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 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MARCH 2016 17 JAMES GONZALES OPINION/EDITORIAL A bored cop on nightshift, sur- rounded by other bored cops on a nightshift makes for a dan- gerous situation. One of a few things will inevitably happen. The shenanigans begin. Something will get broken or someone will get hurt. Complaints about how other officers operate may surface along with negative remarks about the poor state of the administration. Department administra- tors don’t want to admit when morale is low, but officers are quick to do the opposite. They often suggest quick, anonymous, Band- Aid fixes. But it is also true that the responsibility for morale should not be placed solely on administrators. There are few things in this world we can control. But one thing we can con- trol is our attitude. It is the most powerful tool in our arsenal. By making the conscious decision to exude a positive attitude, others will follow suit. Think of it this way. As a street officer, we’re living the dream. We’re the heroes we dreamed we would be. We can be proud to wear the badge we fought so hard to earn, or we can resent the badge for the trials and tribulations of the job. If you want morale im- proved, start improving it yourself. Do more than just earn a paycheck. If you have an area of interest, pursue it. If you want to be more ac- tive within your department, speak up. What boss doesn’t want to hear his employee is assum- ing more responsibilities? Administrators need to remember that to street cops, you’re not one of them anymore. Administrators often face opposition because they are the reason morale is low. If the chief tolerates poor behavior, or worse, punishes an entire department for the actions of a few, it’s like tying a cinderblock to a drown- ing swimmer. To improve morale, leaders can start by making employees feel appreciated. If you acknowl- edge people for doing some- thing right, those people will want to do more work. A simple pat on the back or even post-it note of praise gets remembered. Turning an unused office or other space into a com- fortable gathering place for your officers makes employ- ees feel welcome. Create an informal gather- ing if time permits to host an “airing of the grievances” where patrol and adminis- trators can even the playing field. Sit down together over a cup of coffee and get to know one another. Show your human side and discuss weekend plans or a popular TV series. Work doesn’t have to be all business. By taking a little time for plea- sure, you make the work en- vironment that much more enjoyable for everyone. Beth Sanborn is an 18-year veteran of the Lower Gwynedd, Penn. Police Department and is an adjunct faculty member at HolyFamilyUniversity.E-mail: bsanborn@lowergwynedd.org. Charles J. Kocher is a retired deputy chief from Camden, NJ. He teaches undergraduate and graduate criminal justice courses at Wilmington Uni- versity, Saint Joseph’s Univer- sity and Columbia Southern University. E-mail: Charles. j.kocher@wilmu.edu. I n the aftermath of Fer- guson, when officials deployed armored ve- hicles to quell rioting and keep responding of- ficers and the public safe, politicians and police chiefs, feeling the heat from media after they broadcast images of militarized vehicles on America’s streets, disavowed their use. San Jose’s top cop was among those critics of the program and he returned an armored vehicle donated by the federal government. But now, in the wake of the massacres in Paris and San Bernadino, it’s time for a substantive discussion on the appropriate use of armored vehicles. Today, those of us in law enforcement face a milita- rized foe. The proliferation of assault weapons, suicide vests and explosives in the hands of those intent on killing and maiming innocent people demands that law enforce- ment be equipped with the necessary tools to protect themselves and the public. Explosives like those pos- sessed by the San Bernardino killers, military or even large caliber civilian rifles require a higher level of protection than what most police ar- mored vehicles possess. Some fear the concept of “militarizing” our police. Their arguments deserve to be heard, but think about this. No one protests the use of armored vehicles to pro- tect bank deposits. So why the outcry over law enforce- ment using armored vehicles in an emergency? An honest dialogue with the community about how and when an armored ve- hicle would be deployed should occur. Explaining what an ar- mored vehicle is and why it is necessary to protect the public and police in an emer- gency needs to happen. Law enforcement agencies should not reject this life sav- ing apparatus because those in charge are unwilling to do the hard work of engaging the community so they will understand the benefits. When the San Jose bomb squad obtained a drone to assist their efforts, the department engaged the community to address their concerns. The department explained how the drone would be deployed and a consider- able amount of outreach was done to craft a policy that reassured the community that the drone was not a surveillance device. Today we have an effective policy and officers sent to dismantle explosives have another safe tool to make sure everyone gets home safely. This process should be replicated when it comes to armored vehicles. Concerns about the militarization of law enforcement should focus on issues such as de- escalation tactics, training, supervision and community engagement. These issues are being ad- dressed with the revival of community policing after a decade of budget cuts that reduced the numbers of sworn personnel in depart- ments around the country. Having adequate numbers of officers ensures the ability to engage in thoughtful com- munity policing, rather than just jumping from one 911 call to the next. Keeping America safe today will require having enough police so we can have a thoughtful dialogue with our communities about the threats we face and the tactics we use to combat them. It’s crucial that the leaders of agencies and politicians provide first responders with the necessary equipment to respond to mass killings and protect officers from the military style weaponry they increasingly confront, even if that equipment looks scary. We know more cowardly terrorist attacks will come. Hopefully so will a more thoughtful approach to de- ciding how well equipped our police should be re- sponding to them. Melding the role of guard- ian and warrior has always been the charge of police. But now the conflict between those roles has made the job more difficult as we face more military-style attacks. James Gonzales is vice presi- dent of the San Jose Police Officers Association. He can be reached at: vicepresident@sjpoa.com. BETH SANBORN & CHARLES KOCHER It’s time to talk about why we need military gear A good attitude is our most important weapon Dammit Jimmy – you realize we just knocked off an armored truck and we’re in the damn getaway car, right? You really think this is the best time for a burger?