Taft Fact #3

In 2005, I spent a few excruciating months working for a rural Sheriff’s Office in eastern NC.  Shortly after I began, I learned that sheriffs’ offices in North Carolina are regulated by a much different set of rules than municipal agencies.  Because sheriffs are elected officials, the requirements for becoming a sheriff or working as a deputy are much more lenient than for police officers.  For example, the sheriff for whom I worked did not complete his high school education, which was not a prerequisite for taking office during his first term. 

Fortunately, the time I spent working for that sheriff was ultimately a blessing.  I would not fully appreciate my current situation had I not experienced the alternative.  Working for an unprofessional manager with a quick temper and a slow wit makes one appreciative of positive support and trusting management.

The sheriff’s lack of formal education and abhorrent management style made for some very interesting situations. One of the worst, which now ranks among my favorite law enforcement stories, happened about two months after I was sworn in.  The sheriff received a letter from the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Standards Committee informing him that my law enforcement credentials were revoked.  According to the notice, the committee discovered that I had an undisclosed arrest record.

As a politician, the sheriff was always aware of his reputation and the potential for scandals like this to affect his political career.  He sent a supervisor to my apartment to wake me up and escort me to the sheriff’s office (I worked the previous night shift).  When I arrived at the sheriff’s office, the following conversation ensued:

Taft:  Sheriff, you called for me?

Sheriff:  Shut up!  Sit down!  Look, what the hell’s wrong wit you, son?  I wish you’da told me you was a liar when I give you a job.  ‘Least then it woulda’ saved me the trouble of firin’ ya now.

(This is probably a good time to mention that the sheriff had a strong eastern NC accent, began most of his sentences with “Look”, and had a penchant for cursing at officers…but I’ll leave that part out.)

Taft:  I don’t understand.

Sheriff:  Shut up!  Look, you know what ya’ did.  You lied on ya’ personal hist’ry foam (read: form).

Taft:  No sir, I didn’t.

Sheriff:  Shut up!  Quit lyin’!  You know what ‘ya done.  Just shut up….

(pause)

Sheriff:  Well?  Explain ya’ seff.

Taft:  Sheriff, I still don’t understand what’s going on.

Sheriff:  Shut up!  The sheriff committee up in Raleigh says you done lied.  You been arrested and you lied about it.  You’s just a sorry liar.

(As soon as he mentioned an arrest record, I understood what was going on.  I admit, a better man would have stopped the whole ordeal right here...but I didn't) 

Taft:  Sheriff, you’re wrong.

Sheriff:  Shut up!  You just lyin’ again.

Taft:  Sheriff, what details did they give you about the arrest?

Sheriff:  It says right here William T. Love was arrested in Cabarrus County for drunk and disorderly.  Why didn’t you tell me you was a no good drunk?  You drunks is all liars, so I guess it makes sense.

Taft:  Sheriff, what’s the date of arrest?

Sheriff:  It says you was arrested in nineteen and eighty eight.

Taft:  Sir, that was 17 years ago.

Sheriff:  I don’t care if it was a hundred n’ seventeen years ago.  You was arrested and you’s a liar makin’ me look bad to my constichensy.

Taft:  Sheriff, I was born in 1984.

Sheriff:  Shut up!  I don’t give a lick about…. You was fo’ years old.

(The sheriff didn’t miss a beat.  He leaned over so that he could see into the next office and address his secretary, Evelyn)

Sheriff:  Evelyn, what the hell?  How’d you miss this?

Sheriff:  Taft, you a good boy.  Get on back to bed, you need some rest to get back to all ‘at good work you been doin.

Until next time.

-Taft

Dependable

According to the Oxford Dictionary, dependable is defined as, “trustworthy and reliable.”  In a previous post, I mentioned that I consider trust to be a form of currency in the workplace.  Thanks to some excellent supervisors and two outstanding parents, I learned this lesson early in my career and applied it to my work beginning on day-one.  

As a direct result of that lesson, I have built a reputation for being a dependable colleague and employee over the past six years.  Although I take immense pride in my accomplishments as a police officer and detective, I am most proud of the fact the people around me know that they can count on me to do my job and do it right.  I believe that outstanding performance is only valuable to an organization if it is delivered consistently.

My bosses know that I will show up and that I will do whatever it takes to complete an assignment.   Since beginning work with my current agency, I have consistently delivered excellent performance.  I have never taken a sick day and never lost a case.  I have earned the privilege of handling nearly all of the politically-sensitive and time-sensitive cases that make their way to my agency’s investigations division.

If I am given the opportunity to work in a marketing or advertising department, I will bring the same dedication and dependability to work every day.  I promise to do whatever it takes to deliver the same results wherever I go.

Until next time.

-Taft

Occupy Wall Street: A Powerful Waste

In order to add some variety to The Hunt, some of my posts will have absolutely nothing to do with my job search.  In today’s totally off-topic post, I will discuss the Occupy movements.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, along with the other Occupy movements that subsequently cropped up around the country, is the biggest waste of potential political power that I have ever seen.  The movements lack focus and central leadership, which has allowed them to devolve into disparate angry mobs that have accomplished little.

I still don’t know what the demonstrators in the Occupy movement want.  In fact, I doubt that they (collectively) know what they want.  One day the group is marching on the homes of rich people, the next day they are interrupting the filming of ‘Law & Order.’  Occupy protesters have captured the attention of the national media for months, but they seem unable or unwilling to utilize the spotlight to advance an agenda.  Is it because most news outlets are owned by major corporations, or is it indicative of a lack of leadership?

So, what can Occupy do to capitalize on the limelight before the rest of the country loses interest?  The first, and arguably most important, step is to figure out exactly what they want to accomplish.  Without a clear focus that includes specific demands, the movement will continue to spin its wheels.

That leads to the second step.  The movement must put a leader in front of the cameras.  A few politicians have tried to hijack the Occupy’s momentum, but it doesn’t appear to have paid dividends.  The face of the movement should be young, charismatic and intelligent.

The last step is to keep raising hell.  It seems like every time Occupy is shut down in one city, they make news in another city.  They have occupied (I know, bad joke) the major news outlets for months because they are good at raising hell, and that is the only way they will continue to be heard once they organize.

If Occupy fails to come up with some clear demands and find someone to share them with the rest of the country, they are doomed to fail.  Our collective attention span is too short for them to make any progress unless they organize quickly.  I sincerely hope that the movement is able to get its act together in time to make some real changes.  Occupy has unlimited potential, but it cannot be tapped without first making a few adjustments.

What do you think?  Is Occupy doomed to fail, or can they really bring about change?  To learn more about the movement's legacy, which is already materializing, check out this Wall Street Journal blog post.

Until next time.

-Taft
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