Can someone be professional without looking professional?

They say you should not judge a book by its cover. Although this is true, a law enforcement officer's appearance is what will form a citizen's first impression.

This first impression affects how the citizen will respond to the officer when he shows up at a call. This could change the entire direction of how that call will go!

Someone once said, "Professionalism: It's NOT the job you DO, It's HOW you DO the job."

Several years ago while on duty, I received a call from another agency asking me to try and locate someone with felony warrants they believed was in my jurisdiction.

They told me they had dealt with this person on several occasions and he always runs.

I sent officers out to try and pick the subject up and when they located him and informed him he was under arrest, he simply turned around and put his hands behind his back.

When they brought him in, I told him I was surprised he did not run. The subject told me it depends on who is trying to arrest him.

The officers that showed up on his door step looked like they knew what they were doing, so he did not think he wanted to run from them.

The guy had never met the officers before and did not know anything about them.

He was basing all his decisions on how they were dressed and how they conducted themselves.

This week two deputies attended the law enforcement career day at Missouri Southern State University to represent the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.

These deputies were able to tell criminal justice students about the Sheriff's Office.

During the event, I had a lieutenant from another agency tell me that the Vernon County deputies were doing an excellent job talking to the students.

He said it was clear the deputies were very proud to be serving as Vernon County deputies.

The career fair is set up in a gymnasium with agencies each getting a table so students can walk down each aisle and talk to different agencies and see what type of work they do.

I noticed when I stopped by to check on our deputies, a group of students had gathered around the Vernon County table, listening to the deputies tell stories, answer questions, and give them information about Vernon County and the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies represent the citizens of Vernon County and we want them to look, act, and be professional. They work for the people because they were empowered by the people; they are the people. I was proud to call the deputies that attended the career day Vernon County deputies.

They did an excellent job at representing the Sheriff's Office and presenting information to future members of law enforcement.

"The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence."

- Robert Peel