How Does Policing in Urban and Rural Cities Compare?

by California Casualty | Peace Officers | 0 comments

Policing can be a different story for each rural and urban city. Due to large populations in cities, crime rates tend to be higher versus the countryside, so are we comparing apples to oranges?

Studies show that 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban or suburban areas, yet small towns remain attractive to nearly 45 million people.  Some say that because of their jobs, families, lifestyle, choosing to live outside the busy urban areas, that the interest of raising a family in a smaller community will be less vulnerable to higher crimes.   But did you know that police departments within these rural areas face challenges different from the urban sectors such as:

• Lack of backup officers
• Meeting friends, relatives, and/or neighbors at crime scenes as victims, suspects, and/or witnesses
• Limited peer interaction

As for urban policing, crime is going to occur almost 54 percent more (and growing) than in rural areas. Urban environments commonly have more crimes, like homicide and assault whereas crimes in rural settings tend to be  offenses related to agriculture.

These statistics are not to say that policing in one area is better than another, but to show us how different life as an officer across the country can be. All police officers risk their lives for the safety of their communities and for that we can be grateful!

3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Passion for Law Enforcement

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Being a police officer, especially in today’s times, is a very demanding job and with each daily demand comes an attitude that can build negatively after a while. We have some ideas to help change your mindset about how you feel at your job in law enforcement.

A positive attitude can make all the difference in a stressful environment. It’s easier said than done, but having a negative attitude for long periods of time will cause more damage. The right approach can also have a lot of benefits you may not realize.

•             Lowers depression
•             Lower distress
•             Better coping skills in stressful situations
•             Increased life span

Try these tips we have to help start a new outlook on being a peace officer.

Work to keep a positive attitude daily. This is going to take practice, but soon it will make a difference. Start your shift with positive self-talk then repeat positive comments to yourself throughout your day.

Set achievable goals. Take a minute to make a list of what you want in life. Include what those goals are that include your family, work, and life in general. Writing these out and seeing them on paper can help take those first steps to achieving your goals.

Start with daily goals. What do you want to accomplish each day? Next, what about one-year goals? Finally, what do you want to see done in 5 years?

By putting all of these tips into practice, your outlook about the job will change. You will discover a new perspective and find the passion of being a peace officer again.

4 Reasons Why Staying Hydrated Should Be a Top Priority in Law Enforcement

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Coffee and donuts are a cliché associated with cops. But much like surgeons and pilots, officers are needed for their immediate detailed focus and alertness. The lack of either can make a difference between success and failure, life and death.

Along with physical fitness and mental health mindfulness being the largest factors of law enforcement success, hydration must be a daily choice. We all have our vices, like coffee and sweets, but water will give the most benefit, especially if you’re sweating all the time. Replenish, replenish, and replenish. Dehydration not only causes fatigue, but can lower blood pressure, weaken joints, dry mouth, dizziness, and headaches. It’s time to know that it’s something to take seriously and just how important it is to your job safety, and the safety of others.

Hydration improves not only your mental health and physical performance, but also your decision-making skills, brain function, and attention span.

On an average day, men need to drink about 13 cups of water and women 9 cups. Or another way to see it is, drink half your body weight in ounces. If it sounds like a lot, we have ideas on ways into tricking yourself to drink more water.

• Sneak water into your morning routine: If you drink coffee in the morning as soon as you wake up, then drink a glass of water right before your coffee. Studies say to do it in the same space in the same routine.
• Get a water bottle. Get a goal. : First, find a new larger water bottle to carry with you. Next, grab a marker and draw lines across to make as time goals. (See picture). This will create a challenge to see how much you need to drink by a particular time of the day. Bonus: you can also get friends to do this with you too.
• Make it a game: If you friends just got new water bottles too, turn it into a match. Try this. The last person to finish their water bottle by lunch time buys lunch.
• Add water flavors: If water sounds gross or not a craving, add some water flavors to it. It’s another great way to trick yourself to drink water, especially if it doesn’t taste like water.

 What ways can you sneak water into your daily routine? Do you know a co-worker or friend who would take the water challenge with you? How about just adding some flavor packets to the water bottle? We can all have a donut and coffees, but first a glass of water.

5 Ways to Prevent an Officer from Burnout

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As a police officer, physical and mental stresses are encountered daily, which can eventually take a toll. All of these stressors can lead to a hectic life. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight; it’s developed gradually and is different for each person.  But the most common symptom for all officers is fatigue.

Here are some symptoms to watch out for when on the path to burning out:

• Lose Motivation
• Trouble Concentrating
• Poor Work Habits
• Poor Health
• Possible Depression

If you feel like things are leading to these symptoms, we have easy ways to help you get out of that slump.

Focus on being healthy:  Eating better, exercise, and a good amount of sleep.

Pay attention to work hours: Start setting limits on your job hours, as much as possible. All work and no play make for a dull employee. Start creating a positive work balance.

Talking to Friends and Family:  Reach out to your support system and communicate what some of your stressors are.  You can even speak to your managers. They may provide insight that you may not have thought of before.

Staying Positive: Worry and stress happen every day for officers. This weight can get dull fast.  Many organizations contribute to showing appreciation, and simply thank you for doing a great job and complementing on an outstanding performance.

Focus on the future: Whether you are deciding to finish out your career in law enforcement until retirement or looking to move on, having something to look forward to can be powerful as a means of change. Once you have figured out what path you want to take, start with the necessary steps to get there.  Start with small steps if it is easier to make a change.

Again, everyone is different, and these quick suggestions may not be for you. But the important things to remember that making small changes can help your perception quickly give a peace of mind.

10 Ways to Thank a Peace Officer

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January 9 is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. In today’s supercharged environment, it’s more important than ever that we all thank officers for what they do to protect us and make our communities better.

If you are stumped for ways to show your appreciation, here are 10 ideas to thank law enforcement officers:

• Put up a positive post on social media supporting peace officers
• Change your profile on social media to the .jpeg image provided at facebook.com/nationalcops
• Bring some treats to your local police substation
• Encourage your children and neighbors to write letters of support of law enforcement for local newspapers and take thank you cards to a substation or headquarters
• If you see police officers tell them thank you for what they do
• Pay for their cup of coffee or lunch if you see them at a coffee shop or café
• Make a donation to an organization that assists injured officers or supports families of fallen officers
• Take advantage of volunteer opportunities to help your local police or sheriff’s department
• Fill a need your local law enforcement office might need: office supplies, outside clean up or beautification, etc.
• Make and distribute appreciation gift baggies for officers that include items such as lip balm, energy bar and drink, hand sanitizer, tissues, etc.

Find more information about National Law Enforcement Appreciation day and ways you can let officers know that you care at https://www.nationalcops.org/lead.html.

Thank you from everyone at California Casualty!

5 Secrets About Tattoos in Law Enforcement

by California Casualty | Peace Officers | 0 comments