PoliceLink

I was reading a post in the forums and it got me to thinking about "thank yous".

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't expect them, especially from the public and have grown to not expect them from the officers as well. Although I will say at this time I am currently at a department where they come regularly from the officers, its a nice change. However I can count on one hand how often they have come from the public, and once even in a very public way, that pleasantly surprised me.

I was just curious if others were the same or if it varied from department to department and area. Do you expect them? And even if not, do you get them?

I've stated in the past that I value my dispatchers greatly.  Sometimes in stressful situations I can get short with them.  But I always make it a point to apologize and thank them when it is all over.  I'll get off your forum now.

Thank all of you.....

Perhaps my choice of the word "expected" wasn't the best..but for lack of a better term ...

I do agree with you that it shouldn't necessarily be given because it is "expected" but because you choose to give it, if you will. I also agree that unsolicited praise is the most sincere form of flattery. I was also taught the golden rules of "please" and "thank you" and also try to teach my children the same and from them I expect it..but...

For example, when my officers are in the office and I relay a info to them reference a call they're fixing to go on, and they go, I thank them. Not because I felt compelled to do so necessarily, but because I appreciate them doing do so. I've worked in departments where you give an officer information and its been met with some fairly heavy resistance, therefore when they are, for lack of a better term, doing their job, its appreciated by me, and thus a thank you is given.

I also think that at times everyone should know that they are appreciated and are doing a good job. Going through the motions and not every getting any sort of positive feedback gets very old imo. It makes it difficult to keep a positive attitude about what your doing, even if you know your doing your best. It doesn't have to happen all the time, but sometimes, human nature..its just nice to know. I try to remember that and treat others simply as I'd want them to treat me, even if they don't return the favor.

We do actually get some letters from the citizens, not frequently, but more often then I would expect.

The officers say thanks and job well done, but usually only after a major call.

pdmama says ...

I was reading a post in the forums and it got me to thinking about "thank yous".

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't expect them, especially from the public and have grown to not expect them from the officers as well. Although I will say at this time I am currently at a department where they come regularly from the officers, its a nice change. However I can count on one hand how often they have come from the public, and once even in a very public way, that pleasantly surprised me.

I was just curious if others were the same or if it varied from department to department and area. Do you expect them? And even if not, do you get them?

Every time I ask the dispatcher for something I thank them.

Do you thank the LEOs for doing their job?

Well getting thanks from people inside your agency for something someone is drawing a paycheck to do seems somewhat unneccessary to me. But since I realize that some people have a psychological need to feel appreciated for what they are paid to be doing already I generally do thank them. There are those people who go the extra mile on some things that they don't have to and for them I definitely give thanks, because we all know that there are those things we have to do because it's our job and then there are those things that we can do.

We have a Deputy of the Year award, and Jailer of the quarter, etc. Nothing for communications, of course.

I have gotten two thank yous from the public in 11 years one coming from a retired deputy whose family home was wiped out by a hurricane in florida and i was somehow able to track them down here.

The only award I ever recieved was from a citizen. Meant a lot to me, yet all I could think when it was going on was "all I was doing was my job, I didn't do anything special..." 

I do get the day to day thank yous from an individual deputy when you do something, the polite thanks one would give another for any helpful deed ("Pass me the remote, thanks") for instance. 

But official attaboys just don't exist in our agency for dispatchers.... 

Thank you all, now get back to work

Thank you is the best way.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Although we all do an amazing job...none of us ever get the thanks and appreciation we deserve!! The best thank you's in the world come when my officers go 42 and are able to go home to their families, when CPR works, when we hear the newborn baby cry for the 1st time, a parents relief when their child has come home, when our medics check back in their service area and are there safe, when the firefighters say "FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL", to hear our K9 officers say "Positive Find", and to hear our officers go enroute to the jail with the criminal that just shot/hurt/stabbed and sent our officers on an hour long pursuit! There are more but these are some of the most important thank you's in the world to me!! THANK YOU ALL!!

bcsodispatcher says ...

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Although we all do an amazing job...none of us ever get the thanks and appreciation we deserve!! The best thank you's in the world come when my officers go 42 and are able to go home to their families, when CPR works, when we hear the newborn baby cry for the 1st time, a parents relief when their child has come home, when our medics check back in their service area and are there safe, when the firefighters say "FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL", to hear our K9 officers say "Positive Find", and to hear our officers go enroute to the jail with the criminal that just shot/hurt/stabbed and sent our officers on an hour long pursuit! There are more but these are some of the most important thank you's in the world to me!! THANK YOU ALL!!

AMEN!!!!

Frequently from the public.  From anyone else?  Not yet.

Mostly it just depends on the person and the situation that I am dealing with. It seems that the Thank you's come less because people expect us to do what we are doing for them cause it is our job. There are some Officers that say Thank for everything and some that I have never heard it from. Others just say it because they are kissing butt and just trying to get something out of yah. It is very nice to hear and I make sure to say your welcome to someone that thanks me but I def do not expect to hear it.