Sober Thoughts by Katerina G du Lac
Sometimes the greatest gift of sobriety is the ability to look in the mirror at the person you are in the moment..... Don't like what you see fix it, if you do like the reflection then embrace it.
As
I prepare for the next step on my road to join the San Francisco Police
Department I have been taking the time to think over why is it that I
want to be a member of the SFPD, what do I have to bring to the table? I
am a person who loves to aspire, sometimes what I want or would like to
see are not practical not because I am not capable of doing something
but because of established practices, limitations imposed way before I
come to the scene. To shake things up and take people out of their
comfort zones, to expect them to change their ideologies even when they
are in the wrong can often create bad blood among coworkers and lose
your job or you may get lucky and find support. I want to be a liaison
to the people an officer in whom people see integrity and genuine
compassion. SFPD motto is "we will provide service with understanding,
response with compassion, performance with integrity and law enforcement
with vision." I write this all not to negate the service the men and
women of SFPD provide as we have wonderful people serving our community,
but as look what i hope to bring in addition as I'd be allowed.
We will provide service with understanding- truthfully there is no way I or any one can understand what anyone may or may not be going through, what is happening in their life, lowest moments or any number of things that factor into creating their experiences. However I can empathetic to many concerns or experiences not limiting to sexual abuse, addiction, homelessness, suicide, religion or lack of, sex work, mental health, loneliness, LGBT issues, HIV, personal shame, and social stigma. I can be present and treat each person with respect and check my privilege as I need to remember regardless if guilty or not they are still a person and know that scared feeling when handcuffs are put on or gates close behind you in the booking room, the taunts from other inmates they will receive. try to empathetically see the deeper underlying cause, abuse, poverty, addiction, former police encounters, family problems, death. Basically whether i agree or not its not my place to judge or let my views get in the way of being human. Easy to say as Im not on the job, however In my years in various social services positions i see it I get, the experiences I lived allows for compassion and I want to be an advocate. I want to work with Special Victims Unit or Homicide I want to be a Detective as I am great at paying attention to detail noticing the small things. i want to be there for the victims but i also I want to work with DA (i know aspirations right) and help the accused get the help they need as well especially around addiction.
Response with compassion- its my choice to be an ass or to treat people. i have worked with people who can easily be consider asses for over 13 years but when you learn that most the time it is not about you for their attitudes and assess the whole picture miraculous things can happen. interpersonal relations is something I continually am strengthen in due to DBT skills, however coming into a such a position of authority, you come into a publics ideology and perceptions on the people behind the badge. I do not want to be the officer that I have come in contact with who was cold and rude and lacked compassion and empathy. Response with compassion doesnt mean you let people off the hook it means you show integrity, keep the process representing only the truth, and even if it creates an enemy you do not fabricate or plant things that are not there. you represent the accused and the victim you follow the law and not take sides and you hope the justice system does the right thing by the facts and complete facts you presented
Performance with integrity- integrity is a persons worth its doing whats right even when unpopular. If you compromise your integrity even once, even going along with the popular ideas, you and never fully regain that integrity sense of trust in the eyes of the public in whom you swore to serve and protect and your colleagues. Protect is not one sided its protecting the rights of the victims and the rights of the accused is our job. i want to see the Public one day see their citys protectors and servants as people they respect, trust, not scared of, but whom they can know that when they encounter the uniform their best interest and needs are meant and that we see them as equals and as human beings. We work for them, the public, they employ us and yet many have developed apathy toward the people who are suppose to protect and serve them. For me being a police officer is more than a career, more than a paycheck, its investing in the people of San Francisco's future and being part of the lives of our community and being a vehicle for positive change and empowering the lives of all we come n contact with.
Law Enforcement with vision- While we are called to serve and protect we have a responsibility to help be instruments in providing tools, education, and resources for people to better themselves and help people believe in themselves and work the community in providing resources and a compassion that looks What it was like for people, what brought them to where they are now, and how we can help build a better future. i feel whether a beat officer, desk, detective and investigators everyone can provide a more community front and not come across anti community. One of my favorite quotes is from Sir Thomas Moore's "Utopia." "If you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them." The problem is often crimes committed sometimes are cry for help. We arrest people for their crimes but what future do we give people when they get out of jail to support themselves and their family which unfortunately without giving tools to better themselves economically we lead individuals to be repeat offenders. our jails are overcrowded as is our prisons; homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and discrimination are high and we have many smart intelligent people capable of changing our communities for the better who like everyone one time or another make poor choices. How many crimes are actually substance abuse related, and or stem from untreated mental health issues from PTSD, trauma, and abuse in their lives.
San Francisco Police Department Statement of Values go on to say 1) Our Highest Priority is the Protection of Human Life 2) We Believe that while Crime Prevention is our Principle Goal, We should Vigorously Pursue those who Commit Serious Crimes 3) We Treat Members of the Public with Respect and Dignity. We Maintain the Highest Levels of Integrity and Professionalism in all Actions 4) We Recognize that the Department Members are its Greatest Asset and Assume Responsibility to Treat Them Professionally and Support Their Professional Development 5) We are committed to Solving Neighborhood Problems. We Care about the Quality of Life in the City's Neighborhoods and Believe that our services Must answer their Needs 6) We Maintain Open Communication with the Communities We Serve. Their Input Helps to Determine Police policies, Priorities and Strategies 7) We Believe that Policing Strategies Must Preserve and Advance Democratic Values. 8) We are Committed to Managing Our Resources in a Careful, Efficient and Effective Manner.
i do want to add my two cents that our resources are not just about costs, which is also important, but treating the People of San Francisco as Resources as well.
We have great people working in the San Francisco Police Department and I believe that people agree and stand by these values, unfortunately for whatever reasons lapses in judgment happen, those are the only things public tends to see.
Being a Police Officer is not what I set out be as a career as I was planning as I overcame my health, as I returned to work, working pretty much full time it is a passion that developed when I became a security officer. I wanted to go into medical field as EMT, Medical Assistant, and Radiology Technician. As I reflected on my background in social services, activism, politics and such I have worked with people both pre and post arrest and incarceration the book ends as I call it and would love to work with the meat of the book. I went into this with two options while the option of a corrections officer, especially juvenile corrections is on the table SFPD as I researched and played over and over why I want to be a police officer. I love Continuity and have an attention to detail anal quality about me where I tend to notice the slightest things out of place. When I thought about police careers growing up its always loved the ideal of being a detective and investigating homicides and as a survivor of sexual abuse which has helped me work with victims over the years its victims I want to be able to help them find closure advocate for them, and also make sure people are falsely accused either. Regardless the role I am able to play I want to be able to be example that labels, social problems, poverty, health are things that ae part of peoples wholeness but they dont define us and we can achieve and do anything we set our minds to do. when we find that voice and determination we can live and be present not for ourselves but for others whom we come in contact with. I am not define by labels but Stand for the people.
May 17 I will take the Physical Assessment Test. Already passed the exam
We will provide service with understanding- truthfully there is no way I or any one can understand what anyone may or may not be going through, what is happening in their life, lowest moments or any number of things that factor into creating their experiences. However I can empathetic to many concerns or experiences not limiting to sexual abuse, addiction, homelessness, suicide, religion or lack of, sex work, mental health, loneliness, LGBT issues, HIV, personal shame, and social stigma. I can be present and treat each person with respect and check my privilege as I need to remember regardless if guilty or not they are still a person and know that scared feeling when handcuffs are put on or gates close behind you in the booking room, the taunts from other inmates they will receive. try to empathetically see the deeper underlying cause, abuse, poverty, addiction, former police encounters, family problems, death. Basically whether i agree or not its not my place to judge or let my views get in the way of being human. Easy to say as Im not on the job, however In my years in various social services positions i see it I get, the experiences I lived allows for compassion and I want to be an advocate. I want to work with Special Victims Unit or Homicide I want to be a Detective as I am great at paying attention to detail noticing the small things. i want to be there for the victims but i also I want to work with DA (i know aspirations right) and help the accused get the help they need as well especially around addiction.
Response with compassion- its my choice to be an ass or to treat people. i have worked with people who can easily be consider asses for over 13 years but when you learn that most the time it is not about you for their attitudes and assess the whole picture miraculous things can happen. interpersonal relations is something I continually am strengthen in due to DBT skills, however coming into a such a position of authority, you come into a publics ideology and perceptions on the people behind the badge. I do not want to be the officer that I have come in contact with who was cold and rude and lacked compassion and empathy. Response with compassion doesnt mean you let people off the hook it means you show integrity, keep the process representing only the truth, and even if it creates an enemy you do not fabricate or plant things that are not there. you represent the accused and the victim you follow the law and not take sides and you hope the justice system does the right thing by the facts and complete facts you presented
Performance with integrity- integrity is a persons worth its doing whats right even when unpopular. If you compromise your integrity even once, even going along with the popular ideas, you and never fully regain that integrity sense of trust in the eyes of the public in whom you swore to serve and protect and your colleagues. Protect is not one sided its protecting the rights of the victims and the rights of the accused is our job. i want to see the Public one day see their citys protectors and servants as people they respect, trust, not scared of, but whom they can know that when they encounter the uniform their best interest and needs are meant and that we see them as equals and as human beings. We work for them, the public, they employ us and yet many have developed apathy toward the people who are suppose to protect and serve them. For me being a police officer is more than a career, more than a paycheck, its investing in the people of San Francisco's future and being part of the lives of our community and being a vehicle for positive change and empowering the lives of all we come n contact with.
Law Enforcement with vision- While we are called to serve and protect we have a responsibility to help be instruments in providing tools, education, and resources for people to better themselves and help people believe in themselves and work the community in providing resources and a compassion that looks What it was like for people, what brought them to where they are now, and how we can help build a better future. i feel whether a beat officer, desk, detective and investigators everyone can provide a more community front and not come across anti community. One of my favorite quotes is from Sir Thomas Moore's "Utopia." "If you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them." The problem is often crimes committed sometimes are cry for help. We arrest people for their crimes but what future do we give people when they get out of jail to support themselves and their family which unfortunately without giving tools to better themselves economically we lead individuals to be repeat offenders. our jails are overcrowded as is our prisons; homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and discrimination are high and we have many smart intelligent people capable of changing our communities for the better who like everyone one time or another make poor choices. How many crimes are actually substance abuse related, and or stem from untreated mental health issues from PTSD, trauma, and abuse in their lives.
San Francisco Police Department Statement of Values go on to say 1) Our Highest Priority is the Protection of Human Life 2) We Believe that while Crime Prevention is our Principle Goal, We should Vigorously Pursue those who Commit Serious Crimes 3) We Treat Members of the Public with Respect and Dignity. We Maintain the Highest Levels of Integrity and Professionalism in all Actions 4) We Recognize that the Department Members are its Greatest Asset and Assume Responsibility to Treat Them Professionally and Support Their Professional Development 5) We are committed to Solving Neighborhood Problems. We Care about the Quality of Life in the City's Neighborhoods and Believe that our services Must answer their Needs 6) We Maintain Open Communication with the Communities We Serve. Their Input Helps to Determine Police policies, Priorities and Strategies 7) We Believe that Policing Strategies Must Preserve and Advance Democratic Values. 8) We are Committed to Managing Our Resources in a Careful, Efficient and Effective Manner.
i do want to add my two cents that our resources are not just about costs, which is also important, but treating the People of San Francisco as Resources as well.
We have great people working in the San Francisco Police Department and I believe that people agree and stand by these values, unfortunately for whatever reasons lapses in judgment happen, those are the only things public tends to see.
Being a Police Officer is not what I set out be as a career as I was planning as I overcame my health, as I returned to work, working pretty much full time it is a passion that developed when I became a security officer. I wanted to go into medical field as EMT, Medical Assistant, and Radiology Technician. As I reflected on my background in social services, activism, politics and such I have worked with people both pre and post arrest and incarceration the book ends as I call it and would love to work with the meat of the book. I went into this with two options while the option of a corrections officer, especially juvenile corrections is on the table SFPD as I researched and played over and over why I want to be a police officer. I love Continuity and have an attention to detail anal quality about me where I tend to notice the slightest things out of place. When I thought about police careers growing up its always loved the ideal of being a detective and investigating homicides and as a survivor of sexual abuse which has helped me work with victims over the years its victims I want to be able to help them find closure advocate for them, and also make sure people are falsely accused either. Regardless the role I am able to play I want to be able to be example that labels, social problems, poverty, health are things that ae part of peoples wholeness but they dont define us and we can achieve and do anything we set our minds to do. when we find that voice and determination we can live and be present not for ourselves but for others whom we come in contact with. I am not define by labels but Stand for the people.
May 17 I will take the Physical Assessment Test. Already passed the exam
