It is disheartening to see the phenomenon of hate embraced by so many people who don't understand the origin, meaning, or impact. To grasp the significance, you must first understand what it means. It is an intense, deep-seated emotional response of strong dislike,...
MAJOR BEN’S ARTICLES
Below is a list of articles by Major Ben Brooks that have appeared in the Times Herald.
Daddy, What Time Will You Be Home Tonight?
Every family member asks this question daily. I wonder how many leaders realize the gravity of that question for their officers. When they get up in the morning, they have quiet time with their family before embarking on, hopefully, another routine day at the office....
Leaks
A leak is an unintended hole, crack, or fault that allows a substance- such as a liquid, gas, or light- to escape or enter a container or system. As a child growing up in the rural South, I watched my father build his own home. At that time, he installed a tin roof....
Masks and Officer Safety
As a career law enforcement officer, I am perplexed by the recent debate over officers wearing masks. Everything I learned about law enforcement involved honesty, integrity, and, most of all, transparency. The federal government has a duty to present law enforcement...
Bias Understood
As an international speaker, trainer, and consultant, I have been intrigued by the lack of understanding of various terms, with people using them without knowing their meanings or applications. At one of my National Speakers Association conferences, a presenter shared...
Fear and Bias as a Law Enforcement Blind Spot
Fear – an unpleasant feeling triggered by the perception of danger real or imagined. Origin - past experiences (0-6) History - nomadic days (fight or flight) Survival function - to protect us, triggered by a significant event, i.e., hot, cold, wet, trauma Source: New...
DEI America’s Biggest Blind Spot
In 2016, I took a course with AARP in defensive driving. Having been driving since I was sixteen, I was curious about what the instructor could teach me. I signed up for the course to get a discount on my car insurance. As the instructor went through his orientation,...
DEI, The Latest Bogeyman
DEI is the latest catchphrase that is the catalyst for the present state of the divided states of America. We raise and salute the flag as we recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. As patriotic as that sounds, it is far from our day-to-day...
The Reality of Community Policing
Many police executives approached community-oriented policing with a great deal of skepticism because they didn’t realize the critical role that the community plays in their success. Many felt they could do it on their own. Dr. Lee Brown, a former police commissioner...
A Practical Approach to Addressing School Shootings
After Columbine, over four hundred school shootings were reported in America. Every citizen should be outraged that our society has allowed that to happen. Schools should be the safest place in our community for our students, staff, and teachers. It is challenging to...
Bullying In Schools
By Major Ben Brooks
On May 16, 2024, David Jones penned an article in the Headlines Smart newspaper with the following headline, “Ten-Year-Old Boy Takes Own Life After Relentless Bullying”. This was a tragic ending that never should have occurred. According to the article, many pleas for help were ignored. It is incumbent upon all school officials to take these matters seriously.
With the emphasis placed on active shooters within our schools, bullying often takes a backseat as a priority. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that there has to be more attention to this deadly phenomenon. School administrators, faculty, and staff must become more vigilant in being able to detect instances of behavior that lead to bullying
In conducting training for police in schools there is a strong emphasis on psychological safety. That is an environment where students, as well as faculty and staff, can express themselves about what impacts them without fear of ridicule, retribution, or retaliation. Additionally, there is an emphasis on identifying aberrant behavior that leads to bullying.
Bullies don’t pick on other bullies. They only pick on victims. It is their way of covering up for their shortcomings or insecurities. It is incumbent upon teachers, faculty, and staff as well as school police to understand those dynamics to address issues before they become problems.
There are two principles at work in understanding the mind of the bully. They are, that every human being has a strong wish or desire to be heard and have their needs met. If these two principles are operating simultaneously it produces a climate of tranquility and order. If either of the concepts is missing it may lead to bullying. The bully is usually suffering from low self-esteem. There is an acronym LSMFT which stands for low self-esteem means friction and trouble.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that violence is the voice of the unheard. Addressing the behavior of the bully offers an opportunity to address the causes of the aberrant behavior.
Schools must be the safest place in the community for our children. For this to happen, every stakeholder must do their part. The school police and the local police are responsible for securing the outer perimeter of the school. Their emphasis is strictly on physical safety. Physical safety within the school is vital. However, it is important to understand the lasting impact of psychological safety on students’ staff, and faculty.
It is difficult for teachers, counselors, and staff to be cognizant of all aberrant behavior that leads to bullying. However, it is important to recognize that two of the most critical senses or skills are observation and hearing. When there is a climate of trust, students will share information that leads to potentially troublesome situations relating to bullying. Ensuring the physical and psychological safety of our children is a big step in establishing a bully-free school environment.