The Back Corner Table

I like many (if not all) of you have had my patterns changed through this career.  Admittedly, I drive faster.  I also have my head on a swivel more, scan faces, and base my reasons for staying in a public place on threats rather than the menu or line.  And I know the place we feel the most comfortable in a restaurant is that back corner table with lower lighting, easy escape access, good cover, and full visibility of all the entry points.  Our spouses and friends have probably made a comment about it.  But man, do we love that little nook of security while we try to enjoy a meal.

Yeah, I'll take that one... way back there

That back table has added a challenge to me.  I have always been that free spirit, outdoor, social butterfly, likes everything, be anywhere person.  I have almost always taken personality quizzes and career quizzes in school telling me that's what kind of person I am.  And of course a bunch of quizzes with consistent answers for me definitely scratches the "scientific method" itch I have.  While I don't subscribe to this being a fate for obvious reasons, I do think that the gospel has helped mold my inherent personality and talents with its power into the person I am.  The Lord loves to take our talents to stretch and grow us.  So when I completed the academy, I faced a new challenge: I was thrown into the "always watch your six" mentality. Pretty contrary to the whole "social saints movement" right?  I honestly felt so two-faced with this. At church and in the comfort of mine or a friend's home, I was outgoing and "normal" at least for me. Outside if that, I was the guy tactically positioned and quietly observing. This dichotomy had been bugging me for over a year and I really felt further from the spirit.  So to steal from scriptural verbiage: "what is to be done?"
First, let me add that this experience is only my own.  You may have a different path to the same solution (and please let us all know because this would be an odd world if everyone was like me).  Second, NEVER give up tactics.  You have been trained to protect and serve.  Your life matters to the Lord.  Ok, back to the question.

We have been taught to seek guidance from the scriptures and the Lord.  I will add that there are very few occupations that have a closer physical similarity to our career than the Book of Mormon.  We are trying to become like the righteous warriors of old.  What greater motivation than that of the Army of Helaman?  What a better leader than Mormon or Moroni?  These men had the Lord on their side.  And while the world would teach you that they had the Spirit because they were called as prophets, we have the same potential to be the Lord's vessel.  Did they lead by hiding in a corner?  Well, maybe Moroni was a bit pushed into one but that was due to the end of a dispensation, not our reality.  So no, they didn't.  Did they sacrifice virtues for tactics?  NEVER.  In fact, the best example of what NOT to do by disregarding spiritual AND tactical advantages is found in Alma 47.

Cool story, bro, but what does that have to do with us?

The "stories" are for us!  We need to know what others have done to comprehend the fact that the Lord will uphold us.  Heck, that's why I started this blog.  I was taught that we can balance both the safety of the shadows with the brightness of the gospel.  One of the ways I found worked in maintaining balance was to revert back to my missionary days.  I studied (not read) my scriptures and petitioned (not prayed) to the Lord.  I went out of my way to talk to strangers.  I looked for opportunities to serve.  I felt the fear of man quickly turn to the trust in the Lord.  Turns out, all the great righteous warriors did the same.  They had full trust in the Lord, even in the face of death.  So why be scared?  There is plenty of room at the corner table.  And I realized that the Lord also creates opportunities for us to bring others to the gospel in our profession.  What a better way to fill the corner table than with sheepdogs like us right?

Sorry for the basic answers but isn't that what tactics are all about?  How many gun drills do you do drawing from your holster?  Or how about role playing stops?  Or reviewing past reports to make sure our current reports contain all the right information?  Life is basic.  It is made for our happiness and the happiness of all those who inhabit it.  It is made for us to learn and grow to be like our Heavenly Father.  So our answers to questions are basic (though not always easy).  Study, Ponder, Pray/Plea, and all the other basics.  Now go do some drills!

Godspeed, LEOs.

-LDS Sheepdog