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Jun
28
2021
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Posted 3 years 149 days ago ago by Admin
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Ever since my daughter went into a high school criminal justice magnet program in the ninth grade, she wanted to work in law enforcement (LE).
She recently had several events come together, which kicked off the career that she has worked hard for. She finished an internship with a federal LE agency, graduated with her bachelor’s degree, and was accepted into another university’s graduate program for LE intelligence. Within two weeks of graduation, she was hired by an LE agency.
I’ve always been a fan of LE. Although not directly in it, I’ve been tied to that field for much of my career in more ways than one. Having said that, given the current political environment, and my own child’s entry into the field, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is now a good time to be entering LE?
After reflection and talking to people in the field, I learned that the people who are in that line of work don’t really think that way. It’s not about politics. It’s not about power. It’s really about service. I mean think about it. Every officer or agent knows they have a higher risk of being killed (than the average citizen) when they go to work each day. Why would people choose such a high-risk career, if not for the desire to serve others being in their DNA?
Risk Management
On the subject of high-risk, I recently spent a few days with an LE agency in Florida. The SWAT team was performing fast rope ops from helicopters as part of their regular training. Day Two was a long, hot day with dozens of ops occurring with multiple teams. The teams were building up to a pinnacle scenario in which SWAT members were to be successfully deployed onto the small rooftop of a three-story shoot house, make entry and mitigate a threat using lethal force. The original plan was to perform this fast-paced mission near the end of the day. However, when the unit instructors, crew-chiefs, and pilots came together to perform a risk assessment, it was decided to put the operation off until Day Three of training. Considering the length of the day (seven hours to that point) and the unseasonable high heat for which the team members had been wearing full body armor, it was recognized that fatigue could likely become a risk factor during one of the most complex and high-risk training operations up to that point.
I was present during that meeting when I heard one of the senior SWAT instructors say that there’s no training operation worth risking the injury of a team member because of something that can be controlled, like fatigue. The very next morning, with rested teams and pilots, the pinnacle training evolution went off without a hitch. You can learn more about that op on page 46.
We at Rotorcraft Pro are grateful for the men and women who serve our country and communities in LE in order to protect and defend us regular citizens. Our team will be at the Airborne Public Safety Conference this July in New Orleans, so come on by our booth and let us thank you in person!