Pro Bono Publico: Policing in the 21St Century

By Captain Roger B. Houle Jr

This book will examine the role of a police officer as we enter this technological, politically correct age. I hope to provide you with some insight into the law enforcement profession based on my years of service as a sworn police officer. Whether you are in law enforcement, considering a career in law enforcement or just a concerned citizen, I urge you to read this book. I will not bore you with studies, statistics, or specifics but provide you with my own insight into the profession, the challenges it faces, and ways to make it better.

The book is designed to stand the test of time so as to hopefully be valuable to many generations of law enforcement officers yet to come. I am going to try and relate to you how police officers can individually be their best, how administrators can be their best, and how civilians can enhance their local law enforcement agency. There are many changes facing the police officer in the twenty-first century. Many of these changes are good and have made the job safer and increased the ability to solve crime. Some of these changes however are very detrimental to the profession. Hopefully, part of this book will point out these problem areas and provide viable solutions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Aug 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781490790251

Captain Roger B. Houle Jr

My name is Roger B. Houle, Jr. and I have been involved with law enforcement for many decades. I proudly served with the City of East Providence Rhode Island Police Department for twenty-four years. During that time I served at various ranks, and in various assignments, starting my career as a patrol officer working on the street. As a detective I was assigned to the vice unit, major crimes and crime scene investigation. Throughout my career I was blessed to achieve the ranks of detective, sergeant, lieutenant and eventually captain. As captain, I served as the division commander of both the Patrol Division and the Detective Division. I was the third ranking officer of the department while serving at this rank. I preface this book with a brief background of my career to demonstrate that my experience in law enforcement was diverse. I feel it gives me great insight into the law enforcement profession and what I am trying to relate to the reader of this book.

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Copyright 2018 By Captain Roger B. Houle, Jr. (ret.).

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

I express many opinions in this book. Although I like my opinions they do not supersede your department’s rules and regulations, nor do they supersede state and federal laws. The views of the author are not necessarily the views of the East Providence, RI Police Department nor of any other agency or person mentioned in this book. I hope you enjoy this book and that you find it helpful, regardless of what role you play in law enforcement. Thank you.

ISBN: 978-1-4907-9023-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-9024-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-9025-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018909730

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Trafford rev. 08/16/2018

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DEDICATION

I  dedicate this book to my four children; Randy, Kimberly, Amanda and Roger III, who are the loves of my life and have always been there for me, in the good times and the bad.

CONTENTS

Dedication

Prelude

Introduction

Chapter 1     Qualifications Of A Police Officer

Chapter 2     Hiring Practices

Chapter 3     A Police Officer’s Mind-Set

Chapter 4     Pro Bono Publico

Chapter 5     Community-Oriented Policing

Chapter 6     Patrol Operations

The Cornerstone Of Policing

Chapter 7     Patrol Operations

Police Reports And The Red Pen

Chapter 8     Patrol Operations

The Department’s Ambassador

Chapter 9     Patrol Operations

Techniques Of Patrol

Chapter 10   Patrol Operations

Creative Problem-Solving

Chapter 11   Patrol Operations

Basic Investigations In Patrol

Chapter 12   Patrol Operations

Cultural Awareness

Chapter 13   Investigative Services

Chapter 14   Traffic Services

Chapter 15   Detective Division

Chapter 16   Vice Investigations

Chapter 17   Crime Scene Investigations

Chapter 18   Supervision

Promotional Examinations

Chapter 19   Supervision

The Basic Philosophy

Chapter 20   Supervision

Discipline

Chapter 21   Supervision

Make A Decision And Act On It

Chapter 22   Administration

Chapter 23   Administration

Logistical Support

Chapter 24   Administration

Crime Mapping Targets Crimes

Chapter 25   Technology In Law Enforcement

Chapter 26   Police Funerals

The Final Goodbye

Chapter 27   Police Unions And Fraternal Organizations

Chapter 28   The Thin Blue Line

The Law Enforcement Family

Chapter 29   Why Cops Hate You

Chapter 30   Outside Supports For Law Enforcement

See Something, Say Somethiing

Chapter 31   Retirement

It’s Not The End

Chapter 32   Corrections

Chapter 33   Memorable Quotes From My Career

Chapter 34   Conclusion

PRELUDE

M y name is Roger B. Houle Jr., and I have been involved with law enforcement for many decades. I proudly served with the police department of the city of East Providence, Rhode Island, for twenty-four years. During that time, I served at various ranks and in various assignments, starting my career as a patrol officer working on the street. As a detective, I was assigned to the vice unit, major crimes unit, and crime scene investigation unit. Throughout my career, I was blessed to achieve the ranks of detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and eventually, captain. As captain, I served as the division commander of both the patrol division and the detective division (not at the same time). I was the third-ranking officer of the department while serving at this rank. I preface this book with a brief background of my career to demonstrate that my experience in law enforcement was diverse. I feel it gives me great insight into the law enforcement profession and what I am trying to relate to the reader of this book.

This book is to provide guidance not only for those in the law enforcement profession but also for those who may be considering a career in law enforcement. It is also geared toward a citizen who has no aspiration of being a police officer but who wants some insight as to what your police officers are dealing with on a daily basis, and how to help them better achieve their mission.

I am not going to cite multiple authors, their studies, their findings, their theses, their hypothesis, or the like. I am not going to list numerous footnotes because if something from someone else is worth mentioning, I will give them the credit at the time and not waste your time, flipping through footnotes, as if most of you do anyway. In the event I quote something that you feel is an original thought and I don’t give credit where credit is due, please send me the documentation, and I will gladly correct it in the next printing. I sometimes use Internet resources for quick reference because we all know if it is on the Internet, it must be true.

When I relay personal stories of the women and men I so proudly served with, my sisters and brothers, I will refer to them at the rank they achieved at the time of this writing, not necessarily and most often not the rank they were at the time when the incident occurred. I have been told I am very frank, and you may pick up on this as you read on. As a Christian, my career was influenced by my faith, and I thank God for having been given the gift of being a public servant for so many years.

INTRODUCTION

A t the time of this writing, the words terrorism and terrorist have definitely moved up the ladder on the list of words used frequently by the average American. After the horrific attacks of 9/11, we as a country have responded by declaring war on terrorism. While we fight this global war on terror, how are we dealing with those who terrorize our nation on a daily basis and have been doing so long before September 11? These are people who prey on the innocent daily. They are just as cowardly and just as deadly as any other terrorist but don’t often get the public notoriety. Who is this? you ask. Criminals!

One of the biggest problems facing this country today, as it has been since its inception, is the impact criminals have on our society. Criminals prey upon our citizen’s daily, and the overall cost in lives and property is much greater than from some isolated, albeit horrific, attack. Who do we count on to protect us against this onslaught of crime? Your local law enforcement agency—that’s who. The criminal justice system is a very complex system composed of many groups and facets. It is a great system, but at two in the morning when some thug is trying to break into your home, whom do you call? You call the only agency that still answers the telephone at two in the morning—the police department. At least I hope they still answer the telephone because, as this book will discuss, the role of the police officer is facing many challenges as we enter into the twenty-first century.

This book will look at the role of police officers in today’s society. Our officers have been known by many names over the years: lawman, marshal, trooper, sheriff, constable, and guard. They are also referred to by their slang names as well—copper, cop, pig, 5-0, fuzz—and the list goes on. Regardless what they have been called over the centuries, the job is basically the same. This book will examine how this role is being muddied as we enter this technological, politically correct age. I hope to provide you with some insight into the law enforcement profession based on my years of service as a sworn police officer.

Whether you are in law enforcement, considering a career in law enforcement, or just a concerned citizen, I urge you to read on. I will not bore you with studies, statistics, or specifics but provide you with my own insight into the profession, the challenges it faces, and some ways to make it better. The book is designed to stand the test of time to hopefully be valuable to many generations of law enforcement officers yet to come. This book will not focus on the various technologies or specialized techniques in law enforcement. As we all know, technology is rapidly advancing, and law enforcement is no exception. I am going to try and relate to you how police officers can individually be their best, how administrators can be their best, and how civilians can enhance their local law enforcement agency. There are many changes facing police officers in the twenty-first century. Many of these changes are good and have made the job safer and have increased the ability to solve crime. Some of these changes, however, are very detrimental to the profession. Hopefully, a part of this book will point out these problematic areas and provide viable solutions.

There are many great police stories that come out of the metropolitan hubs of the nations, but most of us in law enforcement don’t work there. We work for average departments that lend themselves to knowing all the officers whom you work with, and after a short time, you become familiar with your entire jurisdiction. Although I use the term average, there should be nothing average about you or about your department. You should be the best, and many of the citizens who live in your community really think you are the best. The perception that you are hated and mistrusted by the citizens is a falsehood, perpetuated by a small group of individuals who, in fact, don’t like you or what you stand for. This is the group who want to muddy the mission of law enforcement to pursue their own agenda, and in some cases, they are succeeding.

For those of you in or planning a future career in law enforcement, I hope this book will show you ways to make your job fun and successful. This book will provide an overview of policing and how you can become a better police officer. For those of you not in the law enforcement profession or have any aspirations of doing so, I hope to relate to you what the police officers who are protecting you daily are facing on a daily basis and how you can help them in their mission. As a concerned citizen, you have a great impact on your local law enforcement agency, and you should be involved.

CHAPTER

1

QUALIFICATIONS OF A POLICE OFFICER

B ecoming a police officer never crossed my mind when I was young. The first inkling I ever had toward this career was when I was sixteen years old. While at work one day, I could see that the state police had set up a radar trap across the street from my workplace. I pointed this out and made a smart comment about this to one of my coworkers. This coworker was a ranking member of an organized crime family who, at this time, was on a work release program (I was not). After my remark, he scolded me, telling me that I should always respect the police. He had nothing but compliments toward the police, telling me how honorable they were in spite of his past dealings. He went on to say that it was a great profession and something I should consider for a career. Needless to say, I was a bit speechless.

After this learning experience, I started to pay closer attention to just what police officers did, especially now that I had my driver’s license. Through my teenage years, there were a couple of officers who really stood out to me as class acts. They looked and acted in a professional manner. They were human; you could talk to them. They were not pushovers, but they certainly used discretion. These officers were Russ Fontaine from the Lincoln PD and Joe Connors from the neighboring community of Cumberland.

Based on my experiences and my lecture, I applied to one police department when I was eighteen years old, came out number one on the test, but never got hired. I tried again for the same department a couple of years later, and again, I was not hired. (Later in life, I found out my Dad was using his connections to keep me safe, not hired.) The next time this idea crossed my path was when I was twenty-two, and my teenage friend Ralph Ezovksi applied for the East Providence Police Department and got hired. Our cohort Joe Broadmeadow and I said why not, and we applied. We were both hired and on the job within a year. The interesting part was, coming from the Blackstone Valley area, that none of us even knew where the East Providence Police Department was at first. For my dear friend Cpl. Rolland Grant, it really wasn’t a Blackstone Valley conspiracy, and none of us knew the personnel director who happened to be from the Blackstone Valley region as well.

Who is qualified to serve as a law enforcement officer? You might have seen an advertisement in a local newspaper:

Help wanted: There are openings now for policemen. Good pay and benefits. Qualifications: white males, over 5'10" tall, no eyeglasses, no experience necessary; training is provided.

Early in the twentieth century, that is. Now if you ever saw an ad such as this today, it would certainly draw some attention as it should. If this is the current hiring standard, the unwritten rule still being used as hiring criteria, then you have problems. Although each department will have various criteria for hiring—sex, race, size, corrective lenses, sexual orientation, along with many other criteria used in the past—it should have no bearing on a candidate’s qualifications today.

What are the qualifications? Being a police officer is not just a job; it is a mind-set and lifestyle. You are going to have to think in ways the average citizen does not. You are going to have to look at situations with a slanted, suspicious perception. You are going to literally see blood, guts, and gore. You will see human depravity at its worst. You are going to have to make split-second decisions that will then be scrutinized by others for many years to follow. You will have to act based on what is just, not on what is popular. You are going to be working when most others are not—weekends, holidays, nights, and during extreme weather conditions. You are going to be called upon to use force, maybe even deadly force, to protect the people you serve. As Lt. Col. Dave Crossman pointed out in one of his seminars, When people naturally run away from a dangerous situation, you are going to be the one who instinctively runs into it.

With this in mind, who is qualified to serve as a police officer?

Anyone who realizes what the job involves, is physically and mentally able to perform it, and still wants to put their life at risk for society may be qualified. I say may be qualified because there are some who want to work in law enforcement for the wrong reasons.

Having read this, is the job really for you? Knowing this, though you have no intentions of going into law enforcement, are you as a citizen giving your local police officers the respect and support that they need and deserve? If you are not sure, please read on.

CHAPTER

2

HIRING PRACTICES

O ne of the most important aspects of having a good police department is the hiring practices that are in place. Most municipalities will have written guidelines setting the minimum qualifications and the acceptable procedures to be followed throughout the hiring practice. Proper screening of applicants for your law enforcement agency is vital. Each candidate needs to be screened physically, mentally and, in my opinion, a thorough background check into their character. You want to make sure you are getting people who want to be police officers for the right reasons and who will be able to endure and thrive in a police environment.

When I applied for the job, I took a written examination. Those who passed the written test went on to a physical agility test, followed by a psychological examination. If you successfully completed these and then ranked high enough, a background check was then done. Successful candidates were then ranked on a list based on their overall performance and selected as vacancies occurred. Most municipalities will maintain these lists for a time; ours was two years.

The first major change to this procedure was under Chief Winquist. He reversed this order by doing the physical agility test first. This immediately eliminated those who were not physically qualified. It also saved the city money as it could be done in-house using our own officers to monitor the tests at a minimal cost. After this, a written examination was done, which required the cost of an outside testing agency. By eliminating the first round of candidates, the cost for the written test was reduced. Those who passed the written exam based on numerical standing went on to the psychological examination. Once that was completed, a list of eligible candidates was formulated, and then officers were assigned to do background checks on the candidates. Chief Winquist also implemented posting the names of the candidates in-house. This frequently resulted in either positive or negative feedback from officers who had dealt with these individuals in the past.

The background check is by far the most important step in getting