A revealing interview with a former Vegas police officer
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A friend, and former police officer, Randy Sutton, shared a mind-opening experience that enabled him to learn, grow and expand his perception. It not only made him a better cop, it also made him a better human being, by his own admission.
At the time of this interview, the tension and awareness around police culture was still a tamed beast, partly due to lack of exposure to some flaws in the system, and the toxic culture. This interview sheds insight on some simple implementation strategies that would promote and inspire meaningful change. The journey of detective Randy Sutton, began with a simple experience that changed so much for him. One change creates ripple effects.
“We have all been guilty, at some point, of resisting change. I am as guilty as anybody else.”
- Officer Rand Sutton
Officer Sutton’s mindset was shifted by a mentor who simply exposed him to a new way of perceiving life.
Sutton: “It allowed me to open up my mind to a wide variety of people. And I realized that I had to stifle my own thought processes and was a little myopic in the way I viewed the world. It allowed me to grow as a person. It allowed me to express myself, and from that, I became a healthier human being.
Times have changed a great deal from the time that I was first a police officer. Cops will always deal with the worst of humanity. They will always be exposed to violence, to cruelty. Things that people should really never see. The other side of that coin is that there are so many more diverse workplaces now than when I was a young cop. There were very few women in the job; there were very few blacks or Hispanics in the job. It was a lily-white kind of job and that’s changed tremendously. That’s innovation for you. Because of that, there is a much richer environment in which to work.”
Me: “Diversity has become this important buzz word. Did you witness resistance to this sort of organic change that was happening?”
Sutton: “Yes, I was part of that resistance. We have all been guilty, at some point, of resisting change. I am as guilty as anybody else. The mindset of creativity minimizes resistance due to being open and willing to embrace the new.”
Me: “Do you want to share a little bit of that?”
Sutton: “Sure. My police department back in Princeton...
Read the full interview in Chapter 30 of INNOVATION MINDSET.
The big lesson from this interview, is that it would actually take very little to inspire positive change. Like any cultural shift, it takes a few fundamental action steps:
Acknowledging change is needed (the most simple yet most difficult step to achieve)
Accountability from leadership (equity)
Setting a clear intention (redefining mission: de-escalation over enforcement)
Establishing a roadmap
Training
Serve and protect must be re-defined: who are we serving and who are we protecting, and why? What does serving and protecting look like? Is it deescalation or enforcement?
If there is one department across the American cultural landscape that needs innovation, it’s our police force. True, authentic, Cultural Diversity and Inclusion needs to be the new programming. That includes the vision, the mission statement… and beyond.
A fundamental mindset shift, if not re-invention in our law enforcement policies could single-handedly, promote and inspire a country that truly honors the intentions of our constitution. I am a romantic and believe we can and will live those words of total inclusion: for ALL.
Sincerely,
Vital Germaine,
PRESIDENT of ENGAGE Teams 360
As president of ENGAGE Teams 360, my mission is to inspire and promote more forward-thinking mindsets and cultures, with a focus on solutions. If your company is ready to address and improve its Cultural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program and/or philosophy, we’d love to help you with our virtual training sessions. Contact us today to learn more.
