The Importance of Goals and Incentives

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Jim Bedinger and Vivian Abraham attended the FOP Great Lakes Coalition meeting held in Indianapolis, IN, on October 3- 4, 2024.

Jim Bedinger and Vivian Abraham attended the FOP Great Lakes Coalition meeting held in Indianapolis, IN, on October 3- 4, 2024. ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago
Today is National Thank a Police Officer Day! Wed like to take a moment to express our gratitude to the brave men and women who protect and serve. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to keeping us safe. #NationalThankAPoliceOfficerDay

Today is National Thank a Police Officer Day! We'd like to take a moment to express our gratitude to the brave men and women who protect and serve. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to keeping us s#nationalthankapoliceofficerdayerDay ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago
Thank you for 30 years of service!! And counting …
Stay safe!

Thank you for 30 years of service!! And counting …
Stay safe!30 years and counting!

Denise Sledge has been a valuable part of the OCSO Communications team for three decades! Thank you for your dedicated service and for answering the call for so many years! We appreciate you!🌟👏
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1 month ago
Great work Officer Harris and K-9 Rocky! Thank you! Stay safe.

Great work Officer Harris and K-9 Rocky! Thank you! Stay safe.Great work Officer Harris & K9 Rocky and congratulations on being the District 5 Officer of the Month!!!
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Congratulations to Officer J. Harris and K9 Rocky of District 5, C Squad, who are being recognized as this month’s Officer of the Month.

Officer Harris recently completed a four-week K9 Handler course with his new partner, K9 Rocky. While attending K9 Handler school, Officer J. Harris and K9 Rocky conducted rigorous training to master working as a K9 Team. The curriculum is designed to equip handlers with the expertise needed for effective law enforcement. The curriculum focuses on narcotics detection, tracking, and evidence locating. Officer J. Harris and K9 Rocky have quickly become a unified team. Their combined efforts have led to the successful locating and apprehending of three suspects wanted in connection with felony incidents. Officer J. Harris and K9 Rocky have recovered not only two discarded firearms from fleeing suspects but also other discarded evidence pertinent to the crimes currently being investigated. Their work, including assisting with K9 callouts and routinely responding to 9-1-1 calls, has significantly contributed to maintaining public safety.

Thanks to Officer Harris and K9 Rocky for your hard work and dedication to protecting the Durham community. Excellent work!
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1 month ago
Great picture! Thank you, Deputy King and K9 Vito! Stay safe.

Great picture! Thank you, Deputy King and K9 Vito! Stay safe.Don’t mind us as we carry around "ruffly" 90 lbs. of K9 love.
Happy National Dog Day from Deputy King and K9 Vito!
#nationaldaydog🐾

📷 Nevada County Sheriff's Office
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1 month ago
We will Never Forget.

We will Never Forget.The Chicago Police Department offers our condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of Police Officer Austin Machitar of the San Diego Police Department who sadly lost his life in the line of duty on August 26, 2024. Officer Machitar's partner was also injured in the crash and is currently listed in critical condition. Our thoughts are with the officers and their families. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Thank you, K-9 Haywire! Enjoy your well-deserved retirement with your handler, and stay safe!Image attachment

Thank you, K-9 Haywire! Enjoy your well-deserved retirement with your handler, and stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Great job! Thank you! Stay safe.

Great job! Thank you! Stay safe.Earlier today, when a kitten in Staten Island fell through the grates of a storm drain, concerned residents reached out to your NYPD cops. NYPD Special Operations ESU officers responded, and with help from NYC Department of Environmental Protection, they successfully brought the cat back to safety so it could dry up in today’s warm sun. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Welcome, K9 Raider and K9 Titan! Stay safe!

Welcome, K9 Raider and K9 Titan! Stay safe!Join us in welcoming K9 Raider and K9 Titan! 🐕

“The Gwinnett County Police Department is proud to introduce two new K9's into service. After completing their training in North Carolina, Raider and Titan will both begin work in the county. Titan will work with Cpl. Bartkowiak and Raider will work with Officer Copley. Both dogs are 2-year-old Belgian Malinois.”
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1 month ago
Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe.Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Hello, K9 Diesel and Officer Ryan Coll! Thank you! Stay safe.

Hello, K9 Diesel and Officer Ryan Coll! Thank you! Stay safe.Meet K9 Diesel and Officer Ryan Coll of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department . Diesel is a half Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd and will be 4 on his next birthday. When he’s not working, Diesel LOVES spending time relaxing with his human siblings and mama at home. Photo by Erik Larson. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe!

Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe!Congratulations to Officer Dalton Koch!

We are proud to announce that Officer Dalton Koch has been selected as the O'Fallon Police Department's Officer of the Month for July. This recognition is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and commitment to serving our community. Please join us in congratulating Officer Koch on this well-deserved honor! 👏👮‍♂️
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1 month ago
Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe.Image attachment

Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Welcome!! Thank you! Stay safe.

Welcome!! Thank you! Stay safe.We welcomed a new recruit class at the Lexington Police Department Training Academy this week! For the next 30+ weeks, the recruits will cover topics that will help them Set the Standard.

Please join us in welcoming Recruit Class 08-2024 and thank them for choosing to serve our community!
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1 month ago
Great job, K9 Milo!!!! Thank you!

Great job, K9 Milo!!!! Thank you!Good Boy K-9 Milo 💙👏
#thankyouforyourservice

"K9 Milo of the Colorado Springs Police K-9 Unit was off duty this past Friday but that didn't stop him, or his Handler, from assisting with the capture of a fugitive.

Thank you Milo for doing such a great job which meant that everyone went home safe!"

📷 Running 4 Heroes- K9s
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#heroes #policedog #k9 #k9officer #workingdog #malinois
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1 month ago
Thank you, Officer Horvath, for your many years of service!!!!
Stay safe!

Thank you, Officer Horvath, for your many years of service!!!!
Stay safe!Congratulations to Officer Jason Horvath on celebrating 20 years of dedicated service with the Wentzville Police Department!

With 26 years in law enforcement, Officer Horvath has been an integral part of our team. From his work as a K9 Officer, Detective and service in the Cyber Crime Unit and now serving as a School Resource Officer for over 11 years, his commitment to our community is unmatched. As the lead advisor for the WPD Explorer Program, he's made a significant impact on the youth in our community. He's also been recognized multiple times, earning Employee of the Quarter twice and receiving the Optimist Club Award for his outstanding contributions to youth in the community.

Thank you, Officer Horvath, for your dedication and service! We are proud to have you on our team.
#WentzvillePD
#WPDServiceAwards
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1 month ago
#HEROES!!!!
Thank you! 💙💙💙💙

#heroes!!!!
Thank you! 💙💙💙💙🐶𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬🐶

Detectives from the Special Victims Section recently discovered six abandoned puppies on the side of the road. Covered in dirt and riddled with fleas, the puppies were quickly rescued!
Thanks to the swift action of our detectives and colleagues in the Criminal Investigations Division, the puppies have found loving homes. We’re proud of our team’s dedication and compassion!
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1 month ago
Thank you! Stay safe!

Thank you! Stay safe!👏👏👏👏
Congratulations to Officer Michael Grund on achieving his one-stripe milestone, signifying 5 years of law enforcement service.

Officer Grund joined the Wausau Police Department in 2019 after graduating from the criminal justice academy at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau. Aside from his time with patrol, Officer Grund served as one of our Field Training Officers and is now a member of our Community Resource Unit, tasked with addressing neighborhood issues in our city. Thank you Officer Grund for choosing to serve our community and being a big part of our success as an organization!

*Background of Service Stripes: For every 5 years of law enforcement service, we present our staff with a gold service stripe to be worn on their long-sleeve uniform. Service stripes are small, but each stripe is significant and symbolizes a tremendous amount of positive impacts each officer has made in our community
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Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!CONGRATULATIONS to Officer Nicholet Gonzalez and Officer Madeleine King who graduated from Sauk Valley Police Academy BLE-5. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

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The Importance of Goals and Incentives

In case you haven’t noticed, most of the world surrounding you is moving toward or already using a goal oriented, incentive based system.  The reason is simple…it works.

Credit unions and banks often provide incentives in the form of reduced lending rates or increases savings rates to their members and customers for using more than one of their products and or a specific service.  Credit card issuers reward you with airline miles, cash back, and a host of other gifts when you use their credit card to make your purchases.  Grocery stores discount certain items if you carry their check-cashing card.  Most employers have created a merit-based, incentive-laden environment for determining raises and promotions.

For the most part incentives are the rewards you receive for reaching your goals and in the same way that people are much more likely to achieve their goals if they are written and specific, businesses have found that they are likely to do more business with customers who are incented to do business with them.

Knowing how to establish your goals is the most essential aspect of developing any useful and relevant plan and there are several key ingredients of successful goal setting.

Understand the Purpose

When you set out to establish your own goals, you should begin the process by defining what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it.  Understanding the purpose of your goals will help you develop a plan and to stick to it accordingly.

In fact, understanding the purpose of anything that you do will lead directly to increased personal awareness and perspective as well as the gratification you experience when you understand your role and how it relates to the world around you.  Remember that stress only comes from what you don’t know or cannot control.  If you understand your purpose and you follow the plan that you create to achieve a desired outcome through effective goal setting, you will absolutely reduce, if not eliminate stress in your life.

Be Specific

Your goals should be specific and personalized to you and your individual need or aim. Being specific will ensure that your goals remain relevant during the time period they are in place.  Personalizing your goals will help you to stay motivated and engaged in your pursuit of achievement.  Relevancy and personal motivation cannot be underestimated in a world in which each of us is continually faced with a host of new challenges and opportunities and subject to getting side-tracked, losing focus, or losing direction.  When something remains relevant to us, we are more likely to persevere and see things through to a positive conclusion.

Establish Measurements

Setting goals that are measurable will help you be able to determine whether or not you are successfully achieving your goals, whether it is during an interim time period, in the short-term, or in the long-term.  Establishing measurements that are applicable at the onset up through and including the completion of your goal will help you to maintain your motivation and enthusiasm for achieving the goal.  In most cases, the more tangible and quantifiable your measurements are, the more helpful they will be.  Examples of useful measurements include, but are not limited to, numeric references, timelines and deadlines, and benchmarks.

Make them Attainable

Even if you successfully complete all of the other steps, if you do not ensure that your goals are attainable, you will just be wasting your time.  Setting attainable goals does not mean setting them so that they are easily achievable, rather that they are realistic and achievable as long as you apply yourself and follow your plan.  In determining the attainability of a goal, you should make sure that you would experience a sense of accomplishment if the goal were achieved.

Align Incentives Accordingly

Goals and incentives are further related in that they are both indicative of deliberate behavior associated with a specific plan and their value applies to any situation you will encounter.

You will increase your chance for success in any situation if your goal oriented behavior is properly lined up with incentives designed to encourage you and keep you focused on achieving.  Just as businesses have found out that people respond positively and consistently to incentives, you will find that if you include your own incentives, meaningful and personal to you, in your planning and goal-setting, the whole process of achievement will be even more worthwhile and rewarding.

Just as is the case with the goals that you set for yourself, incentives must be understood and carry personal significance for you.  Once those elements are established, incentives can be as elaborate or as simple as you would like them to be as long as they are reflective of the achievement you have earned.  You should never hesitate to celebrate your successes and reward yourself for your accomplishments no matter how small you feel they may be or what step along the way they represent.  Sometimes, the small celebrations are the most important because they help you to build momentum, develop better habits, and they invariably lead to bigger celebrations.

Positive recognition is always a part of any useful incentive, even if that recognition is something you only give to yourself.  Incentives can be monetary or non-monetary.  They can include a night out, time away, or extra time off of work.  They can be activity based or relaxation based.

Whether we realize it or not, each of us strives to live our lives in such a way that the amount of reward we receive is equal to the amount of effort we put forth.  The simple act of setting goals and determining incentives will set the course for anyone to live their life in that manner.

Think about how liberated you will feel without the hindrance of worry and fear in your everyday life.  It is the type of freedom only felt by those that have taken command of their life and those that are creating and following their own plans, setting their own goals, and achieving the incentives and rewards for doing so.

Scott Arney
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union

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