A new adventure begins
As many of you know, I have been with my current employer for over 15 years…I am the most senior Officer in a 10 person department. I have worn many different hats in the last 15 plus years and have had a lot of fun doing it.
When Joe hired me, he did so because I had experience as a boat captain and supervisor of my crew. Part of the fun of the job has always been getting to be in the woods or on the water as a conservation officer. As the years have progressed, it always seemed that I was getting further away from that mission and moving in a different direction. Don’t get me wrong, I have truly enjoyed the time I spent doing all of the different tasks and wearing my different hats. The time as a traffic safety officer was great and how do you describe the time spent as part of a K9 team with the best damn dog in Washington State? Every other team wishes they were as good as Taylor and I were. But I have been wanting something more, different, challenging…a change…..
Just before we left for vacation, the department posted a Conservation Officer position. I interviewed for it the day before we left. I did well and it was an interesting interview (I had actually been the training officer for both the officers who sat on the interview board). The tribe does have tribal member preference in hiring and at least two Nisqually members interviewed for the same position, so I did not hold a lot of confidence in being selected for the position. Well, R.P. and I had just left Lake Havasu City on our trip and were in spotty cell reception when a call came through from Chief. Now, here I am on vacation and am getting a call from the Chief, not always a good thing……I debated whether to answer or not for a couple seconds then picked up the phone.
“Hello, Jeff? Yes Chief? Dave(wildlife enforcement lead officer) and I are here in my office and we just wanted to let you know that you have been selected for the job”. Silence ensues as R.P. and I look at each other. “Hey Chief, thanks for calling, Thank you for selecting me. You were the best candidate for the job and we wanted to let you know as soon as the results were in. Thanks Chief. All of your seniority and pay transfers over. (cell reception starts breaking up) Great Chief, thanks, my cell is breaking up. We’ll call you as it gets closer to you coming back from vacation and get everything worked out for your transition, enjoy your vacation.”
I hang up the call and R.P. and I look at each other in surprise and then break out laughing and a smile is on my face for the rest of our trip. Chief calls me again on our first day we are in Vegas and tells me that I need to schedule a urine test (for illegal drugs) upon my return to Washington. I laugh, Gee I have been running a narcotics detection K9 for the last 9 years…..I enforce the drug laws (which have become a little gray since Washington legalized Marijuana). He also tells me they need to do a background check on me…again I laugh. I am the background investigator for the department.
I called the human resources department and make an appointment to have the U/A done on the 5th of October. I get a message from the Sergeant for patrol telling me that I have to work the Sunday(10/4) shift but then I’ll be given my new shift for wildlife.
I worked my Sunday shift and then got up early on Monday. HR had my paperwork ready when I walked through the door and I headed off to take my U/A. That done, I met with our Administrative Officer for the department and was told to start my new shift with Dave on Wednesday. In the meantime, the new Patrol Officer is foaming at the mouth for my marked patrol vehicle. We are (as usual) short of running patrol cars and he is riding with another officer. The car is cleaned out and detailed ready for him, my equipment has been removed and when I go to work on Wednesday, he will get my car.
This is kind of hard for me. In 15 plus years I have not been without a patrol response vehicle in my driveway, waiting for the next call or shift. My equipment in it’s place and ready for my use. That knowledge that my world is right and everything is in it’s place. My patrol gear is piled in my garage. I have not been assigned a wildlife vehicle and may not get one for a bit as we are short of running vehicles. I feel a little out of sorts. Those little routines are broken…starting the car, a walk around, testing the RADAR, knowing that my computer is ready, knowing where all my immediate need gear is at, all my investigative gear in it’s place, extra uniform in the back………all those things that tell me I’m ready for my day. DISRUPTED!!!! I know, I asked for it, I applied, I interviewed, I have accepted the job….Still………
Challenges….new tasks to learn, some new patrol areas to learn. Same guys to work with, just on a more regular basis. I have always joked with and about the wildlife guys being “fish squeezers” or “squirrel cops”. I have now openly joined their ranks…..I AM A SQUIRREL COP!!!! hahahahaha Yuck it up kiddies. I’ll think of you as I am driving around the woods looking for violators, but especially as I’m on my fishing monitor boat, as R.P. says “yachting on the departmental dime”.
AS always…
BFD
