When you really examine the side-effects of a law enforcement career on the men and women who take the oath and don the badge it’s kind of scary.
First examine the rate 100 to 200 police officers who are killed in the line of duty in the U.S. alone each year. Then if you dig deeper, the statistics show that things like suicide, cancer and other side effects of the police career that kill thousands more cops each year. Continue reading
As cops sometimes we just need to find the humor in things when everything around us is filled with crime and tragedy. Maybe we should check out some of the offerings on YouTube. Here a some of my favorites:
This one was created by Tim and Kris O’Shea of The O’Shea Report. Visit them at http://www.theosheareport.com
Are you moonlighting or working a second job? I don’t know many cops who don’t. It seems like we are always searching for something more. Maybe we want to earn a little extra cash or socialize with the people or maybe we need that extra cash. How much of your earnings from any side jobs you work are you actually investing or even saving?
Earning extra cash is nothing new in this world and with the economy in the U.S. the way it is, it seems like those extra earnings are the only way that many people are even getting by with their bills. It seems that when your primary job is peace officer or law enforcement of any kind that it shouldn’t have to be that way but it is. Continue reading
As a working cop have you thought about when you are going to retire? Maybe you have a fixed police retirement date that’s not within your control or maybe you can plan your own date but haven’t even started to plan for it yet. Maybe you are like many other police officers in that you feel that you will never be able to retire and that they will find you withering away in your patrol car at age 95.
I’d like to ask you to consider another factor and that is how long can you stay successful in the job? How long can you tolerate the stress and demands of the job and still perform it at a level that you know is acceptable? I don’t think the financial planning aspect and the personal health planning aspect of this decision need to be or even should be separate. Continue reading
Now this is a touchy subject for cops to discuss honestly. I know, some of you out there have been happily married for over 25 years but you have to admit that as a group we don’t manage relationships nor marriage very well.
Maybe we would fare better if we had some rules to follow. I asked relationship expert Janice Hoffman who has written a very helpful book entitled “Relationship Rules” for some suggestions and she gave me some rules that just might help out. Continue reading
Have you ever stopped to ask what’s really killing us? I’m not so sure the answers are as important now as the right questions. But a BIG questions are in doing a little threat assessment on our careers.
What’s the biggest threat to a police officer’s life? Is it being murdered by some felon? Is it a terrorists bomb? I think the biggest threat is the one most of are not facing head on – Stress and all of it’s side effects. Continue reading
Welcome to CopsAlive.com. CopsAlive works in cooperation with The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to bring useful tools, ideas and strategies to police professionals who want to plan happy, healthy and successful lives and careers.
What will you do with your life? Will you become one of the best cops in the world or will the job take it’s toll on you? CopsAlive will ask questions of you and of the experts on your behalf. We will consider the true threats to your life and ask you to conduct threat assessments for your life, health and career. Continue reading
CopsAlive works in cooperation with The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to bring useful tools, ideas and strategies to police professionals who want to plan happy, healthy and successful lives and careers.
Law enforcement is the most noble profession in the world. Police officers deserve the very best the world has to offer as thanks for their valuable service to the world. Lots of money, time and resources are spent to help cops protect themselves on the job. Most of it is focused upon “officer survival” strategies that protect officers, deputies, constables, and correctional officers from armed assaults. A true threat assessment of a career in law enforcement reveals that there are many other threats and some of them are more serious. This site is dedicated to finding anything that will help cops successfully navigate their careers and survive in mind, body and spirit to enjoy the rest of their lives in peace no matter when the end of their career arrives.
I had a friend and fellow retired officer commit suicide last year. I didn’t realize how bad the police suicide stats were until I started doing some research. cops have very high suicide rates and lots of other health challenges. I think we would all acknowledge that we as a group have a high rate of alcoholism and divorce and maybe even financial problems. CopsAlive.com is here to work with you and to help you plan to have happy, healthy and successful lives and careers.
Good luck and stay safe!
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John Marx - BIO
Chuck Rylant - BIO
Mark St. Hilaire - BIO
Scott Silverii - BIO
Jack Digliani - BIO
Lisa Wimberger - BIO
Christa Cassilis-Hayburn - BIO
Diane Sieg - BIO
Laurie Taylor - BIO
Joe Padilla - BIO
Tina Ulatowski - BIO
Cary Friedman - BIO
Raymond Craig - BIO
Janice Hoffman - BIO
Brian Cain - BIO
Tammy Featherstone - BIO
Brian McVey - BIO
