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𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚉𝚎𝚗 𝙲𝚘𝚙

@thezencop

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𝙼𝚊𝚌 𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚜: 𝙿𝚘𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛, 𝙲𝚘𝚙
“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚉𝚎𝚗 𝙲𝚘𝚙 𝙿𝚘𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝” 𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚢/𝙰𝚙𝚙𝚕𝚎/𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚃𝚞𝚋𝚎
𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚗-𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚛𝚜
𝙾𝚠𝚗𝚎𝚛: @𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢

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There are two types of preparation for the job in terms of training and education. One involves a classroom environment where access is granted via email and a few signatures from command staff, and the other is something that you can’t sign up for. It’s hit or miss on when classes are available, but you won’t get in unless you’re looking for it.

On the job experience is one of the most underrated portions of ongoing education, and not by design, but rather reality. Repetition becomes part of the job on day one, and that repetition will continue for the majority of your career.

Repetition can build two mindsets: “good enough” and “we could do better.” The “good enough” mentality will function for purposes of standard patrol operation, but you truly won’t take anything of value from those experiences. In some scenarios, it could actually work against you.

The “good enough” cops will eventually enter a scenario where “good enough” quite literally isn’t, and the potential outcome from that scenario could range from disciplinary action all the way to death. A wide gambit between a write up and dying, but that’s the field we play on.

The “we could do better” cops can enter multiple scenarios with a tool bag much larger than the previously mentioned portion of law enforcement. I’m not saying that every call needs to be a learning experience, but I am saying that every call needs to initially be treated like it could be.

Your mind is equally as important as any other part of your body that pertains to survival in this career field. Experience in that regard becomes paramount for both the fist and the brain. “Good enough” may get the job done for now, but there’s no guarantee it will work when all the chips get pushed forward.

Get your hands dirty. Get the experience. Get better. You’ll thank yourself someday in the future.

Pictured: Officer Bill Walton Pasadena PD 1986 by @thezencop

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11 days ago

𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗. by @thezencop

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17 days ago

by @thezencop

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a month ago

The value of life is easily explainable when we consider what it’s like in their absence. Loss is one of the most powerful experiences we can have as humans. It’s something that can be described with words, but it truly needs to be experienced to understand its totality.

Grief itself is the currency that we use to show the value of life, and how much it hurts is a direct reflection of how much they meant to you. The initial pain is acute, and with time it will start to dull, but pain, nonetheless. That’s the currency. That’s the value of their life left behind to remind us how rich we were when they were here.

Grief is also a tool. Something that you can keep in your back pocket. Something that you can look at from time to time and utilize to give perspective. It’s a reference point. A period of time in your life that you can use to measure all other challenges you may face. While its delivery was not necessarily what you wanted, it is something that you needed in order to move forward.

Death itself is so certain of its victory he gives us a head start. It’s called life. Trust the process, and keep going. That’s what they would have wanted for us🖤 by @thezencop

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2 months ago

𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗. by @thezencop

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2 months ago

The term “mass shooting” has become the blanket term to allow media outlets and political leaders to soften the proverbial blow when it comes to gun violence within certain portions of the United Staes.

The term itself literally serves as a headline re-direct, and a large portion of the public will simply read it, nod and agree, and say the same words again, and again… ”we have to do something about these guns.”

The shooting in Seattle took place between teenagers, one of which was 15, a 19-year-old (dead), and an unidentified third (possible) shooter.

Before anyone wants to introduce the gun argument as the culprit- first, you must be 21 years old to purchase a handgun in Washington. Second, they were in possession of 33 and 40 round magazines (for post-2022 purchases import etc, it’s not a wobbler, but there is currently a ten-round limit) and they would also be completely illegal for someone under 21 years old to possess. Third, at least one of the firearms used in the shooting was a non-serialized polymer 80. And fourth, at least one of the guns used during the shooting was equipped with an auto-sere making the gun capable of firing fully automatic (Glock switch)…which is illegal to possess in Washington.

The gun argument is out. Why? Because the laws that are currently in place did nothing to prevent this incident, and simply stated, bad guys don’t legally acquire firearms. Gang and criminal violence is THE NUMBER ONE contributor to firearm related deaths annually outside of suicide, most commonly with a 9MM, and most commonly males ages 18 to 24, and most commonly within inner cities of the US.

More gun legislation that only affects law-abiding gun owners won’t fix this issue. Heavy handed punishment, incarceration, zero tolerance policy for repeat offenders, and aggressive/continuous action from city leadership will. Remember- they defunded specialty units that targeted this exact type of criminal behavior.

Want to see a change? Start addressing the real issue- bad parenting, no parenting, and an unhinged gang/criminal violence issue that is being completely ignored. Don’t be mad at the gun, be mad at the failure of society and government. by @thezencop

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3 months ago

by @thezencop

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3 months ago

One thing that I get questioned about frequently is my altar. Total transparency, I don’t have a specific devotion to any religion. In fact, for the majority of my life I actually struggled a lot with the concept of organized religion overall. I saw too much controversy within a system that was supposed to offer its followers peace.

The majority of the strife that I held in my youth was also based on the concept of loss. I was mad at God for taking so many people away from me, especially my father. In time however, I learned that God didn’t kill my father, cancer did. Being mad at God for my father‘s death would be like being mad at the cable guy for a thunderstorm.

In time, my anger would dissipate and I would understand the gratitude that comes with loss. That sentence in itself sounds like a very strange thing to say, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have gratitude for the suffering life gave me. The pain is what made me realize the true value of life, and as time went on, that appreciation grew deeper, and deeper.

For me, the altar is an internal peace offering. It’s a space I visit once a day when I’m home. I take a few minutes in the morning and cultivate mindfulness, gratitude, and positivity. The pieces of my altar vary in symbolism and purpose, but the majority of them are pieces that I have collected over the years, or gifts from family and friends.

While I don’t necessarily practice a specific religion I would say the majority of what I follow would be based on Buddhist ideologies. Some could even make the argument that Buddhism itself is not a religion but rather a philosophy that focuses on understanding the nature of suffering, and the path to liberation. Along with buddhism, I’ve taken pieces of other religious figures over the years that have a place at the table.

It’s important to remember that in the quest for enlightenment, it will not come quickly. The altar in that regard helps give patience, understanding, and gratitude for the present.

The other question I get is how to build an altar. Well, there’s no wrong answer to that question. Whatever you think has purpose, does. Build accordingly. by @thezencop

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3 months ago

𝙼𝚊𝚗: 𝟷 𝚃𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚛: 𝟶 by @thezencop

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3 months ago

July 11th will always be a very important day for me. Six years ago today was one of the most significant crossroads I would ever experience in my lifetime, and it still holds relevance.

It’s important to remember that in the immediate, not everything is going to make sense. In fact, sometimes it can feel damn near impossible to simply move forward from where you are.

Movement is such a critical part of human life. Without it, we become stagnant and atrophy sets in for both mind and body, and we slowly start to sink deeper.

Over the last six years I’ve made it a point to do just about as much as I could. It wasn’t easy, but the word “easy” is rarely applicable in adulthood if you’re doing it right. I stopped thinking about things and dreaming about things, and I started to do them. One foot after the other.

I started writing, I started speaking, and the next thing I knew my aspirations became my reality. Most importantly, I knew that if I hadn’t moved forward, I would have never made it. Cowabunga, it was.

I turn 41 in a few days, and the work is far from over. At 41, I’m grateful for every single experience I’ve ever had. I’m grateful for the people I’ve met along the way. The friendships I’ve created. The memories that I get to look back on someday as an old man. All of these feelings of gratitude because I chose to do- and not wait.

Structure feels good, so does stability. It’s safe. However, in order for you to obtain some level of maximum fulfillment, you do have to introduce a certain amount of risk. I’m not one to gamble, but I will always gamble on myself. For the naysayers? Fuck em. Don’t waste your energy on non-energetic people.

The days are long but the years are short. Before you know it, there will be things that will pass you by. Opportunities that are no longer available. Time spent with family, friends, your kids- all of it. Personal goals, things to experience, everything that will someday be memories for you to look back on. And someday, that will be all you have left.

Don’t wait for it. If you wait for life to happen for you, there’s a high likelihood that it will never happen at all.

Don’t wait. Do. by @thezencop

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3 months ago

𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚐 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚝- 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝙱𝚊𝚗 by @thezencop

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4 months ago

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎.

Two men could look at the exact same sky and have two different opinions about the forecast. Partly sunny? Partly cloudy? Disposition is everything when it comes to what is currently surrounding us.

I’ve spoken on this topic many times, and with intention. The simplicity of positivity carries so much value, yet the cost is nothing.

Positivity is not something that we can physically purchase, but in order to get it we do have to give some effort- and that effort can be a challenging currency to produce when our mind isn’t at its best.

In a strange way, suffering will always allow for personal growth. Almost the same concept of destroying muscle to build more. The brain works very similarly. Experiencing trauma can provide a lot of clarity if channeled properly in the long-term.

If you experience it enough, and the concept of challenge and peril is somewhat consistent throughout your life, there’s a very high likelihood that you will have a deeper appreciation for simply existing. It’s important to remember, however, that the bulk of that appreciation will take time, it’s not something that will happen in the immediate.

Life in many ways is taken for granted. The simple fact that we are here is a miracle alone. Staying positive is not necessarily a means to overcome, but rather a means of acceptance. A true understanding that every single thing we experience, good or bad, is all part of the process.

Sometimes we have to experience the terrible things in life just to see how amazing the other side of it will be. Perspective is everything when it comes to navigating this journey. Don’t be afraid of adversity. She is a cruel teacher, but she will never lie to you. by @thezencop

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4 months ago