What should we tell new police officers about to start their careers?

I was honored to deliver the keynote address at the graduation of 21 police recruits Saturday, something I agonized over for the three months after accepting their invitation. (Video link is at the end of this piece.)

I asked myself, “Who am I to advise, motivate, or encourage young men and women? What hope can I give new officers and pre-employment candidates about to step out into the most anti-law enforcement atmosphere since the 1970s?"

These were recruits of Class 32 of the Rural Police Training Academy (RPTA) at Genesee Community College, in Batavia, NY, where I have instructed since 2017. I’ve been blessed to teach both recruits and veteran police officers at neighboring Monroe Community College’s Public Safety Training Facility (PSTF) in Rochester since 2007, but GCC students hold an extra special place in my heart.

RPTA recruits face a longer, likely more difficult road to becoming a cop than most others. Unlike other area academies, RPTA is a part-time endeavor. It requires a particularly motivated person to meet the challenge. First, most RPTA recruits pay their own way through the New York State Basic Course for Police. That’s roughly a $6,000 investment not covered by student loans. While attending the academy for 11 months, three evenings each week and most Saturdays, most have at least part-time, if not full-time jobs, and some are parents.

While attending the academy, most RPTA recruits still must find a police agency to sponsor them so they can participate fully in phase two of the program, which includes firearms training – hopefully to be followed by field training, and if they’re lucky, employment. Throw in taking civil service exams, circulating resumes, and trying to get interviews – in short, these people WANT the job.

I sought counsel from friends, family, colleagues, and numerous veteran police officers; I read, journaled, wrote, and rewrote passages. I was still left with the question, “What do you tell a group of eager, motivated, young men and women excited to enter a field that faces often unfair, but occasionally appropriate criticism, and frequent violent attacks – SO much discouraging, negative scrutiny?"

The truth.

Three truths rose to the top:

1. People will always need the police and that is THE cause – helping people.
2. YOU define “The Thin Blue Line.” You don’t let its rhetoric define you.
3. We in law enforcement have one biggest demon to face: we need to eliminate our own internal environment of personal, political, and professional toxicity.

Ultimately, I promised these hopeful young people that if they allowed themselves to be present and vulnerable and make human connections, accept imperfection, and remain open to change – that they would have the human experience at its fullest, and a career like no other; that if they care enough to take care of their own corner of the world, the world will be a better place.

I'm honored if you choose to watch and listen … from my mended heart, my rewired mind, and from within my most valued partnership that is our marriage … I don’t expect everyone to agree, but I do hope everyone will be open to having the hard conversations.

Above all, always be safe, and take care of each other.

If you're interested in contacting the Rural Police Training Academy or any of the graduates looking for their first police job, the best way to reach them is via this email address: [email protected]

Here is the link to the video of the graduation. I am introduced at 16:38. The actual address begins at 18:30. https://vimeo.com/event/1043782/videos/559410574/