Dress for success

I became a detective in 1999. Back then, detectives wore neckties. More specifically, they wore suits. To this day, the dress code for Atlanta Police detectives includes "business attire" (except for undercover and "get dirty" units). I have always agreed with this idea, although business suits can get a little stuffy in the southern summer heat and a shirt, slacks and a tie have become more the norm. I just have always believed that when a scene is crawling with uniformed patrol officers scurrying around making the scene safe, looking for witnesses and evidence and handling the mechanics of police work and then detectives show up looking professional and squared away, the dynamics and the atmosphere changes. (Because it is 2022, I feel the need to explain that I am not putting down patrol by speaking about detectives. Everyone plays their role. Calm down. I still love you.) The detective gives the appearance of taking control of things. They represent the next level of law enforcement, and it is important to look the part. They are the guys and gals that have earned that distinction. They should be knowledgeable and articulate. They can be calming to victims, witnesses and suspects alike. They are meant to appear a bit more open and approachable than the uniforms that showed up in a flash of lights and sound and took on a command presence. They are the folks that you can talk to, they are there to listen and work things out, and they will make it right in the end.

The other (lighter) side of that coin is that if you spend decades in a tie-wearing job, you tend to accumulate ties. A lot of ties. My mother raised three police officers. She always said how proud she was to see her boys dressed up and looking so professional. So every single Birthday, Fathers Day and Holiday was at least one new shirt and tie. While you may outgrow or wear out the shirts, ties seem to last almost forever. Maybe not in style, but definitely in wear. The other day, while selecting one for the day ahead, I decided to count mine. I own 63. This morning I counted how many work days, out of the 86 calendar days until my retirement, I will have left. That number is 63. So, today, I have launched a new project to give each of my ties one more tour of duty with the Atlanta Police Department.

It's gonna be a little awkward when I get to the Christmas ties in the middle of September, but a short timers gotta do, what a short timers gotta do! Besides if anyone laughs about it, I will simply remind them that when they are working yet another holiday season this winter ...….