Playmakers
By Ray Shay
6.3.14
When I heard about the recent NFL draft and the countless hours devoted to discussing who the Chargers should select, I thought about the importance of playmakers. The tiniest percentage of athletes, business executives, or even police officers who develop a reputation for making the critical plays at crucial moments in a game, a business environment, or life.
I think one of the greatest gifts anyone can give a coach or a business executive is to ask them one question, "who do you want?" Then go out and get them. It sounds so simple, but it rarely happens. Maybe it is because decisions are too often made by committees or clouded by well meaning people and a variety of outside influences.
San Diego Chargers Manager Tom Telesco should ask his Head Coach, Mike McCoy who he wants and forget about what anyone else says and just make it happen.
I still recall the feeling of empowerment and unbridled enthusiasm I felt when the Lieutenant of the San Diego Police Department Gang Unit told me I was selected to be the Sergeant in charge of the newly formed Gang Suppression Team, (GST). It got even better when he slid a white piece of paper across his large brown desk and said, "write down ten names. Your team starts Saturday night."
I knew the rush to get a proactive uniformed gang suppression team into the unforgiving streets of San Diego was not because I was anything special, rather it was due to the large number of armed street gang members who seemed to be getting the upper hand. The death and injury toll to both law enforcement officers and civilian personnel had far exceeded everyone's tolerance level.
I knew I needed brave, tough and smart cops. Police Officers that would buy in on what we were about to confront, the worst of the worst. Each officer would have to tread a narrow professional line where all profanity and any heavy handed law enforcement tactics were strictly off limits.
As I explained to them, "I can justify you dragging a violent street gang member out the wing window of their car, (whatever happened to wing windows anyway) but the moment you use one word of profanity or any excessive force, we will loose the battle and your behavior will put all of us in greater jeopardy. Any violation of either rule will not be tolerated.
When I turned in my list of officers to my Lieutenant, there were a few surprises. He raised and eyebrow and said, "are you sure?" I replied, "Yes. I have a balance of officers skills, aptitudes and a couple playmakers."
In law enforcement lore, "playmakers" have a unique nickname. They are called "Sh;:$ magnets." They are a very small number of street cops that always seem to be around when the proverbial sh:;$ hits the fan.
These select officers have an amazing and uncanny knack of uncovering armed criminals on the prowl. If you thrive on action and stopping violent criminals from hurting innocent victims, you try and stay close to a playmaker. When you hear their radio designator being broadcast over the police radio, the first thing you hope for is that you are close by.
The split second before they say they have a "man with a gun, I'm in pursuit, or shots fired" you know it's coming by the underlying tension in their calm voice. It's like waiting on the Screaming California roller coaster launch platform just before blast off. You can almost hear the hiss of the air compressors as you prepare to accelerate down the track.
What is different from Disneyland is you can't say when the ride will be over, or if you and your partner will still be alive when the critical incident concludes. Almost all cops are adrenalin junkies and it is the playmakers who make amazing things happen. They locate the violent felon, but it takes the entire team to safely capture him and conduct the follow up investigation and subsequent search warrants and detailed interviews that saves countless lives.
I know I started off talking football, but I hope in some way Coach McCoy gets his selections because I want to ride on the football roller coaster with the San Diego Chargers as we all pull into to the Super Bowl in Phoenix Arizona on January 25, 2015.
Unfortunately, I am a bit too old to ride that other roller coaster I love so much. The one the SDPD Gang Suppression Team continues to ride each night. Dangerous business with incredibly talented and brave police officers that still follow the same rules and employ many of the same tactics we implemented so many years ago.
It must be a pretty good gig, because that original team has been expanded to six full time teams who have done their part to establish our incredibly low violent crime rate in the City of San Diego. The envy of many police departments across this great country.
Copyright Shay Realtors 2014 All Rights Reserved.
As I explained to them, "I can justify you dragging a violent street gang member out the wing window of their car, (whatever happened to wing windows anyway) but the moment you use one word of profanity or any excessive force, we will loose the battle and your behavior will put all of us in greater jeopardy. Any violation of either rule will not be tolerated.
When I turned in my list of officers to my Lieutenant, there were a few surprises. He raised and eyebrow and said, "are you sure?" I replied, "Yes. I have a balance of officers skills, aptitudes and a couple playmakers."
In law enforcement lore, "playmakers" have a unique nickname. They are called "Sh;:$ magnets." They are a very small number of street cops that always seem to be around when the proverbial sh:;$ hits the fan.
These select officers have an amazing and uncanny knack of uncovering armed criminals on the prowl. If you thrive on action and stopping violent criminals from hurting innocent victims, you try and stay close to a playmaker. When you hear their radio designator being broadcast over the police radio, the first thing you hope for is that you are close by.
The split second before they say they have a "man with a gun, I'm in pursuit, or shots fired" you know it's coming by the underlying tension in their calm voice. It's like waiting on the Screaming California roller coaster launch platform just before blast off. You can almost hear the hiss of the air compressors as you prepare to accelerate down the track.
What is different from Disneyland is you can't say when the ride will be over, or if you and your partner will still be alive when the critical incident concludes. Almost all cops are adrenalin junkies and it is the playmakers who make amazing things happen. They locate the violent felon, but it takes the entire team to safely capture him and conduct the follow up investigation and subsequent search warrants and detailed interviews that saves countless lives.
I know I started off talking football, but I hope in some way Coach McCoy gets his selections because I want to ride on the football roller coaster with the San Diego Chargers as we all pull into to the Super Bowl in Phoenix Arizona on January 25, 2015.
Unfortunately, I am a bit too old to ride that other roller coaster I love so much. The one the SDPD Gang Suppression Team continues to ride each night. Dangerous business with incredibly talented and brave police officers that still follow the same rules and employ many of the same tactics we implemented so many years ago.
It must be a pretty good gig, because that original team has been expanded to six full time teams who have done their part to establish our incredibly low violent crime rate in the City of San Diego. The envy of many police departments across this great country.
Copyright Shay Realtors 2014 All Rights Reserved.
