10/02/2026
The week’s roundup for you; what’s happened? There’s been a bit going on, here, let me explain:
First, I’m on annual leave, so there’s that. And I’ll admit, there’s always a little stress that comes with stepping away. In this profession, we get accustomed to being available at all days and hours, knowing what’s happening, and feeling responsible for what comes next. It can take a few days before you actually start to let go of that.
But time away is part of first responder wellness, and it’s something I need to talk about and practice, not just encourage in others. Taking leave, disconnecting, spending time with family and friends, in my case flying to Massachusetts where I was raised after Saturdays event, and allowing yourself to recharge are important parts of staying healthy and effective in this profession. If you’re reading this and are employed, this applies to you too by the way.
For those of us in leadership, I think there’s another piece to it: we have to be willing to model the same wellness we ask of our people. Taking annual leave isn’t stepping away from The People. It’s making sure you can come back ready for it.
The stress of stepping back is finally easing, and I’m remembering that time away really is necessary.
Meanwhile, the work certainly hasn’t stopped, it can’t stop.
Cadet Davies represented us at the “It’s Your Future Fair” at North Kitsap High School, staffing our booth and spending time talking with young people about law enforcement, public service, and the opportunities that may be ahead of them.
That youth interaction is important. It gives young people an opportunity to meet someone representing law enforcement outside of an enforcement setting, ask questions, have a conversation, and perhaps see a career they hadn’t considered before. Just as importantly, it gives us an opportunity to listen to them. Sometimes those brief, positive interactions are where relationships with the next generation begin.
We also held a community BBQ, where our new officers were introduced to our Suquamish community. Nothing elaborate, just food, conversation, plenty of laughter, and an opportunity to spend some time together.
Community members were able to meet our newest staff as people, not simply as the officers they might eventually see responding to a call. They also got an up-close look at our new patrol vehicles and the new graphics, including a chance to see some of the equipment our officers use every day.
Those informal moments matter.
Community focused policing doesn’t always happen during a call for service or across a desk. Sometimes it happens over a burger, during a conversation with a student about their future, or standing around a new patrol car laughing together. I’m not a fan of the term “community policing”, it’s been done to death, we get it already, enough. Service TO The People is different in many ways than service WITh The People and that’s what we try for, keeping that Seventh Principle in the forefront and I think we do a decent job. Our officers are seen as the people they are while retaining the confidence of the community that when the need arises, the difficult conversations and actions that need to happen will happen.
Showing up. Talking. Listening. Laughing. Getting to know one another.
That’s a pretty good week I think.
Now, I’ll set this aside and and let’s talk about Saturday’s event; The annual Kitsap Shop With a Cop comedy show and fund raiser is this Saturday and we are sold out!! I’ll put the link to the auction page in comments if you care to take a gander. I’ve explained before that this year’s school district is South Kitsap; we rotate throughout the school districts. The next step, the shopping event at the Poulsbo Walmart the first Saturday afternoon of December; you should check it out when the time comes.
If you have any questions please reach out, take care of each other and
