When the founding fathers wrote the First Amendment of the Constitution, I bet they never could have imagined the power and influence the press would eventually wield and subsequently abuse, or how ratings and advertising would control the content of the news media. Today’s press is now a threat to the truth and justice for which the Constitution was written to uphold. The media has strayed from merely reporting the news, to influencing public opinion one way or the other. Even if an actual news story is technically unbiased, sometimes their influence is exerted by the mere content they choose to report on. For instance, certain politicians may make a mistake and it’s barely noted if at all, while other politicians make a similar misstep and the news media coverage goes on for weeks and weeks. Other times the media cherry picks their facts in order to make a case. They use omission, misrepresentation, and allegations by anyone, despite their agenda, to raise questions and concerns about an issue. But it’s now, at this time in history, that the growing percentage of the population is fed up and tired of being told what to think. These same people understand the media needs to be reigned in—a lot. Finally, it’s beginning to happen. The media is about to get the haircut they so desperately need and it is not going to come in the form of a constitutional amendment or even legislation. Instead, it seems the evolution of technology and social media is beginning to affect this change. People, agencies, departments, and organizations are taking back control over their own messages. We are now able to provide our own narrative fairly and more thoroughly than the press by releasing our own content, complete with videos, statements, pictures, and more online. The best example of this is President Trump. Despite the media’s best efforts (and they are in an all out frenzy over this guy) the President controls his own messages, content, and narrative through social media. Like him or hate him, the media is far less effective against this president than ever before in history. Perhaps a less controversial example is the recent video released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The video, featuring Sheriff Tony Spurlock tells the public what happened the night 5 deputies were shot, one fatally on December 31, 2017. The headline from the local media following the release of the video read, “Douglas County Sheriff Releases a Video Showing Portions of Deadly Deputy Zack Parrish Shooting.” The significance of this headline is that none of the local news agencies were “first” or could brag about the story being “exclusive.” Why? Because the ones to break the story, control the content and message, and release the video footage was the involved sheriff’s office. Instead, the media was relegated to retelling the story the sheriff’s department had already shared—the way they wanted it told. The sheriff’s video was very professional. It was scripted, had proper lighting, videography and was well edited. It contained body camera footage, a timeline, and the thoughts from the sheriff regarding the actions of the deputies that night. It also honored the fallen officer, Deputy Zachari Parrish, for his sacrifice. The sheriff’s video on Facebook has over one and a half million views and climbing. When I served as a supervisor in media relations at the Denver Police Department, we were among the first few agencies to begin releasing and controlling our own content. We were also pioneers in law enforcement regarding our efforts to change the false narrative against police by telling our own stories of the good work the men and women in blue do every single day. We put out videos, newscasts, interviews, and more. I also produced monthly audio podcasts with the Chief that answered questions from the rank and file. We grew our Facebook and Twitter followers into the tens of thousands. We controlled our own messages. It was and still is a very effective form of communication. We should see more police executives following suit and they needn’t wait until an officer is killed to make a video. This can be done after an officer involved shooting, a controversial event, or to combat a media story in which the subject department was treated unfairly or their interview “cut up” in order to make them look bad. I left the Denver Police Department in part because being on the front lines of this war on the cops I needed to have more freedom and latitude to say and put out the kinds of things I believed would help mend the relationship between police officers and the citizens. For example, a recent podcast of mine debunked a local news story from a Denver television station who raised concerns about an officer involved shooting. I believed the news story to be a poor representation of the facts. It was the exact kind of media coverage that is responsible for the false narrative prevailing in this country that the police are out of control. I was able to break down the story, show piece by piece why I believed it was flawed, and then I presented evidence from the District Attorney’s investigation to also assist in proving the officer’s actions were reasonable and appropriate. I didn’t have to sell my story to some newspaper, magazine, or television station. I didn’t have to convince a news editor or program director to put my story on the air. Instead, I just got out my camera, recorded what it was I needed to say and put it out there for the world to see, for those that wanted the truth. Now, I certainly don’t have the viewership of that local Denver station, not yet at least, but my podcast has been seen by thousands of people so far and grows every week. And since this tapering of the news media’s power and influence is in its infancy, well that’s a good start. So while the founding fathers may not have anticipated that freedom of the press would have spiraled as far as it has, we can all be assured a remedy is already en route. The basic tenets they laid out were so amazingly brilliant as to enable us to become the strongest, richest, and most prosperous nation on earth in a relatively short period of time. I believe the founding fathers did have the foresight to know not to legislate too many rules and regulations. They built our nation on good basic principles and then left us in charge of giving the haircuts—however we see fit. **Steve Warneke is a speaker, broadcaster, police expert, and author. Find his book From Boy To Blue and more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.

One of my favorite things to do in life is to explore and expose new perspectives about our country, our issues, and our relationships. When it comes to vocation, I discovered one of these new perspectives after getting my real estate license and attempting to be a full-time Realtor. Before I had taken the plunge I thought the life of a Realtor would be awesome— Just take people around to look at properties for sale, negotiate, and then when the house closes, collect a gigantic check. Voilà! I’m rich! I quickly found out some truths about working in that industry. The job of being a real estate agent is not so easy. There’s a ton of work that an agent doesn’t get paid directly for doing. There’s hours and hours of cold-calls, thousands of dollars on mailers and advertising, events, floor time, coaching, and on and on go the expenses and tasks in order to try to drum up business. I had several times where I took people around for days and weeks trying to find them a property, only to have them call me one day telling me they decided to rent something. I never saw a dime from any of the time I spent with them. Late night phone calls and last minute weekend showings were a regular occurrence. It was like I was on-call 24/7, 365 days a year. And if I did manage to close a deal and get that large commission check, there would be a split with all kinds of people, teams, and bosses depending on where the sale had originated. My point here is that after having done it, I had a TOTALLY different perspective about the job of a Realtor. And unless you know a real estate agent or have done it, my bet is that you think like I first did. Yet not understanding the job of a real estate agent has a minimal effect on us as a society. Realtors aren’t on the news nearly every day being reported on negatively. We aren’t less safe as a country, we aren’t bickering over rules and regulations for agents, nor are NFL players kneeling to protest anything real estate related. Now, if you were passionate enough to want to know what it’s like, obtaining your real estate license is not that difficult. In the list of my lifetime achievements, I would rank it: Easy / Mild Nuisance. Due to the complexity of the job, understanding the perspective of a police officer is infinitely more difficult than that of a real estate agent. You can’t go out, take a weeklong class, pass a test and be a licensed police officer. Just making it through a police department’s selection, hiring, and training process is exponentially more difficult and complex. Secondly there are far less police officers in America than there are real estate agents. Therefore it’s more difficult to even find someone who has the police perspective to share. The police officers that ARE in place, don’t typically talk. Fear of retribution from executives, fear of the media not reporting fairly, and fear of public backlash are all other reasons police don’t often address the public. Add to that the many different layers of oversight an officer has to answer to, and you will see officers are already scrutinized plenty. The difference is that not understanding the perspective of a police officer IS detrimental to us as a society. We are less safe when we are scared of the police or don’t trust them. We don’t listen to what they tell us to do in an emergency. We may not even have the faith to call them. Officers are now being killed because people don’t understand the job, the circumstances of each case, and the applicable laws. People are out making summary judgments about every single case they hear about, after only hearing one side of the argument. On top of one-sided media stories, it’s no secret people are intrigued by the job of a police officer. As evidence, I point to the many television and movie portrayals of cops. Some of the biggest movies and shows every year involve cops. This adds to the problem as Hollywood creates distorted views about the police and the job they do. The inundation of destructive Hollywood portrayals also leads people to make incorrect assessments about real-life police issues. And while all this occurs, real officers are doing less police work so they reduce the risk of being involved in confrontation and controversy. Also, many police departments are changing their selection and hiring process to identify and promote passive personalities. At some point, this will cause people to be hurt when an officer fails to act. Now if you are passionate about wanting to know what it really is like for cops, becoming a police officer just to see for yourself is probably not an option. IF you manage to make it though the rigorous selections process and IF you pass the academy and field training, it will be close to a year before you are out on your own. Then, you’ll need at least a couple years to be able to understand the job as a whole. I would rank the achievement of making it to my first day (by myself) on the street as an officer as: Extremely difficult – The hardest, most challenging accomplishment of my life – I’m forever more confident because I did it. I’m willing to bet, like most Americans, you ARE intrigued and interested in the job of a police officer. Furthermore, I believe you care about increasing your safety and the overall safety of the community. And since you can’t run out and become an officer in a week or two, all you need now is an officer who is willing to speak up. Now that I have honorably retired after 15 years, I’m stepping forward to share with you. The last piece that’s missing, and all I need to help get my messages heard, is your attention. As we move forward, I want you to know what I have to say is not political. I don’t care if you’re pro-life or pro-choice. I don’t care if you own guns or don’t. I don’t care what kind of social programs you are interested in or what tax rate you would like to see implemented. I don’t care what color you are, where you are from, what you do for a living, what religion you are. I don’t care if you’re gay or straight. All I care is that you are open and willing to listen to what I have to say. I offer you something new, something that hasn’t ever been offered before- my perspective. I have over 15 years of law enforcement experience. I worked in Districts 1,3,4,5, and 6 of the Denver Police Department. I was a financial crimes detective, an internal affairs investigator, certified hostage negotiator, field training officer, neighborhood police officer, sergeant, public relations supervisor and PIO. During much of my time at the department, I was also a radio talk show host on 850KOA in Denver. Prior to that and also while I was an officer, I did hourly news updates, along with writing and producing news stories for Clear Channel. I produced video content, podcasts and other material during my time as a public relations supervisor to try to show the good work officers do every day, in order to humanize the police to the public. I won four Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Emmy awards for this content. I was one of a very few openly gay officers. I made it through a successful career in a hyper-masculine industry and while still managing to be well regarded and respected. The other cops often invited my significant other to be part of the outside work social group. I tell you all this so you can learn about who I am, where I came from, what I’ve done, and why I’m doing what I’m doing. After discovering I could never be a full-time Realtor, I’ve found myself full circle, coming back to police work and sharing the police perspective. I’ve just released my first tell-all memoir; I post articles and podcast every week on all my social media sites, sharing the truth from behind the line. So just why am I doing this? I’m doing this because I know one of the purposes of my life was to heal this important and critical divide between officers and citizens. I’m doing this because I care about you, this country, and our quality of life. I’m doing this because I love police officers and respect the REAL job they do every single day. One of my most significant skills is strong communication. I’m going to use that to help Americans gain a new perspective, a more accurate one, about the most important job in the country. Imagine if all the police in America simultaneously walked off the job right now— just think about how quickly we would all be in danger even within the confines of our own homes. **Steve Warneke is a retired Denver Police sergeant, police expert, consultant, speaker and author of From Boy To Blue. Find more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.

It’s been called the Friday news dump. That is the practice of releasing news on a Friday in hopes that the story doesn’t get the attention it deserved because of the impending weekend distractions. I’m not sure if it was a coincidence, but a Friday is the day we got to hear one of the most positive police stories in recent memory. And one thing is for certain—we haven’t heard a lot more about the Washington, D.C. study since it was released. So, just why didn’t we get to hear a ton of commentary about the results from the biggest study on police body worn cameras, or BWCs, since their inception? Why is it we aren’t hearing news network debates, late night talk show comments, or panels of expert opinions on this study? Probably because it’s not sexy, it’s anticlimactic, and certainly goes against much of what the news loves to cover so often. BWCs began being used in many police departments across the country, and almost every other agency in the nation committing to future use, after a string of high profile police incidents. They were going to hold police accountable and reduce the incidents where police used force. The largest study just released was conducted using 2,224 officers in the Washington, D.C. police department, which found BWCs have no detectable, meaningful effect on documented uses of force incidents or civilian complaints. Previously, the main study cited for the use of body cameras (and the one used on the website of Axon, who has sold over 300,000 of them) was a 2013 experiment using only 54 officers from Rialto, California. Another study by the NYPD is expected out this spring. Take a moment and think back over the last couple of years and recall the times you’ve come across released footage of a body camera. The vast majority of instances have corroborated what officers and police executives already knew, before $40 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent—in a supermajority of cases, officers are reasonable and appropriate in their instances of use of force. Perhaps the police were doing the right thing in the first place? Let that possibility sink in for a few moments—the men and women in blue deserve it. When this all began, naturally most of the officers were against the idea of body cameras. Everyone assumed it was because they were heavy-handed and doing things they shouldn’t be. Very few stopped to imagine how it would feel if a body camera were attached to YOU everyday at work. Adding insult to injury was that these men and women who were going out everyday putting their lives on the line for complete strangers were not only being chastised, but also having their accounts of what had occurred being doubted. Even now, critics site recent reform of the Washington, D.C. police as the reason why the study didn’t reveal the conclusions they so desperately wanted. They continue to site bumper sticker platitudes, make everything partisan, and point to the one or two major examples nationwide every year where an officer’s actions were criminal. There was however some good that came out of police body cameras. Body cam footage exonerated a ton of police officers in questionable cases and justified their actions. This footage was used in court to obtain convictions and also to train officers. The big question is after spending all this money, did implementing body cameras increase the public’s trust or help improve the perception of the job police are doing? Or did the Friday news dump and lack of coverage mean you didn’t even hear about it? **Steve is a writer, speaker, consultant and police expert. You can find his book and more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.

After 15 years in law enforcement, one of the skills I am most proud about developing is that of being able to spot a creep. Over the years I’ve had to deal with many of them. I’ve heard of their suave, manipulative rhetoric as recounted by their victims, most of them women. I’ve heard how they weasel their way into people’s lives, getting close in order to take advantage of them. I’ve interviewed and investigated these predators, and having spent so much time with them, I feel like I can see them and their motivations better now. It almost feels like my eyes have become an x-ray machine, peering beyond people’s eyes into their soul, revealing much of their nefarious thoughts. It’s been both a blessing and a curse. Many people who know me chalk up my warnings to hyper-paranoia, but I know better. The times the universe has allowed the truth to be revealed, I am almost always right about people’s true intentions. At the book festival this past week, amongst all the beautiful weather, amazing authors, and loads and loads of interesting readers, I had the misfortune to come across a man who allowed me to exercise this skill in spotting a creep. It was a man who I could tell had a massive disdain for me immediately. But as I watched him come up with different excuses to come back over to my booth, I quickly figured out it was my marketing manager he had zeroed in on. She is approximately 40 years his junior, and over the course of the day, he slowly revealed himself to be a creeper. He would start off telling of his past accomplishments, of his connections and then made sure to dangle the carrot that perhaps he could use these to help our cause. But then there were several insinuations just barely sliding his toes across the proverbial line into the sexual realm. They were comments that had no place for an old man talking to a young woman at a book festival. Predators often tell tales or hint at how they are desired by others, in order for their victim to perceive them as desirable and highly sought after. Often times there’s unnecessary touching—a hand on a shoulder whenever the slightest opportunity exists to do so or a slight squeeze of the arm. Lechery should always be a red flag. Another tactic used by predators, is the attempt to make future plans, to secure the connection. Our creeper was very intent about cementing an event sometime in the future. This event is either mutually beneficial or is beneficial to their target, so that the target will want to follow up. There’s only one more step left at this point, and it’s to exchange contact information just before the targets are about to leave, which our predator also completed. The interesting thing is that even my marketing manager will be the first to tell you that her red flags were waving. She too felt he was creepy, but believed by being kind, courteous and keeping the contact professional, she was doing the right thing. Another worry of hers was coming off as rude or unfriendly. So, she did the polite thing and smiled, obliged his request for information and tried her best to keep things professional. Just like clockwork, the first Monday morning after the book fair, guess who called to follow up regarding all the possible plans that were offered? With yet more inappropriate suggestions? Yet another clue that something was not right. Here’s what I learned this weekend: Most people ALREADY HAVE a sense of when they are in a dangerous or predatory situation. They feel it. They have an inkling that something isn’t right. The difference is that they often put that feeling aside or ignore it because they are concerned that they will be perceived as rude or unfriendly, instead attempting to be kind to the creep. I can tell you first hand that even if a crime never comes to fruition after an encounter such as this, it was probably close to occurring. The more interactions a target has with a predator, the more likely something is going to happen. I’ve responded to instances too many times that began just like this one, and found them ending in victimization and tragedy. So LISTEN TO YOUR SPIDEY-SENSE. It’s so important to follow your instincts. Do not be concerned about how you will be perceived when your creep alarms are going off. And I’m especially talking to the ladies here. Don’t give out any information, don’t make any plans, don’t smile or entertain their advances. You have to give the predator a firm, cold shoulder and make a clear boundary that you are not interested in any further exchange with this person and then get yourself out of there. If you don’t, I’ve seen it happen often where pretty soon police become involved, either serving restraining orders or taking a criminal report. The one thing you absolutely have to make sure of when your danger alarm is ringing is that come Monday morning, your phone isn’t. **Steve is an writer, speaker, consultant, and author of From Boy To Blue. Find more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com

If you’re upset by the retaliation from a Miami-Dade Police Officer this weekend as cops carried an unruly female out of the college football stadium, let’s talk about it. During the University of Miami game this past Saturday, officers got a call of a disturbance and when they arrived to the stadium section, they found a woman who wouldn’t leave as instructed. It took four officers to forcibly remove her from the game (yet another example of a generation of people who do not respect authority). When the 14-second video begins, you can see four officers tugging and pulling a reluctant game-goer toward the exit, which doesn’t seem to be working. Officers decide to pick her up and carry her out of the stands. While she’s being carried out, she slaps an officer across the face and he hits her back, appearing to knock her out until she is carried out of view of the camera. For those of you interested in what happened to her, 30-year-old Bridget Freitas was charged with disorderly conduct and battery on a police officer. Also worth noting for those of you keeping score on racial profiling in police use of force cases, is this is a Caucasian female who was punched back by an African-American officer. So here’s the question everyone’s asking: Was the cop justified in hitting her back? As I’ve noted before—the use of force by police, while reasonable and appropriate, never looks good on video. That is never going to change. In a world where video cameras are ubiquitous, filming nearly everyone’s every move, the sooner we accept and remember this fact when we see police videos, the sooner we can move forward as a society. Now let me discuss the actual use of force here. The strike by the officer wasn’t a retaliatory you-hit-me-so-I-hit-you-back use of force—that’s what happens when a 10-year-old boy retaliates against his bullying older brother. The main reason this officer SHOULD have hit her as he did is TO STOP HER FROM FURTHER ASSAULTING HIM OR ANYONE ELSE. Maybe her next hit does cause major injury to that same officer? Maybe her next hit scratches his eye damaging his vision forever? Maybe it causes the officer (or a different officer) to lose balance and fall, dropping the woman and injuring her, a nearby fan, or a cop? It’s totally conceivable that someone could get hurt if the police do not STOP a person who has DECIDED to PHYSICALLY ASSAULT an officer. The fact that she is a female and the officer is male should not exempt the situation from use of force either. During my time at the police department, one of my partners was beat up the worst of his career by a female. He told me afterwards the reason he got hurt so badly was because at first, he was trying to take it easy on her because of her gender. He looked at me and said, "Never again." We can all agree women are just as capable of injuring a police officer as men are. Also, considering this woman chose to commit a physical assault against a police officer in protest of her removal from a football game should speak volumes about her character. There must be consequences for our actions. The police are where the buck stops. If you are standing face to face with an officer of the law, your train is at the last stop. Your actions have more severe consequences at this point, because you’ve now escalated a situation to the point where the laws of the United States are potentially being broken, and police are there to enforce it. You’re choices here are simple: get in line or you will be forced to get in line. If you can’t get in line, you will go to jail. There comes a point where the time for negotiations and discussions are over. There comes a time where you’ve gone too far, and you don’t get to enjoy the football game anymore because you already screwed that up and no amount of crying or temper tantrums are going to undo that fact. So put your big-girl pants on, standup, salvage some of your dignity, and leave of your own accord. If I have one criticism of the officers in this incident, it’s that they should have cuffed her before removing her. With her hands not in handcuffs, she was able to grab onto poles and other fixtures to try to prevent herself from being removed. Also, clearly if she were in handcuffs, she wouldn’t have been able to slap the officer across the face. Police tactics aside, however, we’ve agreed as a society certain behaviors are prohibited, and if you want to be free and continue to lead the prosperous life this country affords you, you have to abide by those rules. If we can all just agree now the consequence for slapping a police officer will be getting hit back, with the potential of being knocked out, then we won’t all be outraged when it happens. I believe that’s a fair consequence to which we can all agree. Someone broke the law. Gee, if only we had agreed about the penalties and consequences beforehand and empowered a group of people to carry out and ensure what we have written into law is adhered to… oh wait… that IS what happened. When I see this video, it’s not pretty to watch, but looking at the whole of the situation, as I like to say, she had it comin’! **Steve Warneke is a writer, speaker, police expert and author of From Boy To Blue. Find more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.

When I first heard the awkward, high-pitched, horn-like sound emitting from a bagpipe, I questioned the musical integrity of the instrument. I couldn’t exactly envision myself sitting back in an armchair, wearing my smoker’s jacket, sipping a fine brandy, listening to the LP of “The World’s Greatest Bagpipe Hits”. But after 15 years in law enforcement, I now have come to understand the magic, beauty, and emotion that free flows from these amazing instruments. When large numbers of Irish immigrants came to the United States in the 1840s, many had difficulty finding work. They were only able to apply for unwanted, dangerous, and difficult jobs, including those of firefighter and police officer. So it follows that when one of them was killed in the line of duty, the Irish community would hold a traditional Irish funeral, which included the beautiful bagpipes. Over time, this tradition spread to all of those killed in the line of duty, regardless of their heritage. Unfortunately, you will have an opportunity to hear bagpipes this Friday if you listen to, watch, or go to the services for Adams County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Gumm. While attempting to question a suspect involved in a dispute in Thornton, Colorado, he was killed after being shot several times in the chest. Gumm is one of eight officers to die in the line of duty, five of them by gunfire in America, since the beginning of the year. Here’s why the death of a peace officer is so significant to our community. Police officers are the defenders of our society. They are symbols of peace and justice. They are the reason we are afforded our quality of life. If all police officers left the job right now, there would be rioting, looting, and anarchy within hours, all over America’s streets. We have seen just how quickly that scenario can materialize after major events like Hurricane Katrina. Police officers are the reason we can sleep peacefully, voice our opinions, or take our Louis Vuitton bag out in public to go get a latte at Starbucks. The most valuable thing any of us have is our lives. It’s more valuable than money, possessions, or knowledge. Surely even Steve Jobs would have traded in all his billions of dollars to continue to live. We as a society recognize and acknowledge the sanctity of human life, and this belief is reflected in our laws and religions. Yet police officers go out everyday and literally gamble their lives for the peace and prosperity of strangers. They drive INTO the chaos, violence, and danger while everyone else is running AWAY. For these reasons, the death of a police officer deserves our time, respect, and attention. It’s important to pay tribute to the men and women who are the modern day heroes of our world, especially when one of them is ripped away from their family, friends and loved ones by a criminal intent on disrupting our beautiful way of life. After 15 years in law enforcement, I was the recipient of many awards and commendations. Yet despite all of the “official” recognition, ceremonies, medals and plaques, the moments when I felt the most proud of what I was doing and had the greatest satisfaction was upon seeing the many thousands of supporters who came out to show their appreciation and thanks to a fallen officer. It was paradoxical to be so filled with grief for the loss of a fellow brother or sister, but at the same time to also be reinvigorated to go out and do the job. The profound reason many officers are renewed on the day of such heavy loss is because YOU came out to remind us of why we serve. You see, your support means something. It’s a reminder that the silent majority, whom the police rarely hear from, are still there and that they appreciate the police and their sacrifice. It’s a reminder that every day when an officer goes through the painstakingly long and involved process of donning the uniform and all 23 pounds of equipment, that it’s still worth it. It’s a reminder that the good people we are saving outnumber the bad we endure. I encourage everyone to take some time out of your day on Friday to honor Deputy Gumm, his service, and sacrifice in whatever way you can. Your support will not only pay tribute to him, but it will also remind all of the many warriors still out there doing a thankless job why they get dressed every day. Your support will also send a message to the small faction of people intent on bringing anarchy and chaos to our streets that we stand united and that we outnumber them by far. There are many ways to show your support. Attend the funeral if you can, watch the coverage on television if you can’t, share an article of support, donate to Deputy Gumm’s memorial fund, or think of your own way to show your support for the police. And if you have a chance to hear the bagpipes for yourself this week, with a heavy heart and a salute of thanks, allow their magical melody to electrify your nerves and feel the healing of our wounds begin. **Steve Warneke is a speaker, broadcaster, police expert, and author. Find his book From Boy To Blue and more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.** #heathgumm #adamscountysheriff #deputygumm #police #stevewarneke #Fox31 #FoxKDVR #deborahtakahara #policeofficers #bagpipes #officerfuneral

After 15+ years as a police officer, I've heard some pretty crazy things come out of people's mouths. From bad lies to brutal honesty, here's my Top 10 favorite one-liners. Enjoy!

I’m disappointed in us as a country. It feels as if we are so mired in our anger and hatred toward change and each other that we have paralyzed ourselves. It’s hard to believe we are sitting here after all of these mass shootings still stuck at square one of this debate. We haven’t tried anything new, we have made very few changes to existing laws and policies, and there is still no foreseeable action on the horizon. It’s become the same old, routine story—another school shooting, followed by outcry from anti-gun advocates to ban all weapons, and then opposing cries from the pro-gun crowd that “People kill people, not guns.” This is a crisis America! The latest victims should be overwhelming evidence to everyone. How far are we going to let this go before we make adjustments to our culture to address this epidemic? We are caught in the trap of dualistic thinking. Most of America is arguing about either leaving things the way they are or banning all guns. Why are we arguing it’s all or nothing? Those two polar opposite views are not our only options and that’s why I believe we are still stuck. There is way more real estate on the spectrum of possible solutions we are not considering. No freedom is absolute. Why should gun ownership be any different? There are already many restrictions on gun ownership. For example, you can’t own a firearm if you are a convicted felon, if you have been convicted of a domestic violence crime, if you have a substance abuse problem, or other criteria. Some of the states have even stricter laws than the federal ones. As a comparison, consider the increased security after 9/11. Nobody likes the fact that we have to show up earlier to the airport, take off our shoes, and can’t bring any liquids over 3 ounces through security. It’s more than annoying when TSA throws away my brand new tube of Crest toothpaste I was trying to bring home. Certainly, if we all had the choice, we would prefer things back to the way it used to be. But the world and the evolution of human beings taught us we must endure a little more inconvenience in order to still enjoy our freedom to fly around the world safely. I believe the same needs to happen with regards to gun control. Yes, there will be more hoops. Yes, there will be more inconvenience and more irritation, but it will ultimately make it so gun ownership is still a freedom we enjoy while keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. I’m not sure exactly what the new process should look like. I do think we should be discussing things such as mandatory classes and training, psychological exams, and more comprehensive background checks for gun owners. And who will pay for this you ask? We pass along the cost of being approved to the consumer and NOT the taxpayer. It just becomes part of the process to exercise your right. And if you’re going to debate me on this, please stop using the slippery slope fallacy. This is a tactic used throughout time that is meant to scare people and discourage change. Behind it is the same ignorance that shouted, “If we let blacks and women vote, what’s next—we let sheep vote?” Let’s discuss the actual issue, potential solutions, and stay away from the deadly fallacies that get people all riled up for no reason. In other words, if your argument contains a “what’s next,” it is invalid. And here’s another thing to consider—we may not get it right on our first attempt. Nobody has all the answers. This will be a process of trial and error, just like anything else we undertake, for which there is no precedent. We may try some things that don’t work or we may need to add or tweak some of what we try in order to get a good solution, and that’s okay! I’m convinced there is a good solution somewhere in the middle. Our ability to debate and compromise is part of what has made us so great and powerful as a country. It’s been said, “A good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied.” I agree. Nobody is going to get his or her way 100%. If each side will just give a little for the greater good of humanity, we will prevail. Nobody knows the perfect solution because there is no such thing. We will probably never get to a point where there are zero gun deaths in this country. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. If we can reduce the number of shootings then we are headed in the right direction. Let’s start there. The most important thing is that we actually DO SOMETHING! To our lawmakers: I’m demanding you finally step up and move past your fear of not being re-elected and start us down the path of reasonable gun control. I’m hoping of those we’ve elected to represent us, surely SOME of you are leaders, visionaries, and pioneers? Surely you aren’t going to just cower behind the desks we bought you? We’re waiting. Our children are waiting. Free us from our paralysis. Start us down the road again to show the world we will adapt and overcome any and all challenges that face America—the greatest nation on Earth.

BE AWARE! When you watch the news and see police incidents flash across your screen, you're receiving limited information, and 2nd-hand knowledge at that, coupled with the media's spin on it to draw your opinions about what is occurring. But did you get it right???

There are many jobs which require people with certain personality traits or skill sets. Take a surgeon for example. I want a person who is calm and cool-headed, and of course has steady hands. Another perfect example of a job requiring certain skills is that of a police officer. I’m sure in your own life experience you’ve heard someone utter the phrase, “I could never do that job” or “It takes a special kind of person to do that job” when talking about cops. Because of the nature of the work, being a police officer definitely takes someone very special. Police officers need to have the characteristics of an alpha. They need to have a strong personality and a large presence. I would even go so far as to say it’s important they are intimidating. This intimidation factor reminds people that the situation is serious, and keeps them safe since people are less likely to challenge and more likely to obey an officer who is “the authority”. This is vital in emergencies. It’s also important when people’s lives are on the line that an officer is able and willing to engage any threat. However, if you look at the misguided narrative marching front row on “The War on Cops” you will see that much of the criticism against police is that they are TOO violent and use TOO much force. This has led to a trend among law enforcement agencies to be gentler and more passive. Departments would rather have their officers out on the streets handing out donated school supplies, rather than looking for crime. Officers who typically would engage a suspect are now reluctant to act, because they know they could be moments away from being splashed across every television screen in America. Compounding the now-reluctant-to-act alpha problem is police departments changing their selection process to identify and select officers whose first instinct is to smile at people involved in a fight rather than to yell commands. As a result, some of the officers who are now being appointed are people that will likely not engage when needed. With the proliferation of video cameras, we can find more and more examples of police officers not taking action. The video at the top of this article went viral on Facebook this week and involves a sheriff’s deputy from San Joaquin County. Many comments about this video have had a similar tone of “looks like he should have picked a different job” or “he shouldn’t be a cop.” Yet had the officer tackled and used more force to subdue the suspect in this incident, those same people would be typing things like, “Police brutality!” and “There was no need to punch that guy. Cops are dicks!” It’s classic, 'Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.' I believe the masses would agree today that the pacification of police officers is a good thing, especially after being barraged with headlines daily from the media. Of course, I disagree. I’ve seen how the pacification of police officers really affects the community. I know of officers who were hired despite being too passive for the job. These are the same officers who continue running radar, while an emergency call for help comes out a few blocks away, because they don’t want to get involved in the fight. These are officers who never seem to show up first on a call. These are officers who purposefully delay their arrival to in-progress calls, so as to avoid confrontation. They would much rather take a report, than have to go hands-on with a suspect. I don’t think I need to explain or argue much further to illustrate how a passive police force directly translates to you being less safe. Especially if you should find yourself in a position where your physical safety is threatened and you need an officer to come save you. Understand that NO use of force by a police officer is ever going to look good on video. Even justified use of force is not pretty in any way. But that should not negate the fact that it’s sometimes necessary. That’s a tough dichotomy to rectify. The hiring of more passive police officers, is going to be a problem for this country. Departments should still be identifying and hiring people who will do what is necessary when needed. Equally as important (and currently not being done very well or often) is that police executives and city officials should be quick to publicly defend and articulate the circumstances and use of force to the public, in instances after officers have to do their job and make the difficult, split-second decisions. When it comes to the type of officer you want out on the street, the choice is simple—when it’s you or a loved one that’s in a fight for your life or you are trying to get an assailant off of you, do you want the officer who is going to come and save you or the one who is just going to take the report afterwards? **Steve Warneke is a retired Denver Police sergeant, police expert, consultant, speaker and author of From Boy To Blue. Find more from Steve at www.SteveWarneke.com.

I had an interesting conversation through Facebook this last week. I shared a video of reporters going through interactive decisional shoot scenarios to try to understand what it’s like for police officers. The reaction is almost always one of surprise. "You have to make that decision right then, right there...go with your gut and you do what you think will get you home at night," said one of the reporters after having gone through a scenario. Reporters take away a new perspective after having been thrust into situations and confrontations and then forced to make life-altering decisions in a split second. After my sharing the video, a man made a comment that read, “Nah, police are paid with tax dollars. If you pay your taxes then you have the right to say anything you want about the police.” I responded to him by challenging and encouraging him to be open to a new perspective. He replied that he didn’t have any interest because he did not choose that career and reiterated that because citizens pay the police’s salary, they are entitled to say whatever they like. Here are my points regarding this ever more present attitude of apathy: You can’t say anything you want- None of our rights are absolute, including free speech. It’s against the law to speak words that threaten to injure a person or destroy property. You can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater. You even break civil law for slander by speaking falsities about another that causes damage to their reputation. Paying taxes doesn’t entitle you to anything extra. It’s your duty- Just because tax money pays for something doesn’t mean you should view it as your personal property. Our taxes pay for roads, bridges, education, infrastructure and so on. It doesn’t follow any of that belongs to you and you are not entitled to control it nor can you do anything you choose to in regards to such things. Just because you didn’t choose a certain career doesn’t mean it should be of no interest to you- I didn’t choose to be an airline pilot or a doctor, yet I’m very concerned about the people that did. I expect a high degree of knowledge, abilities, skills, and professionalism out of them. I also care what people are saying about them. Police officers are no different. Apathy is the grim reaper for any relationship- If I’ve learned anything about relationships, it’s that the moment you stop caring, it’s the beginning of the end. But I believe you really do care. After all, you took the time initially to stop and comment. You again took the time to comment on my response. And, it’s OK! You should care! The relationship between cops and citizens is very important! Police work should be of interest to all Americans- Without the thin blue line of law enforcement, the entire country, in less than a day, would be instantly transformed to New Orleans post hurricane Katrina. There would be violence, looting, rapes, and theft. Violent gangs would take to the streets reeking havoc. Raise yourself higher by being respectful and not treating others like a doormat- Inherent in your tone was a condescending attitude. Talking about people dismissively as if they are beneath you isn’t the high road, no matter who they are. Police are human beings with feelings, families, lives, goals, dreams and hearts. Being truly OPEN and WILLING to hear another’s perspective and being willing to evaluate and challenge our own beliefs is so important- Where did I come to believe that? Is this something I really believe? Is it possible I’m wrong? Did I just accept this belief because I learned it from someone else? Is there another side I haven’t considered? This is where real personal growth begins to take shape. So, to the gentleman with whom I exchanged messages, I’m hoping you’ll read my book, From Boy To Blue Becoming One Of America’s Finest, and do your best to remain open to a point of view I’m almost certain you haven’t heard before. At a bare minimum, I would encourage you to listen to my podcast entitled "Why Are Cops Such Dicks?" under the podcast tab at www.SteveWarneke.com. If not, well, I’m hoping that for every one person who remains closed I persuade a few others into being open and to seize this opportunity to understand a new perspective. When that happens, loving kindness and compassion prevails and we all win. ***Steve Warneke is a retired Sergeant with over 15 years experience in law enforcement. To hear more from him, head to www.SteveWarneke.com

I received this sincere, heartfelt letter from a former police officer this week about their struggles. This is why I began my work with Law Enforcement Distress Syndrome (LEDS). This is why I am conducting ongoing research for former and current police. It is my goal to reveal to everyone the hidden cost police officers are paying, and to help those who do, or have done, the job of a police officer. It is my goal to further understand this phenomenon and then increase awareness and training around LEDS. It is my goal to find and develop resources to manage and treat LEDS for officers who need help. Here is one officer's experience: So I retired from a very busy urban PD...statistically one of the most dangerous cities in the US every year. Your LEDS description is a picture of my life or I guess better described as my life now. I know the changes began long before I retired but it is after things slow down a bit when you finally realize how much your career has changed you, even I would say destroyed the person you use to be. I do not have issues with drugs or alcohol ... but the rest of the symptoms described all fit and I would say in a extreme amount. That is with the exception of suicide in any serious manor (I say serious manor only because I could not say the thought had never crossed my mind). I have exiled myself from most of my life long friends and even family members (outside wife and children). I have about a 30 minute limit to comfort even in family gatherings which will result in me having to leave or seclude myself if at home during any gathering. Stereo typical in any public place with head always on a swivel, back to the door, become extremely anxious in crowds, ETC ETC ETC... Even at home with family I have my space, small office where I go to relax and I hate to use the term because what it means in today's generation but, My Safe Space. During my career and previous time in the military I did everything... SWAT, Riot Team, Marine Unit, K-9, Anti Terrorism anything more exciting the more I wanted it and never failed to achieve those goals... As I reach the Supervisor rank and the high risk jobs became less and less my personal life became skydiving and even started Tree Climbing/Tree Removal for the adrenaline fix and at home when I could not do those things I would play Online First Person Shooter games like Counter Strike or Battlefield for that adrenaline fix. Lack of that now I feel leads to much of my anxiety or rather it was my way of combating the anxiety I never recognized. I was also a magnet for the SHIT calls several of which would make even a salty cop shake their head in disbelief. I now find that idle time is my enemy to the extent that even going to the bathroom (for a sit down) I have to have something to occupy my mind. I can not go to bed without the TV on because I need to have the stimulus to occupy my brain just to get to sleep. Sleep which of course is usually in 30-60 minute segments at best partially due to the brain and partially due to the damage I have done to my body over the years. Oh and my absolute best friend is my German Shepherd who I have had for about a year... Prior to him I had a Lab that past away at almost 15 the loss of him crushed me to the point where I remember thinking that I did not think losing a family member (except my wife or kids) would not have bothered me as much. Currently other than my dog the only other place I find peace is on my bike (road bike cycling) and this usually means going out on a 20-40 mile solo ride... I have tried riding with coworkers and friends and found this takes away from my enjoyment a bit because I prefer to be alone. Long and short I guess my overall feeling is I do not like the person I have become... I loved the job, the majority of the people but hate what it has turned me in to... My opinion is the worst part is you do not recognize this until it is too late and like in my case you have moved on. People look at our pensions and think we do not deserve it, I now think it wasn’t worth it... My only saving thoughts are that there are several people alive today (both officers and civilians) that would not be here today if I did not go to work of a few certain days... This helps but I still want me back... But mostly feel that will never happen, so I learn to try and live the best with me now for my family and myself. Thank you for your service officer! Thank you for sharing! So much of what I hypothesized about LEDS is proving correct, but I still need more information. Current and former police officers participate in my study regarding LEDS HERE. Share your experience and find out more about LEDS at www.SteveWarneke.com.