A still photo of the Noche de Emergencias program, depicting Julio Segura yelling Fua. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Something every cop will hear sooner or later,
“you ain’t nothing but a badge and a gun…take that gun off and see how tough you are!”
“take that gun off and come in here and I’ll kick your ass!!!”
“you ain’t nothin without that badge!”
Most of it of course is bluster that the subject you are dealing with is using to bolster his ego. But there is a kernal of truth in it and I think thats a good thing.
We use our authority, our weapons, our numbers and our equipment to get the job done without having to prove how good of a fighter we are, or “how tough” we are. This job is not a matter of toughness, it’s a matter of getting what needs to be done…done. If that means fighting than so be it, but it’s gonna be a short career if you think you have to prove you are bigger and badder than everyone you meet…because you are not.
Don’t let people goad you into a situation where you could wind up catching an IA at best..or dead at worst. If someone says they would kick your ass without that gun than just smile an tell them that it’s a good thing that you do have that gun….and 10 other guys with them too.
July 14, 2012 at 2:23 am
Already heard it. A couple times. Didn’t take long.
July 14, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Ain’t that the truth.
July 18, 2012 at 10:53 pm
Sadly, until you put on the blues, don the boots, and take the oath, it’s truly difficult for those who do not to understand.
July 14, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Does the man make the uniform, or does the uniform make the man?
July 19, 2012 at 1:39 am
Neither. The quality of the man in the uniform is the same regardless of whether he’s wearing it or not.
July 23, 2012 at 2:41 pm
I wish there was a like button for comments like this RIch!
July 18, 2012 at 7:12 pm
The point of the uniform is to supplant the ‘self’ for the group…. period. So forgetting that ‘you’ are there to serve ‘others’ means that the prime mover for doing the job (military, law enforcement, EMT, Firefighter… whatever) becomes EGO!
Reality is that there are many layers of motivation that drive civil servants to take crap jobs, high risks, low pay, … that include ego, pension, service, adventure/challenge… whatever. But, when the PRIME motivation is EGO, that’s when forgetting that it isn’t about ‘you’ but the ‘mission’ becomes very easy to do..