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Cottonwood County

June 27, 2018 by Jim Potter 7 Comments

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(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.)


 

·  Unintended Consequences  ·

Deputy Tom Jennings is a fictional character in the novel, Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery (2017), by Jim Potter. Sculpture by J. Alex Potter. Photo by Gina Laiso.

Previously, in Episode 1 (https://jimpotterauthor.com/cottonwood-county-kansas/), Tom Jennings was perusing a Facebook post with its many threads. The messages were overwhelmingly critical of the Cottonwood County Commissioners for considering cutting overtime pay for deputy sheriffs.

Episode 2

Tom’s phone played music and vibrated. A county commissioner was returning his phone call.

“Tom Jennings, may I help you?”

“This is County Commissioner Guy Ankerholz returning your phone call.”

“Yes, thank you for your prompt response. I called to see where you stand on the recent controversy about cutting back overtime pay for deputies. I’ll tell you my view after I hear yours.”

“The overtime needs to be under control. I’m not going to increase it to 82 hours but it’s on the table anytime if it’s not restrained. I don’t want to micromanage but we can change the budget.”

“Okay,” Jennings said, “I previously worked in the Cottonwood County jail for three years so I’m bias, but I also have experience.

“When I worked in the jail, I never wanted overtime. I wanted to be home with my family. But officers had to work a lot of days off because of emergencies, staff shortages, illness, and training. It’s not fair of you commissioners to portray the deputies who work a lot of overtime as the bad guys. They aren’t the bad guys. They’re making personal sacrifices and giving up family time to help the department. Of course they get paid for the extra duty.

“I don’t understand why you’re wasting time to fix something that’s not broken when there are so many other things to improve. Businesses are leaving the county and the population is shrinking. Drug addicts and dealers are increasingly bold. We’ve got a drug house on our road and I know that the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have time to do anything about it.

“We need to maintain our professional law enforcement. When you start cutting benefits then you’re making it more difficult to keep and attract the best people. Officers are looking for your support, not a hostile work environment.”

“There’s just so much money,” Ankerholz interjected. “We have three choices: raise taxes, limit the services, or increase the assets.”

“What does increase the assets mean?” asked Jennings.

“Increase the tax base.”

“Oh, okay,” continued Jennings. “But I’m calling about a department that is under budget. Even if your lack of support were to affect just a few officers, it would have a detrimental snowball effect. When an officer feels unappreciated or attacked then it can influence job satisfaction which can impact quality of work and attendance. Ultimately, it can result in employee turnover.

“Maybe you’ve heard of the term ‘do no harm’ or ‘unintended consequences.’ If just one deputy leaves the county for another law enforcement agency with better benefits, that has a tremendous effect.

“One less person working in the jail, patrol, or the detective division means officers off-duty will need to be called in to work more shifts. If you don’t call them in, then everyone is less safe and the work doesn’t get done.

“You don’t just hire a person off the streets and they become a professional officer.

“There are job announcements, testing, background checks, interviews, properly fit uniforms, months of training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, months of longer in-house training by the Sheriff’s Office. All this costs extra time, effort, and money while taking away from doing the intended job—protecting and serving the public.

“When the County Commission focuses on taking away employee benefits in order to save money, it’s shortsighted. The medical profession has the term, ‘do no harm.’ Please consider that approach as you consider your next step on this issue.

“Your intentions may be good or they may be due to pressure tactics from Commissioner Tisher. Please stand up and make your own decision on this.”

“I make up my own mind on things,” said Ankerholz.

“Good, because Tither has a reputation for thinking she’s the leader of the band even when there’s no one following her.”

“I’ve researched this,” Ankerholz added. “The jail’s overtime is huge. There needs to be a more efficient operation.”

“You may intend to save money,” said Jennings, “but the unintended consequences can hurt the county in hiring and keeping a professional workforce. It could cost more in overtime, not less.

“Sadly, you’re spending energy on a perceived problem instead of upgrading the workforce so the public can be better served.”

“Like I said,” Ankerholz responded, “I’m not for changing the overtime right now.”

“That’s not reassuring,” Jennings responded. “You sound like the president who is for something on Monday and against it on Tuesday.”

“The Sheriff’s Office is under budget but the overtime is out of control,” Ankerholz restated.

Well, thanks for listening. Sorry to have wasted your time.”

“You haven’t wasted my time. I don’t hear from people enough,” Ankerholz concluded.

“Okay, thanks for listening,” Jennings repeated, as he ended the conversation.

Jennings knew he should cut the commissioners some slack; they were probably doing their best. They just didn’t get it. None of them had ever been a commissioned law enforcement officer, but they had convinced themselves that they knew better than the sheriff–a career lawman elected by the people–how to do his job.

Jennings had hoped for reassurance. Instead, the county commissioner acted like Pete Rose, a former major league baseball all-star, hedging his gambling bets. At least Rose fought for his team. Jennings felt like Ankerholz might bolt and run at any moment.

The former jailer imagined the commissioner as a baseball player changing teams—and uniforms—during a seventh inning stretch. In a tough situation, could officers rely on this guy to go to bat for them?

While Ankerholz was unwilling to firmly support law enforcement, deputies would continue to risk their lives every shift of every day for the public, including for Ankerholz and his family.

Until next time, happy writing and reading!

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Comments

  1. Linda says

    I liked your blog. Did you find out a lot while you were with the sheriff’s department in terms of budgets being cut?

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      I learned that when the economy gets bad, school resource officer positions are cut.

      Reply
  2. Bill says

    Jim, I really enjoy your blog. I’m impressed–you really are a good writer, and I can tell you work at your craft. You have some interesting, thought provoking posts that make me think a little–which is always good! Bill

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks, Bill. I’m always thinking about something, that’s for sure. You should see Alex’s expression when I say: “I have an idea.” She looks directly into my eyes and replies, “What now?” We really are a great team. Getting funnier by the year.

      Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    This blog is cool as can be. My buddy, Jim Potter, has a whole lot of fun posts here. Interesting to ponder over a cup of coffee when you’re not quite ready to get up and at it. Give it a try! I did. And it made me smile. That’s a worthy outcome. Thanks, Jim.

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Rock, you rock! Thank you so much. It means a lot coming from an English & writing professor. If in your future novels you ever need a character to give his point-of-view on city or county commissioners trying to take away employee benefits (like overtime), Tom Jennings can help you out.

      Reply
      • Rock says

        Jim, I really do like it. I started back in June of last year when you started. I will listen to a couple each day with coffee. Good way to start my day.

        Reply

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Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

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