Are You a Credible Source?

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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! 👏👮‍♂️
... See MoreSee Less

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
... See MoreSee Less

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!
... See MoreSee Less

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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1 month ago
Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

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

1 month ago
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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Are You a Credible Source?

I am sure that you have read an article or listened to a reporter outline a story that included a reference to the source or sources responsible for the information being reported.

Sometimes the sources are named, sometimes their identity is protected, but the threshold for citing a person as a source is their credibility or reliability.  You never read that the information was provided by a discredited or unreliable source.  What would be the point in reporting it if the source of the information was either unqualified to provide the information or completely ignorant on the subject matter?

It makes sense that if you are going to rely on someone’s opinion or consider what somebody thinks, you should also ensure that the person is a credible source.  Yet, how often do you spend time worrying about what someone thinks of you without considering the source and whether the information they share with you is credible?

I like to think that it is human nature to be considerate and kind to others, but that consideration should not extend to accepting the unqualified or inherently flawed opinions and thought processes of others.  It should be as important to you to ensure that the sources you allow to influence your thoughts and behaviors are as credible as the sources reporters use to determine what is newsworthy.

This is especially true when you apply the question of credibility to yourself.  When you are confronting a problem, particularly if you have not confronted one like it before, are you a credible source of information and knowledge that will properly equip you to handle it?  Might it be a good idea for you to consider other sources that may be more qualified to help you work out a solution?

I know have used this analogy before, but I am going to use it again because it directly applies here.  When given the choice between reading a biography or an autobiography on the same person, I will always choose the biography as long as the author is known to have done his/her research and presented a thorough version of the subject’s life.

Why?  Well, first of all, the purely biographical version is more likely to be presented without bias.  If I am interested enough in someone that I want to read their life story, I want to read a realistic portrayal of that subject not a glorified or glossy version.  Whether it comes to reading about someone or truly getting to know someone, I want to know about the true person or get as close as I can to knowing the true person.

Second, you and I aren’t always the most qualified sources to objectively weigh in on ourselves.  I think that people tend to lean toward one of two evaluative categories.  I believe people tend to either think too much of themselves or too little of themselves.

Often times, if you think too much of yourself, it is a form of protection.  Your ego may be too fragile to accept that you are less than perfect, or you are unwilling to do the work to constantly improve yourself to achieve your full potential.

Conversely, if you tend to think too little of yourself, you are usually so use to not being perfect or concentrating so much on all the things that you need to do to consistently improve that you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit for all the great things that you do on your daily journey toward bettering yourself and your individual situation in life.

Either way, the question has to be asked when you are assessing yourself, or a particular problem you are facing.  Are you a credible source?  At the very least, are you the credible source?

I have always been a big believer in collaboration, and I believe in people who are collaborators mainly because in order to be a true collaborator, you must accept the premise that you do not have all the answers and that it is not a sign of weakness.  You must be a good listener and open to other qualified opinions and insights.  You are not perfect, but you are committed to being better and you realize that goal is often best achieved when you work through challenges with other people who have earned your respect and support.  I want to work with people like you!

If you have a problem, sometimes you may find that you are reluctant to talk about that problem with someone else.  Aside from avoiding a discussion because you may feel vulnerable or embarrassed, you may convince yourself that your problem is exactly that, your problem.  You may believe that no one else is interested or wants to hear about the things that are bothering you, but here is the flaw in that thinking.  Everyone has problems.  Everyone has things they are thinking about or that are weighing them down.  No one is happy and completely Zen all of the time!

Isn’t it likely that you will find better, stronger solutions to your problems or the things that are bothering you if you expand your sources beyond yourself?  This is especially true if you agree that you may not be the most credible source, at least some of the time.

Isn’t it also likely that by seeking advice and insight from respected sources, you may also be creating an opportunity to help those sources with anything they may be struggling with or trying to figure out?

Problem solving, evaluating, and decision making are almost always the most valuable when they are not conducted on a one-way street.  Often times, the best decisions are made when you find yourself in the center of a clearly drawn circle surrounded by credible, reliable, and trustworthy sources of input and insight.

So, the next time you find yourself working through something, be sure to identify the sources that you need to put you in the best position to solve the problem and make the best decision.  And, thoroughly evaluate those sources especially if you intend on being one of them.

Author’s Note:  If you are fortunate enough to have children as a potential source of perspective and insight in your life, please avail yourself of the opportunity to listen to and talk with them as often as possible.  My daughter is the valuable source behind this article.

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