Ask the Author: There are many stereotypes out there about cops and their lives. Do

Answer: I’ve always believed that stereotypes have some basis in reality. For instance, divorce and alcoholism appear far too often in the ranks of the Chicago Police Department and really law enforcement agencies throughout the country. To characterize all cops as womanizing drunks, however, is as narrow-minded as turning a blind eye to the presence, however slim or great, of that reality. So are there stereotypes out there about cops that have validity? You bet. But I’d warn of putting every officer you meet in that basket, which is of course the danger of any stereotype. One of the refreshing things I learned myself in conducting these private interviews was how many officers broke some of the most common stereotypes associated with Chicago officers. I found men and women with reflective minds, advanced degrees, spiritual grounding, and without a trace of the tough-guy, cynical attitude.

I’ll add this, though. I believe that many of the negative stereotypes we hold of cops (prejudiced and cynical, for instance) are based in all human psyches. Yet, being police officers, seeing what they do on a daily basis, accelerates and heightens those traits. The intense environment in which so many officers work brings some of those human flaws to the surface at a rapid pace for so many, but being a cop does not alone activate those flaws. I think that’s an important distinction we all need to realize. These cops are just like us. They sat next to us in grade school, stand behind us in grocery lines, and pray next to us in church pews. They are among us, not distinct from us.

Ask the Author is a running series of live audience or reader questions directed at On the Job author Daniel P. Smith. The series, which appears each Monday, is aimed at providing greater insight into Smith’s work in researching and writing On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department as well as the book’s content. A speaker noted for his energy and engaging style, Smith is available for presentations at a wide range of events, including private book clubs, Citizen Police Academy meetings, libraries, senior centers, and schools.

Please contact him directly at smithwriting@gmail.com to schedule an event. Are you a reader with a question for On the Job author Daniel P. Smith? Send it to smithwriting@gmail.com.