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Thursday, May 17, 2018
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Striving to make a difference Ride-alongs reveal officers’ dedication
By Faye Burg Dedication, training and a sincere desire to help their communities form the backbone of our local law enforcement agencies. In conversations with area officers, as well as police chiefs Craig Plehn, Dave Funkhouser and Brian Reedy, the passion and professionalism that emanates from their departments is obvious. They are adamant about safety, about protecting and serving the communities they serve, about quality training and proper equipment and about the brotherhood that exists between officers. Each department varies as far as workspace and facilities, shifts, equipment and officer staffing. The officers on the departments come from local and outlying areas and various educational backgrounds, with each sharing the drive and dedication necessary to be successful in this noble profession. Parts of my editorial job responsibilities include processing court records and area accident reports, and while doing so I am happy to often be able to touch base and spend time speaking with area officers. I thought I had a relatively good understanding of their profession, until I actually sat in that squad car and spent time in their world. Spending time in their world Recently I was privileged to be able to participate in more than a dozen ride alongs with the Chilton, Kiel and New Holstein police departments, as well as the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department. I was amazed at the knowledge the officers possess, their training, and how well they perform their duties each day. Their minds are constantly working, scanning their surroundings, listening, observing and using their training to make sure they are doing the best job they can do. Each officer is different, but their goals are the same; to serve their community. Unlike the perception some people might have of law enforcement, they do not come to work anticipating who they can catch speeding or with expired licenses or plates. While that is part of their job, their actual duties are far more wide-ranging than simply issuing citations. While I admit to at first having feelings of excitement at the thought of the
Chilton Police Officer Brad Kuehl uses the squad car laptop during a recent patrol.
ride alongs and possibly seeing some action; I quickly changed my mind. Traveling at high speeds through rush hour traffic on an area highway is a sobering experience, as is viewing the scene of an accident and the aftermath of such. It was eye opening to sit in a squad car on the side of a busy highway during traffic stops and noticing very few vehicles moving over for the flashing lights. While I was stayed in the squad car, the officer was out standing at the window of the pulled over vehicle doing his job. The speed at which traffic closely passed both the squad car and the vehicle that was pulled over often made the squad literally rock back and forth from the breeze, while the officer is standing just a few feet away. All these factors combined could easily and quickly turn a mundane traffic stop into a tragic situation. Like all of us, officers want to go home at the end of their workday. They have mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, children and friends that love them. Kids look forward to seeing mom or dad come home at the end of their shift. Spouses understand they might be alone at holiday gatherings and other special occasions because duty calls for their loved one. Spouses also understand, although not without worry, if duty does not allow the officer to leave on time at the end of his or her shift. Accidents, crimes, mental health holds and other official duties do not recognize timetables or shift changes. And just like you and I, they are allowed and deserve to take breaks during their workday, although those can be few and far in between depend-
ing on the activities occurring. Officers routinely attempt to sit down for a quick lunch or dinner only to receive a call for service. The meals are left behind as they immediately jump into action. Well aware of risk The officers have chosen this profession, and they will tell you they are well aware of the sacrifices and risks involved, but it is a job they are dedicated to and proud to do. They will be the first ones to tell you they are not perfect; but like you and me, they do the best job they can. They relish positive interactions with the community and cherish every special thank you they might receive, especially from children. A local officer I rode with has a special scrapbook of remembrances of which he is very proud. Each officer I was able to spend time with said they got into this profession to help people. They know that sometimes people just need to vent, and they want residents to know they are there to help them in their times of need. Officers are proud when they speak of how former offenders have come back to them years later and thanked them for caring enough to make a difference in their lives and helping them get on a better path in life. Although most officers thrive at and love what they do, they often do not wish to see their own children enter into the field. Many are concerned with what they see as often-unfair representations of their professions and what they do. Veteran officers are saddened and frustrated by what they perceive as
Faye Burg photo
a major shift in public support, which is something they try to counteract every day. Officers know their communities well and immediately notice when something seems out of place. They are well aware of how accidents, crime, drug abuse and other incidents affect lives. Incidents and scenes can stay with the officers involved forever. Most often they are the first to arrive at the site of an accident, and the first to aide the victims. They can tell you the names and everything that happened the day they tried, but couldn’t save a child or adult. They still see the faces of victims of domestic violence and other crimes. They will often check in on children and others that have been involved in incidents. A Calumet County Sheriff’s Deputy I had the pleasure to ride along with purchased a Sheriff’s K9 stuffed dog that he planned to give to a young accident victim. An officer from an another department took money out of his own pocket and shared it with a homeless person. One of the things that impressed me the most during the time I spent with the officers was that while they are cautious, the amount of courage they must have while doing their jobs is phenomenal. There are safety measures in place, but as officers approach a vehicle that they have pulled over, or enter an unlocked door of a local business late at night, or knock on the door of a home during a domestic dispute, or rush to the scene of an accident, Turn to RIDE-ALONG/page 22B