and I told him I had a pretty cool, new hand-held FLIR device with me. I suggested we use my nifty cop-cloaking device to snark dope houses. He didn’t seem the least bit interested in it and promptly told me their agency already had two — so much for that. What I observed during my ride-along showed me how similar laws can be interpreted and enforced very differently in different states. But what isn’t different, no matter where you are, is the loss of institutional knowledge — the loss of old cops who know stuff. New cops with any fewer than about D I’ve been on both ends of this spectrum. When I was a twoyear wonder-rookie I’m sure I was guilty of brushing off advice given to me by my senior peers. It goes with the territory; you’re fresh on your own with all this knowledge gleaned from the academy and phase training. You’re on your own so you must know it all, right? Of course the other side of the equation is I learned after about five years, there was a lot I didn’t know and I wasn’t afraid to admit it. I began to seek out knowledge from the old timers. By the time I had around 15 years on the street, I was comfortable giving the advice. It didn’t mean I knew everything, but I surely knew way more than the new guys and I knew where to find answers were there any questions — and I’m sure my advice was often brushed off too. And when I retired I took all my knowledge with me. Poof — it was gone, never to be shared with anyone, but you. Inexperienced cops should seek advice. Learn better ways to work smarter and safer. I think a person’s strength is measured by their ability to accept criticism and reach out for help. If they fail in these two categories, they’re a train wreck looking for a place to happen. And if you’re an old guy (or fooling themselves thinking they are all-knowing “are they gurus of cop-dom? are they fooling anybody?” five years on are a lot like 18 to 21 year-olds. They’re technically adults and can theoretically live on their own, but often should be under the guidance of a more experienced adult. But what does this really mean? Let’s be hypothetical; you have a two-year vet who’s been trained by a two-year vet who’d been trained by a two-year vet. And a sergeant who’s been on about five years supervising them all. After I took off my shoes so I could count on my toes, I realized I didn’t quite have a 10-year cycle spread out among a half-dozen cops. If you look more closely at an officer with a couple of years on, it really translates to about one year of honest-to-God police work when you deduct the academy and phase-training time. Are they fooling themselves thinking they are all-knowing gurus of cop-dom? Are they fooling anybody? 68 gal), are you a positive role model? Are you really a mentor? Or, are you one of those crotchety old farts who shakes his head in disgust at the young guns when they screw up and then talk trash about them at the station? Do you ever offer assistance and sage advice? What or who is the cause of this loss of years-deep knowledge? You can’t fault the applicants and you can’t necessarily fault the agencies for the predicament we’re in today — a sea of young, inexperienced officers. Cities and counties suffering severe financial crises are seeing a mass exodus of extremely senior officers. At the same time there’s an evershrinking pool of viable applicants who can actually pass the VANTAGE POINT VANTAGE POINT Continued on page 67 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2010