Avoid Off-Duty Habits
Category: Law Enforcement
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. And today’s Tip is for anyone in law enforcement.
The status quo in our personal lives may not be safe in our professional lives.
If you’re like me, you probably love going to the same place over and over again. It’s comforting to know that you’re not going to be disappointed. Whether it’s ordering off the same menu at the same restaurant. Shopping at the same grocery store. Or walking the aisles at the same big box hardware store. Odds are that what you want today will likely be there, just like it was yesterday. And the day before.
But the status quo in our personal lives may not be safe in our professional lives. In law enforcement, the status quo can have serious consequences.
When you’re at work, do you go to the same convenience store? Do you have a favorite barista who makes your coffee just the way you like it? Do you go to the same diner at 3:00 a.m. because it’s the only decent place open late? I know I did.
But, I’m guessing more than one of your academy instructors advised you not to be a creature of habit. You were probably told to vary your routine as much as possible. I remember being told to take different routes when going back and forth to the station from home.
Most of us won’t forget how we were taught to handcuff people. So why do we forget a simple officer safety concept that may save our life? It is just as important as handcuffing a person. Maybe it’s complacency or maybe it’s just the old “it won’t happen to me” belief. Whatever the reason, please remember there are people out there who won’t give a second thought to causing you harm.
Frequenting the same place, on the same day, at the same time, makes you an easy target. It gives someone the upper hand if they choose to attack you.
Please vary your daily routine. Find a different barista. Who knows, you may even like their coffee better. Don’t be a creature of habit. It may just save your life!
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham signing off.
