Getting personally involved...

[RaychelR]

I am sure most of you all have someone like thsi in your area. An elderly woman who is alone and calls the police with stupid complaints just so she can have company.. Ring a bell?

Well, my department has one and I feel sorry for her even though she is annoying as heck. For Christmas I was going to make her a fruit basket but was warned by a friend of mine that that would be considered getting personally involved, something of which the department frowns upon.

Any thoughts on this? What is your department's stance on getting "personally involved?"

[Don]

Rachel,

Of course now that I

[BrickCop]

I'd like to see the Supervisor who gives you a problem about that. I don't mean to be melodramatic (wow, big word- did I spell it right?) but today it seems the elderly are ignored or seemingly forgotten- often by their own family. Perhaps, with the help of co workers you could try to extend your kindness toward a larger group of elderly folks. That way the message is "personal" enough to show you (and your dept by default)care about them but is "distant" enough to avoid the appearance of getting personally involved. If all else fails, fib and tell them the newspaper photographer will be there and it would make good PR. Your Superiors will probably salivate at the prospect of adding yet another press clipping to their office "wall of fame". Just be sure to call the press guy after the Lt. skips out of your office.

[Sgt. DG644]

RaychelR, it still is not to late as I am sure she would still enjoy it as much http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif I could just see the newpaper headlines now "officer is disciplined for bringing food to elderly over the holidays". I'd like to see what the Chief would say to defend this one!

[GDenman]

There are a lot of elderly people who call in just to get someone over to talk to. It takes a special person to understand that & take the time necessary. I think a fruit basket would be a wonderful gesture. And I don't want to put a damper on it but just remember, once you commit you are committed forever. Once she gets your name you will be her personal contact at the department. Be ready for it.

Remember the words of Lou Holtz when he coached at Arkansas: "The difference between committment and involvement is like bacon and eggs. The chicken is involved but the pig is committed." (It may not have anything to do with the post but I've always liked the quote.)

[RaychelR]

Well, I am fairly new at the department so I don't know what the precedent is. And the friend that advised me of this works for a different agency. I just wanted to get everyone's opinions before I do this in case it sounded like a bad idea.

[Don]

Rachel,

If you have any doubts you can always check with your supervisor. Just remember that sometimes it is better to beg for forgiveness rather than to ask permission! On the other hand, if you are still on probation, perhaps you

[CajunKnight]

Its not personal involvement, it is being nice to a person in your community. If this person was involved in some type of situation with the department with an investigation going on then it could be called personal involvement. If you look back on the training when you started in LE you will remember that you were instructed to be kind and civil to the people you serve, so whats the problem?
We had a similar situation with an elderly lady in our area, she would call on a nightly basis and complain that escaped prisoners were in her yard or little men with hard hats were jacking her house off the blocks. Annoying it was, but then we started something a little different, on a regular basis some of the deputies would stop and check on her and maybe even have a cup of coffee with her and if we had a gathering of some sort somebody would bring her a plate of food or something. A little kindness goes a long way. To make a much too long story short the calls in the middle of the night stopped and she was content with the friends she had because she felt safe and protected and most of all she did not feel alone in this world. Being alone is the worse thing that can happen to anyone, wouldnt it be nice to know that one day when you are in this world and no family around because you have out lived most of them that you still have someone like you around.
Go and do it Rachel you will be really pleased with the response you get.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy and taste like chicken.

[MSchelling]

Cajun,
I was just about to write something similar. We've got our share of that special persistent caller. Reading thru the posts above, I started thinking about how much fortitude it would take to do what you guys did. Frankly, you've inspired me to start doing something like that and trying to get the guys to do the same.

Rebecca,
I think it's really great that you want to start this. I bet it would really make her day, week, etc. Perhaps you might even start a trend.
If a supervisor were to bag on you, perhaps he should be reminded of community policing. We're always talking about improving the quality of life, and this would certainly improve hers!

I agree, also, with Don & Denny. While it's a great thing to do, you will definitely become her personal cop. Maybe that would taper off, though, if more fellow officers started doing the same.

Keep it up! http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by MSchelling (edited 12-29-2000).]

[RaychelR]

Well, as for becoming her personal cop.. we change shifts every 28 days so it couldn't be that bad..


I know, I know.. famous last words!

[Sparky]

It is never wrong to do the right thing.

When I was a little Sparky in Police Ethics, a wise old instructor told me not to do anything in this job, on or off duty, that I would not want my mother to read about in the next days newspaper.

I took this sage advice one step further...I try to do my job in a way that would make my mother proud.

I would have no problem telling my mother that I got written up or fired for giving a lady a fruit basket.

This thinking has gotten me written up once. But I was morally and ethically right.

Nothing else matters.

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-Sparky

[Ski]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RaychelR:
[B]Well, as for becoming her personal cop.. we change shifts every 28 days so it couldn't be that bad..


Community Oriented Policing!!! If it's too much of a personal thing for you to act on your own, then how about the shift kick in and drop off a fruit basket and some flowers, along with a card from her Big Brothers and Sisters of the Agency you work for. Of course the word might spread and your agency might start getting compliments instead of complaints from the citizen you serve............


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[Niteshift]

FWIW, I just got an attaboy letter put into one of my guy's file because of his "personal involvement".

He responded to the home of an elderly, wheelchair bound woman in the middle of the night. Her toilet was leaking badly and she was afraid it would flood the house. He gave it a quick fix with some tools and some duct tape (which fixes everything). Then, after he got off in the morning, he went by the hardware store, got what he needed to fix it right and made the needed repairs.

Because of some of my past assignments, I've had to get "personally involved" with people. There is nothing wrong with it. The only warning I would offer is to be careful not to get "too involved." Sometimes things will happen that are beyond your control.

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[This message has been edited by Niteshift (edited 01-01-2001).]

[Sparky]

As long as you keep it in your pants, right! http://www.officer.com/ubb/wink.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/wink.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/wink.gif

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-Sparky

[Niteshift]

I guess I wasn't real clear on that was I?

I was referring to having to really stay involved with victims.

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[RaychelR]

Haha :P

[Plaso]

Correct me if I am wrong, but at my Department this is what we call Community Orienteted Policing. We even have a GO that says we should have lunch with the kids at the local schools. I don't think any administrator in their right mind would condemn you for this.

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Remember, there's a fine line between Macho and stupid. You cross the line, you get hurt.