Posted: Friday, 15 August 2008 10:36AM
Time To Learn Respect
Steve Corbett Reporting
Friday, August 15, 2008
OK, fellows, listen up.
We’re here to talk about sensitivity training.
Lesson number one: Do not call your female co-workers whores.
They’re just like you.
They’re police officers.
Under no circumstances, no matter what the context, do you call the women in the squad room whores.
Yes, sergeant, you have a question.
“What if the girls want the overtime that I should be getting? Then they’re overtime whores, just like the chief said.”
Thank you, Sarge, at least you’re trying.
The chief is in big trouble for saying what he said. The mayor suspended him for a week without pay and he, too, has to go to sensitivity training. Just like you, he leaves a lot to be desired.
By the way, guys, they’re not girls, either.
And they’re as much entitled to the overtime as you are. Remember, we haven’t had a raise in Scranton for seven years and they’re working as hard as you are to make ends meet at home. Remember, they’re just like you.
“So we can’t call them girls no more.”
Correct.
“And we can’t call them whores, no more.”
Correct.
“At least not to their faces.”
Correct.
“Is that gonna be a question on the lieutenant’s exam?”
Times are changing, fellows. It’s not like the old days when men had a lock on the job and could pick up overtime without even leaving the bar stool.
“Boy, them were the days.”
Life is different now.
“What about women who don’t mind it if you call them whores?”
They need training, too.
“What if they want to be one of the guys.”
That’s part of the problem. We’re not talking about being one of the guys. We’re talking about respect. We’re talking about being good cops. It’s as simple as that. Respect is a two-way street.
“Like a four-way stop?”
Exactly.
You stop and think before you speak. You stop and ask yourself what message your words convey. You stop and realize that you’re speaking to an equal. You stop and proceed with caution. So you’re right. It’s like a four-way stop. Four stops to success. Work together as Scranton cops. You’re on the same side. These are words to live by.
“But we don’t enforce the stop sign laws no more.”
That, too, must change, sergeant.
“So I can call them anything I want when I’m off duty?”
Yes and no.
“So everything I learned here today don’t matter if I don’t want it to.”
Correct.
“All right, the drinks are on me!”
Yes, officer, that’s a distinct possibility, especially if the next time you disrespect a woman – maybe even your wife – and she has finally had enough and pours her highball over your head.
Class dismissed.
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Corbett
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