Gordon Graham
Category: Law Enforcement

Today’s Tip applies to anyone in law enforcement. Friends, I’d like you to consider the value of the civilian personnel on your team. 

A law enforcement agency has many working parts. Many of those parts involve civilians who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the wheels turning.

The person who stores your evidence and knows exactly where it is when you need it for court is often a civilian employee. The person who finds and copies a report you wrote 17 years ago is also a civilian employee. 

What about that calm and clear radio voice that tracks your location during a pursuit? Yep, you guessed it, often a civilian employee. These folks are masterful at calming down callers to get you the best possible information. Maybe they send the fire department, medical aid, or even a tow truck. 

Some of you work with community service officers or volunteers. These folks are often civilians. They do things like fingerprint suspects, direct traffic, and even handle minor traffic crashes.  

In years past, sworn personnel filled many positions that didn’t require a gun and a badge. But more and more, civilians now staff these important support functions. 

A law enforcement agency has many working parts. Many of those parts involve civilians who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the wheels turning. They keep us safe and help us do our jobs more efficiently. They bring order to chaos every day and every night. So, take a minute right now and think about how many non-sworn personnel help you every day. And be sure to thank them for their efforts. 

One last thought: To our dispatch members. I talk to a lot of dispatchers around this great country. And the one thing that I hear most often is, “Gordon, the thing that bothers is me, is I never find out how it ended.” Take the time to give them a call, tell them how it ended up, close the loop and thank them for their great work. 

And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.