Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: OCTOBER 2016 43 by Kevin Stuckey T he law enforcement community and profession have experienced some major hits during the last few years which have resulted in a major paradigm shift of how our country views police work. “Police Reform” has be- come the phrase often used to represent a solution and to appease some in our country. However, it is criti- cal for the conversation to extend beyond a phrase and focus on what “reform” means. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines reform as: to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by altera- tion, substitution, abolition, etc. If that is the true meaning of “reform” there is no doubt that the Seattle Police De- partment and the men and women who wear the badge have done an amazing job meeting and exceeding re- form efforts and expecta- tions. The Seattle Police Of- ficers’ Guild has been an integral part of the reform process from the very be- ginning. When the City of Seattle formed the Com- munity Police Commission, the Guild submitted three names, including my own, for consideration to partici- pate in this group. After being appointed by then Mayor McGinn to be a member of the CPC, I chaired several committees that played an instrumental role in the City’s reform process. The Guild has and contin- ues to work with people and organizations that were once considered adversaries. This collaboration has led to changes in our policies and how we do business, and today the men and women of the Seattle Police Department have been rec- ognized as national leaders in police reform. We have had people from law enforcement agencies from all over the country visit our city to learn how we do business. I am approached on a daily basis by members of the community and politi- cal arena alike who express their appreciation for all the efforts and tireless work we perform on a daily basis to make our department exceptional and our com- munity safe. To all our officers I want to say thank you for the hard work, professionalism, and dedication you continue to exhibit on a daily basis. In these times, I am re- minded of a code that I held fast to while a member of the security police in the United States Air Force: “I hold allegiance to my country and devotion to duty above all. I wear my badge of authority with dignity and re- straint. I promote by example high standards of conduct, courtesy, appearance and per- formance. I seek no favors for position. I perform my duties in a firm yet impartial way regardless of anyone’s race, religion, national origin, color, creed or sex.” I believe this code holds true with those who wear Seattle blue today and with our fellow officers all across Working with our adversaries Working with our adversaries the country. I want to close by saying, “Stay safe everyone and try to remain positive in the face of the challenges around us.” Kevin Stuckey is the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild. Collaboration has led to productive changes for officers in Seattle RISE ABOVE 360 24/7 SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. ON DEMAND. Skywatch provides the deployable, capable, integrated surveillance system required by today’s law enforcement professionals to monitor key events and locations. With a wide variety of sensors to choose from, Skywatch can be tailored to fit any environment or budget. In a world that requires vision and flexibility, accept no compromises. SEE HOW AT WWW.FLIR.COM/APB