Be Professional

[OfficerResource.com]

Look & Act Professional For Better Public Perception

By: Massad Ayoob

CLICK HERE TO READ

[Rhino]

Once again, the edges of the text are cropped. Looks like a promising read. I look forward to reading it.

[Pudge]

Once again, the edges of the text are cropped. Looks like a promising read. I look forward to reading it.

We're working on that as I type. Thanks.

[CTR man]

Did anyone catch this?

- Functional sunglasses that don't look like you got them as a gift from The Terminator.

[Rhino]

I agree completely about the brass/nametag. I want to slap every cop I see that feels they have to look like a Mexican general.

[TXCharlie]

Did anyone catch this?

- Functional sunglasses that don't look like you got them as a gift from The Terminator.

Yep, but I thought mentioning it would make me look unprofeshional

I never saw anything wrong with Terminator's glasses... I would think wearing glasses that looked like Elton John might be more of an issue

[MacLean]

I disagree with him on one point - if you read further in the original work by Ayoob, Mas makes mention of the fact that crooks look for the marksmanship medals, like the little blue bars that say "master," etc.

I wear my little blue bar thats says "Firearms Instructor" and it has been noticed and commented on by crooks.

[mack]

Read it earlier today and agreed with it. Always thought the officers that wear all their medals looked presumptuous when the rest of us just wore our Class "B"'s. Personally, never left the house without ironing my uniform and buffing my boots and polishing my brass. Never got gigged in an inspection for my uniform, just for forgetting my Sheriffs ID badge once, just once.

[mack]

Did anyone catch this?

Caught it and chuckled out loud!

[HudsonHawk]

Read it earlier today and agreed with it. Always thought the officers that wear all their medals looked presumptuous when the rest of us just wore our Class "B"'s. Personally, never left the house without ironing my uniform and buffing my boots and polishing my brass. Never got gigged in an inspection for my uniform, just for forgetting my Sheriffs ID badge once, just once.

In the NYPD if you are awarded several of a medal it is designated as such on the breast bar with either additional stars or a number, depending upon the medal.

At a previous command I had a Sergeant whose achievements on the job entailed several Honorable Mentions,Commendations and a Combat Cross. He also had HUNDREDS of MPD's and EPD's. He was aces. While I was there the Sergeant had the respect of all the officers below him and the perps knew not to screw around with him.

I would never think that he, wearing medals with the number 100 on them, was "presumptuous"!

[Rhino]

There are exceptions to every rule, Vengeance. I think agencies like NYPD that have established protocals for displaying awards tend to pull it off more tastefully than other agencies.

Smaller agencies (like mine) have no established policies on what medals we can recieve or wear. So we get some people that wear a "SWAT" pin that looks like they got out of a crackerjack box or some other similar useless decoration and, like I said, they come across looking like a Mexican general.

We are making general statements here- they aren't directed at any person or agency- and I think we all understand there are exceptions.

[mack]

In the NYPD if you are awarded several of a medal it is designated as such on the breast bar with either additional stars or a number, depending upon the medal.

At a previous command I had a Sergeant whose achievements on the job entailed several Honorable Mentions,Commendations and a Combat Cross. He also had HUNDREDS of MPD's and EPD's. He was aces. While I was there the Sergeant had the respect of all the officers below him and the perps knew not to screw around with him.

I would never think that he, wearing medals with the number 100 on them, was "presumptuous"!

In our agency, we only wore our ribbons and medals with our class A uniforms. The ones who wore them with their class B uniforms were usually only wearing them to look "cool". You'd have to know the ones who did it to understand, wasn't trying to take away from the people who earned their medals, Vengance, I guess you took what I meant the wrong way, sorry for the misunderstanding. I meant no disrespect at all.

[keith720]

I agree that an officer needs to look professional.I've seen too many cops that look like they work in the grease pit at Jiffy Lube. Wrinkled pants, shabby duty belt and equipment, and shoes that haven't seen a shine since they were new. I've seen 6'4"inch muscle heads that have every hair on their head in place, but wouldn't know how to set a gig line. On the other hand, I've seen a lot more professional officers that take pride in their job and uniform, and my guess is that the public perception of them is much more favorable. Not only that, but the bad guys take notice of the way you act and carry youself. Good article.

[countybear]

If you earned them, wear them. Take pride in your accomplishments on this job, you won't have many other opportunities for a "well done" from most police administrations. I believe that the point Ayoob was trying to make is that officers who doll their uniforms up strictly for show aren't any more respected than the ones who slouch. I can pin up a uniform like a redneck fishing hat, but there's a difference between a 'Dare' pin and a MoH, and the thugs know it damn near as well as we do.

Wearing of decorations can also be presumptuous when those medals aren't accompanied by the attitude (call it swagger, if you will) of a professional cop.

I think that thugs watch what an officer does and says just as much as his appearance. If he sees that "calm confidence" on the street, he'll take that into account a hell of a lot more than he'll count the medals on his chest.

Membership in an SRT, SWAT, or CRT is a badge of honor for most agencies. For most agencies, its an honor that's earned, not bestowed. It means (for most agencies) that "this cop shoots straight, stays calm under pressure, and has devoted enough time on the job to do it well." Now, for the locals, they know what departments treat SWAT like a clique, and what departments employ professional, competent officers in specialized units. The travelling type may not, but put emphasis on a cop's demeanor just as much as a uniform appearance, imho.

[Hawk1]

Reminds me of a saying one of my instructors had when I joined our CRT, "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to take out everyone you meet"

[Rhino]

Reminds me of a saying one of my instructors had when I joined our CRT, "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to take out everyone you meet"

I don't know how your agency rolls, Hawk. But I only like to take out the ladies.

But don't worry, we accept you for who you are.

[Hawk1]

walked right into that one!

[gozling]

I know that I dont wear my accomplishments on my daily uniform, even though they like us to(not mandatory), because after the third one that was lost due to the backing falling off or rolling around on the ground, it just takes too long to get new ones and I hated the idea of them getting wrecked.
They now sit neatly in a box with the letters and are worn on the A class uni only.

[CW Mock]

Well that's all wonderful if you don't have a set policy for what brass is to be worn, when and how. Unfortunately I am LOADED with it. I have, every day:

Belt buckle
Keepers (5)
Pouches/Cases (mag, cuffs, phone, OC)
Badge
Name Tag
Collar Brass (CSP and 2D)
6-4-2 Pin

Then if you do manage to win an award, it is to be worn as well. I don't like all the brass, and none of the troopers do either, but the well "brass" does, so we get to keep it all. I wish some of those admin types would look at articles like this, and think about it. Even on traffic details, its not wise to glint like a christmas tree in the sunlight.

*bangs head against wall some more*

[gozling]

Well that's all wonderful if you don't have a set policy for what brass is to be worn, when and how. Unfortunately I am LOADED with it. I have, every day:

Belt buckle
Keepers (5)
Pouches/Cases (mag, cuffs, phone, OC)
Badge
Name Tag
Collar Brass (CSP and 2D)
6-4-2 Pin

Then if you do manage to win an award, it is to be worn as well. I don't like all the brass, and none of the troopers do either, but the well "brass" does, so we get to keep it all. I wish some of those admin types would look at articles like this, and think about it. Even on traffic details, its not wise to glint like a christmas tree in the sunlight.

*bangs head against wall some more*

I always did notice that glint in the sunlight and with flashlights and wondered why no one really noticed this as a problem? I feel for you guys that have to wear it all. I dont know how you dont lose them, my seatbelt used to rip one of them off all the time! lol
I had my badge, FTO pin and name tag and then my belt with all its stuff.
Most of the time I wore my name tag and fto pin during roll call only then put it in my safebag i had in the car and then put it all back on at check out... I was just one of those folks that lost that stuff all the time or wrecked it all the time! I am amazed when I see guys with all their stuff on! I guess I am extremely clumsy or something