Looking Glass Falls
Transylvania County
North Carolina
Photograph by Drusylla Strickland
October 2010
My Last Words of Legal Advice to the Entire Law Enforcement Community
Ralph B. Strickland, Jr.
May 24, 2011As I retire from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office I know that I will never again have full-time employment as a law enforcement government attorney – my #1 chosen profession. My health, the continuing, growing complications of Agent Orange
[1] related illnesses, PTSD, an arthritic knee, a Vietnam-injured right shoulder now finally requiring surgery and my lack of physical stamina from those diseases preclude that. My age, 66 years old today, may also play some part in my physical decline. I have reached the end of my string and I have played it out. Good – it’s been some ride, I’ll tell you!
No one, any where at any time, has EVER enjoyed their profession as I have as an assistant DA, police and sheriff’s attorney and as a Special Deputy Attorney General. I have had the privilege, opportunity and pleasure to have advised Special Agents of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, one of the absolute, first-class investigative agencies in the nation; local police officers, deputy sheriffs and detention officers from the great local law enforcement agencies of North Carolina; and even, on occasion, my excellent federal friends in the FBI, ATF, Secret Service and, do NOT repeat this, certain other less well-known “initialed” groups in our military. What experiences the kid from East Durham has had! And they PAID me!
I thank each of you for helping make my fondest professional dreams come true. I have always felt accepted and loved by all law enforcement officers and that has kept my spirits continuously very high. I have inadvertently and quite accidentally stumbled along to overachievement far beyond what my family, friends and I would have ever expected of me.
My goal in high school was to graduate with my class, without a criminal history and with all my original teeth, fingers and toes.
I can explain my successes in one word: luck!
The privilege of working with law enforcement, the trust I have been given, and the love I have received are meaningful to me beyond mere words.
This memo contains my last words of advice to you – not every bit of advice will be relevant to each individual, but all of you are in here nonetheless – all ranks in all agencies - federal, state and local.
Firstly, your agency has a policy manual. You cannot know and remember each one, but you can know those that closely relate to you current job. Therefore, know those that all employees are expected to know and the ones that closely relate to you current job. You have NO excuse, none whatsoever, to be ignorant of those policies. Any policy is nothing more than the head of your agency simply sitting next to you and quietly telling how he wants the job done. It is your obligation, duty and responsibility to do it his way. Otherwise, scram – you’re in the way and a trouble-maker.
Secondly, if you are eligible to have your name on any promotional list, have it on that list. Sometimes, after being passed over a few times, people get the idea they will never be promoted and thus either allow their name to be removed from that list or it is dropped automatically. If your name is NOT on the list you have fulfilled a “Self-Fulfilling Prophecy”: the “I’m never going to be promoted” statement will be true; always true for you, dear.
I personally know four members in my former Office who were set for promotion, but Sheriff “Moose”
[2] Butler looked and looked and, “Gee Whiz!” He could NOT find their name on the list. He then promoted another person each time. Promotions come on their own time; not yours. Keep your name on your list – at a minimum, give the head of your agency an opportunity to consider you. Always remain prepared for promotion – do your job and do it well, study hard, pay attention to training and keep your private life responsible. If and when your chance comes (though there is never a guarantee that it will) be ready for it.
Thirdly, do not abuse your sick leave. Everybody knows when you do; it ain’t a secret to anyone; it will become general knowledge. You know it – you have heard it discussed of other personnel. It discredits you, leaves an empty workspace in a public service law enforcement agency when it should be filled. Somebody has to take up your slack – or we must pay someone overtime to cover for you. Such behavior will keep you from being promoted since you are no longer trustworthy. Should you ever become really sick or injured, and need sick leave (a thing more likely to occur as you get older) you will not have the hours or days needed – and many people will not give up their hard-earned vacation or sick leave hours to help you. They already know you created your own problem in an ill-conceived and illegitimate manner just so you wouldn’t have to come to work, because you were lazy, lacked initiative or just liked daytime TV – and daytime TV is so bad that it alone is reason enough to come to work.
If you are out sick and without leave you must remember: Even though you are employed, you will be drawing no salary and yet you will still have to make your medical insurance co-payments every month or lose your health insurance. Stay out too long without leave and you agency probably will have to release you from your employment and replace you.
Fourthly, it is said that only in a dictionary does success come before work. Nobody is successful in our line of work just by showing up and “talking a good game.”
In fact, what you DO speaks so loudly that no one can hear what you SAY.The key to success is actual HARD WORK with an excellent ATTITUDE at all times showing INITIATIVE all the while.
Come to work EARLY, give the job a GOOD DAY’S WORK, and leave a little LATE: all of that shows that you care!
Fifthly, be cheerful, be helpful and show initiative. Initiative is doing a thing (not your responsibility) merely because it needs doing and you can do it since you have the time – walking down a hallway and seeing a piece of trash, picking it up and disposing of it properly is the simplest form of initiative.
If you will merely look around, you will find other ways to get things done and make your workplace better and your service to your community better. Every one appreciates the person with initiative who helps out others. With it, you will even feel better about yourself. Oh yes – it might very well be someone else’s assignment, duty, responsibility, obligation or job – but, “So What?” Are you saying no one has ever helped you without your request for assistance? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you – even when they do not; especially when they do not. Just because they have failed themselves is no excuse for you to fail YOURSELF!
Sixthly, NO WHINING! If you have a complaint, complain properly and complain as an adult. You are NOT in the third grade – you are an adult working an adult’s job. Act as an adult should. You represent something a great deal bigger than yourself: a law enforcement officer – in fact your represent all LEOs to the general public!
Seventhly, be as nice to people as they will ALLOW you to be. One of my dad’s many “sayings” was that “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” And let me say this – Dad really caught some flies! Be nice – only change into that stern-faced law enforcement mode as needed.
Remember: be as nice to them from the very beginning as they will let you be. Most people will be polite and respectful. Some will treat you worse than a bone cur dog. If any person becomes argumentative or combative, follow your training. When it becomes obvious to you that a polite and courteous demeanor will not suffice, take charge! Step up your level of aggression, both oral and physical, and take control! You must begin in control of any situation, remain in control of it and finish it off in control.
Eighthly, keep your personal life under control and responsible. You do not ‘work’ 24/7, but you are the agency’s employee ALL THE TIME. Before you take any act, commit any behavior or do any thing in your personal life – ask yourself, “Would I want to see this reported on the front page of a newspaper tomorrow?”
If the answer is, No!” then don’t do it. You may not have trouble at all for your improper PERSONAL behavior on occasion, but eventually it will catch up with you. More than likely, it will then cost you much – emotionally, personally, monetarily and possibly even your employment.
You work as a LEO and you are held to a higher standard of conduct than people who are employed by other government agencies and private businesses.You may say that an employer cannot control your private life – that’s generally true; but that’s
not completely true if your employer is a law enforcement agency.
For instance, any sheriff in this state employs a person at his pleasure – just as a district attorney does. Either may hire at will and fire at will. No one terminated by a sheriff is entitled at law to even know why – in fact many sheriffs do not have a Professional Standards Unit. Sheriff Butler in Cumberland County does have such a Unit and uses it wisely. And when a person is terminated there he receives a letter stating why.
So, if your private behavior becomes publically known, and remember that it happens to people who are public officials everyday (think: Schwarzenegger), it could bring discredit to you and your agency. That behavior is intolerable and you may certainly, legally and constitutionally be terminated for it according to the policies of your individual agency. Never say or even think: “It can’t happen to me!” Those are famous last words in love, war and employment.
Ninthly, if you do not have an active spiritual life, get one. All mankind, the truly vast majority of it, has always believed in some form of a spiritual life. We know from archeological evidence and from the beginning of recorded history that this is the truth. I would not presume to suggest what religion you choose, but as I understand it 76% of Americans say they are Christian; of that number 50% are Protestant and 26% Catholic. Jews represent 1.2% and Muslims (Islam) 0.6% of our population. This information is from a Canadian study of this country in 2008.
Of course many people have a spiritual life that isn’t connected to a church or organization. For instance, some folks practice yoga. Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines that originated in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
I am a Roman Catholic and I cannot fully explain how much my religion has meant to me, what it has done for me and even more importantly – what it has allowed me to do for others.
If you have no spiritual life, GET ONE! Talk to your friends, read about religion, visit a few churches – find that spiritual life you need. Never deny that it is a necessary part of a happy and successful life. It is there and it is waiting for you; find it; practice it and really learn to live.
Tenthly, turn off the TV, the X Box and the computer and read a book. Yes, read a book. I have averaged three a week since junior high school (I averaged more than that before the seventh grade). I didn’t read much in Vietnam or law school, but I’ve read all the other times. Get a library card. Ask a librarian for a good book; ask your friends. Read a novel, read history, read politics, read biography. On my blog I have previously listed ten good novels – pick one and READ it. Here’s a neat trick: find a book you like and read it for fifteen minutes each day. In no time you will have read it. If you discover you do not like a particular book – PUT IT DOWN AND TRY ANOTHER. I also have about five or six that I am reading at any given time – if I feel bored or disinterested in one I pick up another book from my current list.
Tolle lege; tolle lege. Pick up and read; pick up and read. Tolle Lege is the Latin for "Pick up and read."
The Catholic Saint, Augustine, wrote this in his book, Confessions. At the age of 31 in 385AD he had a life changing experience – he read something. In Book 8, Chapter 12 at page 29 of Confessions he describes it this way:
- I was saying these things and weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when suddenly I heard the voice of a boy or a girl I know not which--coming from the neighboring house, chanting over and over again, “Tolle lege! Tolle lege!” ``Pick it up, read it; pick it up, read it.'' Immediately I ceased weeping and began most earnestly to think whether it was usual for children in some kind of game to sing such a song, but I could not remember ever having heard the like. So, damming the torrent of my tears, I got to my feet, for I could not but think that this was a divine command to open the Bible and read the first passage I should light upon.
- So I quickly returned to the bench where Alypius was sitting, for there I had put down the apostle's book when I had left there [a scroll of The Book of Romans – remember, no “books” as we know them until Gutenberg printed a Bible around 1439AD].
- I snatched it up, opened it, and in silence read the paragraph on which my eyes first fell: ``Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof'' (Romans 13.13). I wanted to read no further, nor did I need to. For instantly, as the sentence ended, there was infused in my heart something like the light of full certainty and all the gloom of doubt vanished away.
A fellow named Augustine, a libertine, picked up The Bible (just a scroll, then) read a paragraph and became Saint Augustine. That will not happen with a computer, X Box or a TV.
Still wish to go online? Go to any of these:
http://listverse.com/2009/07/05/10-ancient-greek-writers-you-should-know/Short bio of famous Greeks – Western Civilization was born in Greece. Read about your civilization’s birth.
http://www.armstrongflag.com/United States Flag.
http://www.baronbob.com/Crazy gifts; have fun!
http://www.bigbangcannons.com/home.aspx?n=44976Carbide cannons. Get one. Do it. I have one – completely safe – had it since I was 10 years old.
http://www.refdesk.com/Better than a library in your home.
http://www.drudgereport.com/Whatever you may have HEARD, go see for The Drudge Report yourself. Ignore if you wish the articles at the top of the page and scroll down and read the columnists as they are listed down the center of the Home page and you will have both sides of any political argument.
http://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/You perform an animated knee replacement surgery. Educational and fun.
http://www.brainyquote.com/Good quotes for all occasions.
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/It never hurts to read poetry and you may learn something ABOUT YOURSELF.
http://www.findagrave.com/ Pictures of famous graves; look at Marilyn Monroe’s: sad because there is an industrial building immediately behind her gravesite. This is just an INCREDIBLE page for searching the final resting place of famous folks.
http://www.ipl.org/IPLBrowse/GetSubject?vid=13&cid=1&tid=7011&parent=7006Books on line; mostly great “literature” books
http://www.komando.com/Incredible computer info and tons of free stuff
http://listverse.com/Lists of Everything
http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/Beautiful pics and directions to the waterfalls of North Carolina.
http://objflicks.com/Old Blue Jacket’s Patriotic Flicks – good one.
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beatles/+imagesPhotos of The Fab Four
http://www.poetry-archive.com/index.htmlPoetry again. Oh, go ahead and read something!
http://www.nndb.com/group/814/000054652/Who are all the people on the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album cover?
http://www.signpictures.net/Laugh, laugh.
http://www.stupid.com/Gag gifts. More fun.
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22189/97602-seven-habits-highly-happyOh yeah. Cool.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Top_100_Crime_Novels_of_All_TimeYou should be able to find one or two good books here.
http://listverse.com/2007/11/16/top-15-tips-for-spotting-a-liar/You’ll like this.
http://www.worldtimezone.com/When I was in Vietnam for Christmas of 1970 and my wife Drusylla was in Durham and went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and the church bells tolled midnight and it became December 25th for her and Mass began, it was already noon for me on December 26th at Phan Rang since I was twelve hours ahead of her & I had crossed the International Date Line in the Mid-Pacific on my way to Vietnam, thereby automatically gaining one day, as well. [I lost that day and the 12 hours coming home a year later.] But for 11 months and 28 days it was confusing when we thought of each other and what we might be doing – and there were no cell phones, computers, emails, phone calls, satellites, etc. Just the plain mail and the “turn around time” amounted to about 15 to 20 days for my letter to her and her return letter to me. Looking at the time clock you may see a 13 hour difference between Vietnam and North Carolina – it all depends who is on Daylight Savings Time and who is not. So, sometimes it was 12 hours of difference and sometimes it was 13 hours sooner or later than where the other person was, and sometimes Alice would chase the rabbit into the rabbit hole into Wonderland.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/Defines all the new lingo, some of which is … strange.
http://www.webmd.com/Necessary.
http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swfJust sit and watch this clock – it changes subjects.
http://www.vietvet.org/thewall.htmJust in case you might want to learn something about the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall in Washington.
Finally, Forgive.
Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free in your head.
Well, the moral of the story,
The moral of the song
-Is simply that one should never be
Where one does not belong.
So when you see your neighbor carryin' somethin'
Help him with his load,
And don't go mistaking Paradise
For that home across the road.
- Bob Dylan
The Ballard of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
God bless you all.
It looks as if we’ve had our last dance, but I’ll hold you in my dreams tonight.
[3]Ralph B. Strickland, Jr.
Retired
[1] Agent Orange, an herbicide, used successfully to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam, was not orange. It came in 50 gallon orange colored drums with a black “Skull & Crossbones.”
[2] That name came natural to a fellow who was a star football lineman at UNC and was as big and strong as Moose STILL is today.
[3] The song this lovely idea is from is “The Last Dance” sung by Frank Sinatra
