Hi, My Name Is.....

Making a change can be a right, "pain in the arse", as my dad would say but change is what keeps us fresh and challenges us to break out of our usual day to day selves. My move from a small district to a new, much larger district had been interesting and sometimes frustrating.

I went from a four person unit serving a five square mile area to supervising eleven deputies spread over approximately four hundred-fifty square miles! For a guy who likes to interact with his co-workers this has been a huge adjustment.

My home life has changed too. I went from a "normal" day shift (M-F 8am - 5pm) to an afternoon shift (2p - 10p w/Sun & Mon off). As a result, I still get to sleep at home with my wife (so I can't complain about that) but I only get to see her and The Princess for about two hours each morning as I get them off to work and school. They are both in bed by the time I get home, so I snuggle in and get set for my next 2 hours the following day. I get maybe an hour more on Saturday, which I use to take The Princess to ballet class. Then it's straight home, shower, change and off to work.

Your thinking that timing won't work, but here's the other part to factor in. I live approximately forty minutes from this new district and I need to be there no later than 1:30pm so I have to leave my home between 12:30 and 12:45.

Overall, my squad is a great bunch of deputies with experience levels from less than one year to over twenty-five years. They are starting to respond to "the new boss" and I think they have the potential and ability to be the best squad in our district. I am fortunate to have a full squad and I plan on making the best of that by deploying and utilizing my guys to make the best possible improvements in our areas. I have some plans and ideas and I am encouraging them to do the same and challenging them to "own their zones", know the bad guys, the good guys, and develop ways we can better serve or communities. I 'll let you know how we do.

I have new bosses too. I now "officially" report to one Lieutenant but since the district has four of them I need to interact with all of them at one time or another. That in and of itself is a challenge as each of them has their own unique management style and I need to be able to conform to each of them as needed. My new Commander has been with the agency a long time and he appears genuinely interested in his people - a trait lacking in a lot of supervisors of all types. He has challenged me to do the best I can with what I have and I aim to do just that.

One little thing I am still getting used to is being back in a marked patrol car. I can't rush anywhere and need to leave plenty of time to get where I'm going because as soon as the drivers in front of me see the patrol car suddenly EVERYONE is doing the speed limit OR LESS! AND they are almost afraid to move out of my way in case I pull them over for an improper change of lane. At least that how it feels to me - I could be wrong.