Defining Purpose in Public Safety

Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today’s Tip is for everyone in public safety, and I’d like to start with a question: Why are you in the public safety profession? Why did you choose this line of work? 

The public’s need for safety is why we are here.

The German philosopher Nietzsche wrote, “If you know the why, you can live any how.” In public safety, we are here to serve. We are here for them.  

But then there’s the news. Politics. Certifications. Negotiations. Accreditations. The daily grind of doing our jobs and doing them well. It can be easy for us to lose sight of our why.  

So today, let’s focus on why we are here.  

Rank-and-file members serve the public directly. The public’s need for safety is why we are here. A public servant’s paycheck, a pension, a contract, an insurance policy – all these things are secondary. Every day, every call, every time, the people come first: We are here for them. 

But what if you’re a supervisor, director or chief officer? Your role is to help rank-and-file members serve the public. They are here for the public. You are here for them. 

Philosophers use the term “first principle” to refer to a fundamental assumption – something self-evident. That’s what I’m talking about here, friends. Every policy, every training, every guideline – heck, every email should be traceable back to that first principle: We are here for them. 

When you feel lost or when the daily grind is eating you alive, find those first principles. Follow the links back in the chain of service. And if you find that what you are doing isn’t rooted in that why – then change something. 

Remember: “If you know the why, you can live any how.” 

We are here for them. 

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

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