What Doors Will We Keep Closing in 2025?

A year ago I was working as a Patrol Watch Commander and while sitting in on a larger shift brief being led by two of our Sergeants, I noticed nearly every one of our officers had that now easily recognizable, small rubber horseshoe attached to their LBVs.? I asked aloud to the group why each of them carried this device on their person.? I couldn’t help but notice a number of them had the expression on their face as if I had asked a really stupid, obvious question.? “It’s so we can prop the door open for our partners on a call” one of the officers responded.? “Ok” I said, “Why?”? More confused looks.? “Um…for safety; so we can make it easier for them to get through a door and not get locked out?” another officer responded.? I slowly shook my head in agreement.? “I see.? So what you’re saying is when we’re on a call, we want to make sure our partners are taken into account and looked after…we want to open doors for them and do our part to keep them safe, right?”? Slow nods of agreement trickled throughout the room.? Then I hit them with the point of my observation.? “We look out for each other during calls, make sure our partners are safe and each one of us even carry a device to hold doors open for them…but how often are we slamming doors on each other between those calls or when the work is done?”? A slow and growing ?look of conviction and the uncomfortable reality of the question spread throughout the room.? “We’re all guilty of it” I offered.? “I’m no different and I sure as hell want to be better” I continued, “The sad fact is that as a profession…as a team, it feels like we’re closing more doors on each other than we hold open.”? Think about it.

If We’re Not Changing, We’re Choosing

While I don’t know the final statistics for 2024, I do know the numbers have continually gone up with officers going out on extended medical leave for mental health-related afflictions.? Any number is unacceptable for any agency.? This growing trend should shake us to our core.? Going into 2025, in addition to sustaining and improving on the level of service we collectively pride ourselves in for our communities, a glaring objective we face as a profession – and what we should be committed to throwing every bit of our effort and energy into as leaders – is ensuring those numbers from 2024 (or any number) are never seen again.? It begins with every one of us and the doors we’re proactively willing to open for others.? If we’re carrying that little horseshoe at work while routinely slamming doors on our partners in the way of gossiping about them, perpetuating rumors, failing to check in with them when we know they’re struggling, or simply turning a blind eye when it’s clear a crucial conversation needs to take place to pull one of our partners back from the litany of ledges they’re facing in life, then we’re failing each other.? We have to do better.? Each one of us, each one of you deserve that from our brothers and sisters in this challenging profession.? We do a phenomenal job in this country at navigating and circumventing the myriad of issues, trauma and dysfunction the world throws at us each day.? Where we have fallen flat on our face is how we have taken care of and support one another in navigating this honorable, noble, yet highly abnormal and destructive career.? Many agencies are reversing the trend and making considerable strides in officer wellness being a top priority.? I’m grateful to be among those who are pushing that envelope and making the care, sustainment and development of our people at the top of our focus this year.? I’m looking forward to working together with fellow disrupters and innovators in our profession to help us all become our absolute best.? In the next article, I’ll be discussing strategies for targeting mental health, wellness and resiliency in 2025 and how we can collaboratively make greater strides as a profession in these efforts.? Our people and their families deserve it.