I've been present when senior-senior federal "LEOs" in bazillion dollar suits show up to "qualify." Watching dedicated, incredibly talented shooters & instructors coach Assistant Director Snobbooger through the process to load his magazines so he can shoot a qual where a sundial is used to estimate PAR times was enough to make me realize that self-employment is awesome.Originally Posted by tpd223
OK, you have some idea
Not the same though when you live it. Kind of like the difference between living in and just visiting a third world country.
Absolutely zero argument from me. Every time I'm at a department/agency qual I'm reminded of it and being a visitor is all I can handle.
Wow. I thought I was the only one "they" did that to. I never saw said special child shoot his alleged qualifying scores (since it was done over a week-end)... but in the end, wasn't my dog because my name appeared NOWHERE on that slug's qual sheet.Since they are so generous, I've always held people to the actual time proscribed in the COF and would could shots fired afterwards as misses (which is how it's supposed to be). This led to them bringing another rangemaster from ~150 miles away to qualify one of our "special children." I never saw this "special" person get their 21 hits in the required time but the other instructor was so much better than me that he could make it happen every time.
That one broke me. All the extra time and effort I had been willing to expend (and did expend, sans OT) for "the cause" suddenly became moot. All the work trying to make sure we produced a quality product, was, to my mind, abrogated by the fact that "they" didn't hesitate to slap me in the face by neatly side-stepping my program.
After that, I became what they wanted... a drone just going through the motions. While some say that's the wrong attitude to take, like tpd223 said, you have NO idea what its really like until you live it.
Not long after, I went back to the road for a while as a supervisor, and ended my career as a plain clothes investigator. "They" won that battle, but I won the war... because I made it to retirement and have been thoroughly enjoying same for six years now. I'm still dialled-in to the agency via my consultant gig, and its really fun to watch the machinations and plots unfold, since I no longer have a stake in any of it.
The faces change, but the game remains the same...
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I was discussing this with one of my old range assistants (who is now the lieutenant colonel over Patrol) the other day. We used to DREAD "Commander's Day", because of that very thing; having to spoon-feed those old captains and above, all while using great tact and diplomacy.
These days, all the commanders are products of OUR training program, and David told me it was quite refreshing to see the big brass handle their business with skill and aplomb when he was at Comander's Day In-Service training a few months back.
Maybe we did make a difference...
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On the other hand, I have seen a CPL score a CPT's qual try as a failure sending the CPT to remedial training. The CPT came very close to being unemployed and has since retired. The policy there was one opportunity for remedial training every five years. At the same range trip, a detective who had already done the remedial thing the previous year was terminated. The agency stood behind the instructor.
There is an agency in Florida that calls a cab to the range to pick up any personnel who don't qualify.
I simplified things: we don't offer remedial training. Those who fail to qualify immediately cease to be functioning Deputy Sheriff's and are driven back to the SO as they are no longer authorized to operate a patrol vehicle. Non-sworn positions are not created for them. I figure 12 paid range days with furnished ammo is more than sufficient.
We're all paddling in the same boat to one extent or another. Whose bringing the cooler?
I have been blessed for the most part to have bosses who get, if nothing else, what true liability is.
I have actually been involved in letting people go who could not shoot, or display the ability to use deadly force properly.
Any organization that allows "commander's day" at the range is participating in a massive leadership failure.
The only such thing I ever have participated in was opening our range to the state Adjutant General because he needed to shoot a qual before going overseas, and, well, we know how getting on and off a .mil/Army range can be.
With all of the BS boiled off, the "payoff" is having a troop come back to work after an incident, go out of their way to look you up, and shake your hand to say "thanks for the training". There is no greater reward IMHO.
Well, there are several ways to look at that, but they are beyond the scope of this discussion. "Leadership failure" is a bit strong, though.
I had to devote three full days, one-on-one, to the state insurance commisioner when he received some death threats. He wanted me to issue him a State Police weapon, and I drew the line at that. Fortunately, our Chief of Staff backed me up on that one.
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I meant it to be strong, because it should be. I'll stand by that idea.
Commanders should be shooting with the troops during one of the days they are training, not at special get-togethers that give the impression, false or not, that they are above mingling with the commoners and/or can't be bothered to train and/or can't make the cut so they need special no witnesses days to "qual".
Picking up your own brass is a powerful message IMHO.
I stole the "Pick up your own kittening brass" line from Randy Watt, who may know a thing or two about leadership.
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