Things I wish I knew before I became a Probation Officer

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Probation Officer
 

Expectations versus reality can sometimes provide a strong shock to those of us who have grown up believing that life should be a certain way. When you begin working for a law enforcement agency, there are many changes and challenges to adapt to. Not only the challenge of facing the public and dealing with their issues, but also challenges from within your own respective department as well.
The following challenges were some that I faced, and it may not be the same for you. But if you do find yourself in these situations, then I have offered my own commentary plus some remedies for perhaps dealing with them and addressing them yourself.

Deception . . .

When you work somewhere such as a law enforcement agency, you should be able to trust those that you work with. You should be able to take someone at face value, or as they present themselves, and know that they are the person you think they are. However, this is not always the case and can cause issues with you during your career. Some officers will do what they can to get you to open up to them, only to use what you have said against you or tell other officers in the department. Unfortunately, by the time whatever information they are sharing is widespread throughout the department, it has likely become largely falsified.
For those of you that are working in law enforcement or thinking of a career, the best solution I can tell you is to ignore this. It is hard, but you have to stay true to yourself. You also have to realize that though those that practice this art may be co-workers and supervisors, you also have to set those differences aside and work as a complete unit. Division within the department can destroy it and therefore, do not allow yourself to be a contributing officer to such detriments.
And there is also the deception that is used with the people that we supervise.  You have to find out how comfortable you are with this concept and using deception.  That level of comfort will also dictate what kind of assignments you will be more successful in than others.

Toxic Leadership . . .

Yes. Though many will tell you otherwise, leadership in the law enforcement profession can be vindictive and toxic to the organization. If you make someone mad, whether directly or indirectly, the impact it has on your career can be destructive. You will read of officers that are terminated because they speak up. I suffered retaliation for challenging unethical behavior. Other officers have experienced the same events.Wherever you work, be it in the private sector or public service, there will be toxic leadership. There are truly no remedies to this. Some believe that a person cannot be taught to be a good leader. Leaders are either good or not. I believe that good leaders are made through training and role modeling, in part because they want to be that way. As a subordinate, you have a duty to still respect the rank and ensure that you are operating within the parameters of policy, procedure, and law. If you find yourself working for someone that is a toxic leader, document everything that person does that is not within policy and procedure. If they behave in an unethical manner, document that as well. I would also find someone within your chain of command or someone with the government organization you work for to voice your concerns with about the person’s leadership. Essentially, if someone is made aware that toxicity exists within the leadership channel of an organization, it will (hopefully) ensure that attention is paid.
Many work places have organized and have membership in a union.  Don't be afraid to use this avenue in dealing with toxic leadership.  They have many more resources and political clout that you don't have as an individual.

Secrecy and how to deal with it . . .
You walk into a room and everyone gets quiet because they are talking about you. Or someone has filed a complaint against you and you are being investigated, even if you have not had a chance to explain your side of things. This was one of the greatest issues I encountered when I first began my law enforcement career. I come from a military background. Therefore, I believe communication is the key to success in an organization.
In dealing with secrecy (or gossip!), the simplest solution is to simply ignore it. Unless it has something to do with you, do not let yourself be concerned with it. Even if there are those talking behind your back about you, it does not matter what they say so long as you know who you are and that you contribute to your organization in an honorable manner and stay true to the oath you swore. There will be secrets so long as there is a law enforcement operation in place.
Also be aware that there may just be issues that you don't have a need to know.  Have a little bit of faith when it comes to this type of secrecy.  What you don't know can protect you.

Brown-nosing . . .
I never knew the influential stance that brown-nosing would take in the law enforcement world. I have always concluded that hard work and results should be the indicative factor in determining an officer’s position within the department.
What I learned after getting hired was that it is not always the hard work of the officer, but the hard work of the officer’s ability to work his/her way into an inner circle based simply upon their ability to stroke the ego of an appointed official.  And the tide changes with each change of appointed official.
Again, there is no single remedy for this issue. However, as an officer, you should try to fit in with your co-workers. You do not have to participate in the same mannerisms as everyone else. Rather, simply be courteous to your supervisors and your elected officials. Hard work may not always determine your character as an officer in the eyes of those previously mentioned officials, however, it will define your character to yourself. At the end of the day, you only have to live with your own conscience.

If you’re married, then your spouse is married to the job . . .

Being married to a probation officer is not easy. We work long hours. We work swing shifts or get assigned shifts that consume our family life. As hard as it may be to balance your family life with your work life, as an officer, it is just as hard for your family to balance their life around your work schedule.
Spouses, try to understand that this job is not easy. To have any longevity in the filed, realize that it is more than just a job, it is a calling.  On the other hand, officers, try to be understanding that your spouses are balancing being both mom and dad when you are at work. On either end of the spectrum, it is not an easy lifestyle to adapt to and can challenge even the strongest of people to stay true to the original reason they married their spouse in the first place.  Make sure you take time to maintain that relationship.
There is a cultural fear of seeking help from counseling and psychiatric services, even when it comes to needing it to help your relationship.  Don't be afraid to seek help through an EAP program or though your health insurance.  We see a lot and take a lot on board in dealing with the people we deal with and their problems.  Sometimes it can take an outside professional to sort through personal and relationship issues.

Co-worker relationships . . .

Law enforcement is one of the most diverse professions in the world. Officers come from different cultural backgrounds as well as different lifestyles. One of the biggest challenges I face, even to this day, in my job is fitting in with my co-workers. My interests are different from almost everyone that I work with. As a result, I often find myself feeling awkward when I converse with other officers or simply not saying much at all.
Diversity is one of the beauties of this world. Many people in small cities are not as acquainted with diversity, as opposed to those who have traveled outside of the small cities or live in larger areas. Luckily, throughout my military career, I have been able to travel and meet a diverse range of people. If you are working in an organization that you find yourself facing the same issues, simply remember that it is not like that in all organizations. Larger organizations have a wide range of diversity. As such, I would encourage you to reach out to officers that work with other agencies if you find yourself having trouble relating to the officers that work at your respective department.
And as simply put as I can put it, don't get caught up in a work romance.  No matter how tempting, it rarely works out and there are rules in place because of that. 

In closing . . .

I do no regret my decision to become a probation officer. I (mostly) love my job and the ability to interact with others and help them. However, I wish I would have been less naïve and knew what to expect.  I also wish I'd known how much this job would change the way I look at the world. The job is tough on the inside and outside of the department. It is difficult on you and hard on your family. The most helpful piece of advice I can give you in dealing with issues within your own agency is to remember why you are doing the job in the first place. There is no blueprint to being a probation officer that will make the job any easier. I only hope that after reading this someone will find better ways to cope with the stress they feel in their job.


Stay strong! Stay safe!
P. O. Doe

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