Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE The Evolution of Modern Day Policing The older we get, specifically in this profession, we witness the change and evolution of our profession. Call pads and key maps have been replaced with super computers in our cars. (I still carry my call pad and key map because one day Sky-Net will take down everything and I’d be lost) We have advanced from mechanical rotating light bars to strobes to LEDS to super LEDS. And we have hand-held radios that work. Even inside a building and everything. It’s crazy. Personally, I’ve migrated from a poly-wool uniform, long sleeve and tie in the winter months and a revolver, to some of the lightest and coolest uniforms ever made. Our sidearms and clips hold nearly 48 rounds verses the 18 we used to carry. (I still carry my 1911, winner of TWO World Wars) We now carry mini rechargeable flashlights that weigh less than 5 oz. vs our old SL-20’s that weighed several pounds and could easily kill someone. And those little lights are somehow computer chip driven. Here again, it’s crazy. Our patrol cars have evolved from the old Dodge Diplomat, (my first) to Chevrolet Tahoe’s that will absolutely scream down the highway and carry everything we need. The inside of my old Diplomat had one small VHF Radio and a toggle switch to turn on the rotating light bar. Oh yeah, it had the old blue faced Federal siren. And that my friends, was it! Away we went, screaming into the night. Crushing crime and communism wherever we found it. Yep. You guessed it. It was crazy! But wait there’s more. You see, I retired at the end of 2023. I picked up my retired Chief’s ID and out the door I went. In all the years, I have seen a LOT of changes. And most importantly, I have seen a lot of good men and women not have the opportunity I had….to actually survive this job and retire. Oh, I have plenty of scars inside and out and somehow survived. Although, I sure don’t know how. I‘ve ridden in several ambulances and was loaded into life flight twice. Honestly, I don’t know how I made it. Especially when far better people than I could ever be, didn’t. I honestly feel a bit guilty and think at times, “Those medics and doctors saved the wrong guy.” One thing about retirement that sucks is that those who trained us, are slowing fading away. Those “Old Guard” guys and gals are much older now and every day another one slips the surly bounds of this old earth. And it’s painful. They were damn good cops and damn good people and now they’re gone. It is not all doom and gloom. There are plenty of memories of laughter and craziness. I’ve had some amazing times over the past thirty plus years, carrying a badge and gun every single day. We all could do without the bad times and bad people, but then I would not have appreciated the good times and good people nearly as much. So, that’s a winning hand. And yes, in the end, as I sit here with my cup of coffee and reflect, it was crazy and so were we. I’ll always miss the crazy people and the crazy times. I feel privileged to have had the life I lived, and I’m not done yet. Stay tuned for Part 2. 8 The Blues - February ‘24

Well, it’s the New Year. Which in and of itself, brings about new opportunities. One of those new opportunities is the new TCOLE web site. Its up and running!!! Now to be fair, there’s still some “under construction” going on and I am OK with that. The fact that they finally got the darn thing back up and running is a huge help in more ways than one. For example, finding your account and information is critical to ensure you’re staying up to date on all the required courses the TCOLE Board continues to administer. Equally, there is a lot of information that helps officers understand how TCOLE works and gives an officer an opportunity to see what’s happening around the state. One of the critical features of this site is the Job Listings. This feature helps all kinds of people in our state who are looking for a job in the Law Enforcement / Criminal Justice field. Telecommunicators, Jailors, Peace Officers, and more, can all find the most up to date postings from across Texas. And as difficult as it is to fill those open positions, it’s just as welcome by Department Heads, START SHOPPING The Blues - February ‘24 9