Happiness and Fatigue

Happiness and Pride

Satisfaction

Working as a police officer, the fact of being glad and proud in my everyday tasks makes me more confident, but what is more important is that it permits me to manage critical and complex situations. My tasks are related to a wide range of situations and interventions that can sometimes be critical and demanding, also an emotionally. For this reason being able to carry out my tasks in a happy mood makes it easier for me and for my collaborators, too. Being in a happy workplace contributes to everyone reaching their objectives with more personal satisfaction and greater results. During police operations it might be dynamics that imply firmness and speedy decision making without being influenced by feelings like anger, which can compromise the result of the operation. This feeling could be present at work, but it must not compromise the correct implementation of tasks. A good way to promote a happy workplace is to show gratitude to my police officers for having completed a good job, but it is important at the same time, when it is necessary, to be honest and to have an open dialogue and approach with collaborators and citizens. • [W ti.ch]

Competitivity

Police officers by nature are competitive and proud and if you have the ability to harness that competitive spirit in a positive way, that department will achieve monumental success. Leaders have to promote a positive atmosphere, a place where officers feel they have the ability to make decisions. Looking at my professional experience, there are two things that contribute to my happiness. The first and foremost is why I got into law enforcement in the first place, to help people. I feel accomplished and proud knowing that I've helped someone in a positive way and/or given them advice on how to get out of a bad situation. Even if that means arresting them and making them go through the court process. The other thing is being challenged at work. I enjoy taking on problems which others have a difficult time solving or finishing, I love the challenge. Between these two things is why I’m proud of being a police officer. • [W walledlake.com ]

MATTEO COCCHI with the rank of Colonel, is the Chief of Police of Canton Ticino (Switzerland).

MARK YOKOYAMA is the Chief of Police at Alhambra Police Department. He is also a cooperative and collaborative member of the city manager’s executive team.

Emotions

Staying “happy” helps set the tone and direction of the organzation I lead. Since it’s important to have good, positive role models in the workplace, if you have “happy” or positive people near you this generates an energy for others to work from. Being an agency head of a police department it is me who is ultimately responsible for setting the climate or tone within the workplace. Everthing starts at the top and is a reflection of me. There are certainly good days and bad days, but happiness is a mindset that I can control and I’m proud of this. Police officers have to work hard at controlling their emotions and for the most part do a great job of doing so when you consider the negativity they see in society on a daily basis. For me, I feel very proud when I see or get a sense that people themselves are happy and satisfied with what they are doing, days when people are serving the public and making a difference. • [W cityofalhambra.org]

JEFFREY FICK is a police officer in the city of Walled Lake, Michigan, in the USA. He has had a 16-year career asa police lieutenant and homicide detective with more than 1,500 hours of police and safety awareness training.

DANIEL PARKINSON is the Chief of Police at Cornwall Community Police Service, Ontario, in Canada.

Pride

A positive workplace is a basic building block of a successful organization. Happiness brings success. I am a big believer in “servant-based” leadership. As the CEO of an organization, the Cornwall Community Police Service, I’m very proud to operate for those who work in my workplace. I have to ensure that my employees are well equipped, well trained, appreciated and motivated to do their jobs as well as they possibly can. I work for them. They don’t work for me. We work together and I feel happy and proud at my job when I help people reach their highest potential, when I receive positive feedback from members of the community we serve telling me that my employees are doing their jobs with excellence. But the happiest moment of my career was when I became chief. I have had the pleasure of leading a highly successful and positive workforce. I have been able to see many of my employees achieve personal and professional success.• [W cornwallpolice.com]