Commentary
Police Academy Grads Shame Idaho With Slogan
By Jill Kuraitis, 12-26-07
Idaho blog Huckleberries has reported that the slogan, “Don’t suffer from PTSD, go out and cause it” was printed as a class slogan on the graduation programs for officers who finished the Idaho Police Officer Standards and Training Academy’s latest course.
From the Associated Press:
“PTSD, short for post-traumatic stress disorder, typically afflicts people who have endured civilian violence, military combat and other extremely dislocating experiences.
‘We were mortified that it was in there,’ Jeff Black, director of the police training academy in Meridian, told that Spokesman-Review newspaper this week.
The latest group, with officers bound for 19 police agencies around the state, included military veterans interested in issues such as mental survival.
“Our class president was ex-military,” Black said. “It slipped in.
“That’s not something we encourage or condone. It shouldn’t have been there. It was inappropriate.”
That’s an understatement worthy of national mention, and I have no doubt it will make some headlines outside the state. With Idaho’s shaky image as a place ripe with racists, foolish politicians, extreme gun worship, pitiful care for children and the poor, and a potato-truck full of other transgressions, this is just ducky.
Idaho also has a thriving peace community, activists for the poor and neglected, religious groups focused on many needs, community health, the homeless, the environment - and plenty of good groups and politicians trying to improve the lives of Idahoans.
But those many thousands of good people don’t make headlines. It’s people like the police academy idiots who draw the attention and can nearly wipe out the reputation of the good folks whose sincere work could rehabilitate Idaho’s image.
NewWest.Net/Boise publishes many stories on the efforts of Idahoans to make positive changes in the world. Through commentary like this, we are also able to write about the disgraces perpetrated by a few Idahoans, and make it clear these incidents are the exception to life here, not the rule. The graduates of the police academy course are called on to not only apologize to PTSD victims everywhere - especially their own ex-military colleagues - but also to examine their consciences about whether they are fit to do their jobs. If gung-ho tactics are the style in which they intend to carry out their ‘peacekeeping’ mission, they have no business in the ranks of law enforcement.
[End of article]I'm a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corp that suffers from PTSD. I served my country in Southeast Asia with pride. As a result I have spent the 35+ years in hell and the last 13 months in a P.T.S.D. clinic at the V.A. in Alb. NM. I wouldn't want any of your so proud police officers to walk a step in my shoes.
Hopefully that is not a anthem for your whole state. We for sure will not visit Boise.
This was also a shot at my fallen brothers.
I was at the POST academy during November. I personally know the president of the class. He served as a Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. He has the same fallen brothers as your high and mighty self. Stay out of Boise, we don't need you here. Thanks for your service. My father and grandfather served this country too. Now go tell everyone in town about your service so everyone will give you gratuities and kiss your butt.
Comment By Bill Croke, 12-26-07Well, Jill, next time you need someone to rescue you from a car wreck, or prevent a home invasion or assault, or search for a missing child, well, I suggest you call 911 to be assisted by your local peace activists or Unitarian soup kitchen staff. God forbid that some uniformed "idiot" would show up. Excuse me, you make me sick. I have to go vomit.
Comment By Sisyphus, 12-26-07BTYD. You were at POST and are acquainted with the class president. Not a word of apology? No defense? All you do is slam a disabled vet. Did you read the frickin' article?
That slogan dishonors all who wear the uniform and now you go and make it personal. And now I'm left to wonder if you are a graduate of the POST Academy yourself. If so, God help me and my family should we have to call the police for help. You strike me as naive, prematurely judgmental, unsympathetic and reactionary, not qualities I want in a law enforcement officer sworn to protect and to serve.
Here in Boise we've had a rash of shootings in the last ten years some resulting from cowboy cops using more braun than brains. I used to think its because they were all rejects from the LAPD. Now I'm wondering if Idaho has been training them that way instead of producing professionals.
Dave, Idaho isn't like this guy. We'd welcome you with open arms.
Bill I think Jill's point is lost on you too. She's trying to show the good things we accomplish in Idaho that go unsung while some idiots figure out a way to make the state look bad. Lately such idiots include elected officials including a US Senator and now public employees. Who can blame her for speaking out?
After the multiple officer related shootings in Boise many of us asked the question of whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing to call the cops for help. Do cops really want this reputation? This slogan seems to merely add to the demise of their once proud calling.
Gee, we have vets fighting vets. Now I don't claim to know anything about this other than what I read in the paper. But I bet that the fellow who came up with the solgan thought it was funny. I'm sure that he, or she for that matter, surely didn't mean to insult anyone, much less vets. It does remind me of the stupid, at least I thought they were stupid, unit solgans when I was in the peace-time military. I personally think we should all be thankful to both these combat vets, and the other writer's father and grandfather and all who have worn the national uniform and gone into harm's way. The damn newspapers make a bid deal out of everything. I am sure that some commanders has already made the class president wish he was still flying.
Comment By Excessive Use, 12-27-07PTSD is nothing to laugh or joke about. Facts of the matter: the slogan is both inappropriate and also completely not based in reality. The reality is cops that encounter critical incidents do suffer from PTSD, and no slogan is going to change that. Police officers need to be concerned with protecting citizens while enforcing the law, and that INCLUDES CRIMINAL CITIZENS. Inducing PTSD is not a valid form of protection. I certainly hope that this class of graduates understands that.
Comment By BoiseNick, 12-27-07OMG , U Dirty Lib-RALL reporter U ,,,
How DARE You tell us what OUR public servants are doing !!!
LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLaLAA !-!-! I Cain't heer yoo !....
If the past 7 years have taught us Anything , it's that many Americans fight daily to be Capital "I" Ignorant , what makes U Queen-O-the-World worthy 2 tell us this should change ? ? ? ?
REMEMBER (hunny) : if "news" does not up-lift and promote ALL (R)-branded Government and public servants , it is Lib-RALL and NOT to be Trusted , NOT 2 B written about ; unless it slimes sum-1 from the nasty DemocRAT Party !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Based on some of these mindless comments I am now sure of why the Idaho Recruit Class came up with the slogan they did - and its not because they were LAPD rejects (you wish you had X-LAPD officers to clean up our state). Most of you sound like the nim witts you are. Sounds like your all suffering from PTSD!
Comment By Ian Anderson, 12-28-07Hey John Smith (if that IS your real name), what the fuck is a "nim witt"? You also don't know the distinction between "its" and "it's," and you don't know when you use "you're" instead of "your."
Let me guess, you voted for Bush--twice--right?
WTF is a nim witt? Obviously it's someone whose father was a numbnut and whose mother was a dim wit.
Comment By Maureen, 12-28-07Right on, Jill.
Comment By Dale, 12-29-07When your life and job are intertwined as it is in front line emergency response, unlike the majority of the nation's jobs, certain innate pressure release valves naturally form.
In this case, an unusual (you have taken it as offensive) form of sense of humour has manifested itself. The class is broadcasting loud and clear their fear and anxiety and pride (all in the same breath) to the CRIMINALS that they will face as they risk their life for the citizens and fellow officers they are sworn to protect. I really wouldn't take this slogan too seriously or too personally at all.......I would have thought a member of the real press would ahve more depth and be a little bit less obtuse when analyzing this situation. Unless.........
Unless.......are you somehow planning to cause PTSD to officers? If you are...then by all means stamp your infantile feet and write 100 more articles on the brutal outbursts by these future young guardians. I can see how the fact that these forward thinking officers who are going to mentally prepare themselves to CRIMINALS (are you with me?) in a pro-active way might foil your plan to PTSD them to death.
C'mon man, look at the big picture.....any military vet,cop or soldier will tell you that this essential esprit du corps communications is common place in elite units to help them deal with the multitude of problems presented by situations that are trying to deal them death. Your not trying to do that to them are you? Good job recruits! You didn't offend me and this reporter is talking out of his ___
My New Years Wish 2 ALL American Ostriches ( Headin-Sandus Ignorantus) Poo-Pooing this story :
" May You or Your family , not MINE ; be the ones to feel the humor of Police 'PTSD-HaHa' sticks on your heads . "
Clearly the plug for the "peace community" doesn't really belong in this article. I'm not saying I'm for or against anything, just saying it's out of place.
I think the real issue that's worthy of national attention here is that we're training people with this sort of questionable judgment to be police officers. I wonder if this ex-military class pres has recently seen combat. What really worries me is how many vets will come back from war with this kind of "us vs. them" mentality directed at civilians.
For all the people who applaud this attitude, your ignorance is what's destroying America. How can you defend and/or be proud of any American who WANTS to cause PTSD? That's really sadistic and potentially makes you a sociopath.
John, I suppose that I can agree with about everything in your comment, except your contention that the attitudes espoused at the Idaho Police Training Academy will "potentially" make its graduates into sociopaths. For crying out loud, John, it's Idaho; of course they're being trained to be sociopaths. Where have you been, John? Haven't you been paying any attention at all to what has been going on in Idaho over the past, oh, say hundred and fifty years?
Comment By bearbait, 1-01-08Society wants, needs, a warring class for its own protection. Black humor is a coping mechanism for people constantly in the line of fire and the objects of community ire. While they are running from one unbelieveably horrendous situation to another, daily, from abused children, drug crimes, stupid robberies, wanton mayhem and murder, the cops, firemen, EMTs, all have a need to comfort themselves from our collective bad behavior. Peace and love has been around for a long time, and has yet to become the national standard. And for Boise, quite the contrary. I believe Boise just set an annual record for all time in its number of murders. Peace and love have yet to establish themselves in Boomtown. Maybe the cops-to-be are more aware of the clear and present dangers than writers. Black humor can be a blessing, a pressure relief device, and a much better expression of emotion than some of the alternatives.
Comment By Jill Kuraitis, 1-01-08I think John is partially right about the peace community being out of place in my commentary. Rather than take it out, however, I wish I had added, "Not to mention thousands of law enforcement officers of all kinds who would never have used that slogan and whose work is exemplary and for whom I am grateful."
As several of you have noted, the point of my piece was to express exasperation at yet another ridiculous story originating from Idaho. Coming so soon on the heels of Larry Craig, it was a straw that is straining the camel's back.
Dale's comments boil down to the self-justifying "boys will be boys" argument that I will never honor. Everybody makes mistakes, but that the graduates themselves don't recognize that they've made one, and have not issued an apology, is what makes the transgression still outrageous.
I also agree that black humor is a coping mechanism and not necessarily evil. But one doesn't print it in the program.
I appreciate the discussion. Remember this isn't reporting; it's commentary.
I tried a follow up comment----it was rejected by the site---typical
Comment By TZ, 1-02-08Black humor is all well and good, but when it comes at someone else's expense then you have to wonder who the Police Officer's serve. They may not have broken any laws, but they certainly lost a little bit more of the public's trust.
Unfortunately, this casts more shame on Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Other communities will think we condone and support the use of humor at someone else's expense. Who will they call a cripple next? As Jill points out, rather than defensiveness a genuine apology and a greater sense of duty would go a long way.
It's not surprising to me that police officers feel they are in a war against bad guys. Gang violence is growing. Look at all the fallen heroes: http://www.odmp.org/browse.php
In Idaho there are over 30 deaths by gunfire alone.
http://www.odmp.org/search.php?searching=1&state=ID&cause=19
Our police heroes certainly have their share of PTSD incidences. In my opinion, they have real motivation to shift that burden. Calling such officers "idiots" fails to recognize their needs to cope with that burden arising from the brutal reality of their jobs. Lumping such officers in with racists and Larry Craig is an insult beyond words.
More bait and switch Craig? When the subject of Larry Craig comes up you talk about Barney Frank, not because it adds relevance to the conversation but because you have a knee jerk partisan reaction.
The disabled are a protected class in this country as in most civilized countries, including the mentally disabled. PTSD can be debilitating and its causes are quite clearly things to be avoided. Cops aren't there to cause violence but to stop it by the least intrusive means necessary. Its the difference between a rogue vigilante/posse comitatus and a professional. I'd like some confidence that when I need help, I'm going to get the pro. Yet you justify the slogan by stating "In my opinion, they have real motivation to shift that burden." Do you think causing PTSD is a desired outcome for a police officer? Is this a do unto others before they do it to you? This assumes PTSD will always be the outcome of any engagement. Very tortured analysis methinks.
Jill's post is in no way a criticism of cops in general as many here assert. And I stand by the label. The POST grads who proferred the slogan are at the least unprofessional not worthy of the diploma. At the most they are idiots as are those who don't get it. And the analogy to Larry Craig is apt. Public officials bringing shame to the state they represent. What don't you get?
Sisyhus, you state: "When the subject of Larry Craig comes up you talk about Barney Frank," Really? Please quote what I said as I have no recollection of making such connection of comparing brave men and women with cowards like Larry Craig.
You ask, "Do you think causing PTSD is a desired outcome for a police officer? Is this a do unto others before they do it to you?"
Absolutely not. All I said is I understand their motivation, a coping mechanism, to shift the PTSD burden they might otherwise be burdened with. Larry Craig or the racists that these police heroes are lumped with are NOT putting their lives on the line as those police heroes will do. BIG DIFFERENCE! The statement was wrong to print, I don't dispute that. Calling the police academy graduates idiots and lumping them in with cowards like racists and Larry Craig is an insult beyond words.
Long ago I was involved in a shooting incident on a city street. People died and others injured. My friend was shot through the chest standing next to me. As I tended to his wounds the police arrived. They tried several times to get the gunman to disarm. He responed by shooting at their legs showing under a car and shooting at them over the car. Finally, they took out the gunman in a hail of bullets. I distinctily remember to this day the words of a person who took the side of the gunman over the police officers. That person yelled, "The Pigs shot him, the Pigs shot him." This was while I had the blood of my friend running down my arms. Those brave officers faced gunfire and risked their lives giving the gunman a chance to surrender and they were rewarded with , "The Pigs shot him." Of course this person wasn't criticising all police officers, only the ones who risked their lives that day. I don't know if those officers experienced PTSD from this situation, but I do understand the desire to utilize a coping mechanism like words on a program. Suffering through a little embarrassment is a small price to pay in cutting our officers a little slack for what they do for us and what they risk.