Uncomfortable Situation

[Deland Jessop]

You are a young officer and work on a shift where partners are rotated. Lately your sergeant has been assigning you to work with an officer you really do not enjoy working with. You find the officer rude to members of the public, condescending to you and difficult to get along with. There is no specific complaint against the officer, but you would just prefer to work with someone else. You are beginning to dread coming in to work. Is there any step you would take?

[tan leather]

Tough call. I would think you must continue to work with that individual, as expressing discontent as a new inexperienced officer is not going to look favourable. There will be times, always, in many jobs we undertake where working with certain individuals causes distress for whatever reason. As an officer, maintaining self-control and a certain detachment should hold you in good stead, but, failing that, perhaps discussing your level of dissatisfaction with your partner and getting his/her take on your feelings. Maybe verbalizing that is all that it will take to straighten the matter out, on the other hand,that individual is really not doing their job as they should, certainly, but it might not be in your best interest to be the one to rock the boat, given your 'rookie' position.

[JT143]

I have to agree with talking about this with my partner and would take the chance that the boat may sink. Better to get it out in the open and do a good job rather than being miserable everyday and no one knowing why.

[wortman]

There is no specific complaint against the officer

Since your the new officer to the group; sounds like a senior officer seeing what your made of. It was the Sergeant that paired the two up. And since there hasn't been any complaints about that officer; that alone speaks volumes! I'd do a little talking around the division, but more importantly, do more listening! The problem might not be the senior officer..........

[osirris63]

My experience in the work force has been not everyone that works together gets along, but give that person a chance and they could turn out to be one of your bestfriends.
It is a rotation shift so it could only be for a week every month, and as a new young member don't go making any waves. As hopefully soon to be police officers we will come across this every day of our lives, we can't always run from the situation.

[CC9769]

I'd be telling him that I don't care for his attitude towards me and towards the public, and I don't care how many years he has on. Then I would go to the Sgt and tell him that I don't want to work with such a tool. Short term pain for long term gain. Chances are he's the black sheep in the station and no-one wants to work with him. Failing that, and Im still stuck with him, every time I worked with him and he was condescending to me or others I would have a crack at him. Pretty soon...he would be the one approaching the Sgt.

[tan leather]

interesting strategy CC can't say I disagree with the approach in some ways, I would sure hope that as a new recruit senior officers aren't going to put you through your paces to see what you're made of, maybe that's naive, but I still think it's morally questionable. HELLO-they were once in that position, how quickly they forget. Yeah, I agree, you don't say anything, you're questioned about why you'd put up with it. I think it's got to be acknowledged.

[matt_dog]

If I was the young officer in this situation, I would first be making sure I wasn't the @55hole and my back yard was tidy. No complaints may suggest the 'more experienced' officer does an awesome job and I was put in his/her capable hands to slap me into shape. Just a thought. dog

[tan leather]

If I was the young officer in this situation, I would first be making sure I wasn't the @55hole and my back yard was tidy. No complaints may suggest the 'more experienced' officer does an awesome job and I was put in his/her capable hands to slap me into shape. Just a thought. dog

Given the scenario, you aren't the "@55hole" so shouldn't have to make sure your "back yard was tidy" it also states the officer is rude to members of the public. that in itself and alone is inexusable no matter how many years you have under your belt. If you're doing your job right, even as a new officer you shouldn't need to be "slapped into shape". Just my thoughts, dog.

[matt_dog]

Having been in very similar circumstances and making the challenging decision to speak up, you need consider the strong possibility you will not get a desirable outcome.Particularly if you're the first person to make the formal complaint.

Speaking up is the right thing to do. Done the right way and with consideration the situation can result in an all round win, win for all involved.

[tan leather]

absolutely correct. done the right way and speaking up. Given the scenario as a trained officer, I would think it's in our nature to speak up over a wrongdoing, especially if it is done to our own detriment.
I agree it would be challenging to decide to speak up, but, maybe you're the first officer who's shown enough, brass for lack of a more appropriate word, to stand up to such an overbearing individual. It does state you are on a shift where partners are rotated, maybe tough it out, depending on how bad it gets, but regardless, nobody should have to put up with someone who should know better.