Understaffed/Poor leadership
Hi all,
I’ve been LEO for 2 years now (I.E - 2 minutes) and I love it, or at least I did until several months ago. A number of changes occurred including individuals going on leave for a variety of reasons (non-disciplinary) - a typical shift is myself and a partner (who typically has 20 years on and makes me do a majority of calls for service and DEFINITELY the annoying/shitty ones. In addition, I have no real leadership on my shift as Sgt. is on leave.
These work conditions lead to me making a large majority of decisions, arrests, NOK notifications, 10-50’s, etc etc. I believe on one hand that is is streamlining my learning and there is certainly benefit to having this workload early in my career and under the tutelage of some older more experienced folks (even if it is only 1 at a time).
On the other hand, this is not sustainable. I’m becoming pissed off with frivolous calls (neighbour disputes, frauds and otherwise). Command keeps pushing for more proactive efforts when it’s nearly impossible to function reactively with this staffing. Command continues to count each and every traffic stop and if we do not meet the amount they would like to see, it is cumulative - meaning if I need to get 5 today and don’t, I need 10 tomorrow. I am effectively punished for being overworked. The amount of petty BS command continues to pick out while failing to fix our immediate situation or acknowledge the severity of it is honestly embarrassing and makes me question who is in the highest levels of command.
I know the answer is to thug this out and await back up (new recruits or laterals) - but how can I make coming to work in this clusterfuck where everything is on me, and things are getting heavier, just a bit more bearable?