Monday, August 24, 2009

"A very tough individual"

Hello readers! Well another week has quickly passed in the academy. I am happy to report that the Jefferson County Sheriff Investigator injured in that well publicized incident has under gone surgery last week and the doctors are happy with his progress.

This incident has made many of the cadets reflecting on our chosen professions. There are many incidents where police officers follow all officer safety rules, procedures and yet unconsidered results can occur. I guess this is where the phrase “that’s why I get paid the big bucks” originated. Yet, I have personally never seen or heard of a police officer that walked away from their job after a life threatening incident. I have never met this investigator nor do I know any of his family. However, we have had a couple of instructors who are good friends with this investigator and have worked with him for many years. ALL have said that the injured investigator would be back tomorrow if he could. They have explained to us that he loves his job and is a very tough individual. It is not a question of if he comes back to work but more of the question of when he will return. I admire his character and courage. Please have your thoughts or prayers with him as he recovers.

Now for my faithful readers who have kept up with the blogs, does this investigator sound like a sheep? A wolf? Or a sheepdog? The answer of course is a sheepdog. He has all of the characteristics. Another instructor pointed out a very important point. Police officers have to be a little crazy to do this job. When normal people run away from a situation, we run towards the incident. Once again, this Jefferson County investigator holds to these qualities and expectations.

When considering this incident and the character of this investigator, I would like to think I posses these same qualities. Yet I have never been tested in the way other officers have. .….. I have never been run over and drug by a car and come back and ask for more.
I will need to confront many situations and gain experience to truthfully make that assessment. Again, my thoughts and prayers are with our investigator and his family. I have no doubt that he will make a speedy recovery. I hope that he rejoins his Jefferson County family very soon.

I also have to tell my readers before I leave that this week I am class sergeant so I am not sure how many entries I will have this week. However you can count on an entry talking about this experience.

Until next time
Kevin