On Leadership...

Fellow Sheepdogs:

MEETING UPDATE: Our next meeting will be Thursday, July 23rd, starting at 1900 hours.

We had a great time of LEO fellowship, Bible study and prayer last Thursday on the subject of "Rising to the Call of Leadership." To recap, we asked the question, "Are you a leader or just the person out front?" A study of Saul's life sheds a very bright light on the difference between the two. In brief, Saul clearly had awesome gifts and even greater potential. He was huge -- a powerful physical specimen; good looking; intelligent; a tremendous warrior; and so much more. In fact, he was the obvious choice to take on Goliath (leading from the front). However, Saul failed the test of true leadership. Instead of listening to God's clear instructions and leading His people in complete obedience, Saul chose the path of partial obedience (following his own will instead of God's) and even blamed the people for his poor decisions. God and Samuel both held Saul -- not the people -- accountable for disobeying God's clear instructions to destroy the evil Amalekites and everything associated with them. Why? Because God called Saul to be a leader and not just the man out front. As a result, God choose another leader who would lead from the front: David. See 1 Samuel 16:1-13 for more!

What about you? Do you accept responsibility for your failures as a leader or do you put the blame on others? Are you committed to obeying all of God's commands or just the ones that are convenient? Do you have a true servant's heart (servant-leadership)? The truth is that the vast majority of the morale problems that plague our profession stem from a lack of true leadership -- both at the bottom (line officer) and the top. If you have been blessed to be a chief, commander, sergeant, etc., do you consider your people before yourself? Do you outfit your own unit with the "latest and greatest" before taking care of your officers? Do you drive the best unit while your line staff is stuck with a cruiser that should have been replaced long ago (safety issues)? Do you fight for your people when it comes to budget? Do you look to reward your troops (or just reprimand)? In short, are you a Saul or a David? Your answers to these and related questions determine whether or not you are being the leader God has called you to be -- and rest assured -- He IS calling YOU to to LEAD!

We'll expand on this further at our next meeting -- hope you'll join us!

PRAYER REQUESTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

(1) Dep. Mike Dye (author of The Peacekeepers, see http://www.christianlawenforcement.com/)
writes, "Have you ever stopped to think about praying for the welfare of your city, county, or state? How about just simply praying for your patrol area of responsibility? Even if it's a jail, courthouse, or a 12-block patrol area. Believe it or not, it is a biblical commandment as found in Jeremiah 29:7. We as law enforcement officers must do more than just merely 'serve and protect' the people of the cities and towns where we work. We must pray for its well-being too. Let's transform our cities, communities, and our areas of responsibilities by praying a simple prayer. Something like this one: 'Father God. I ask you in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, to transform my city for your benefit and glory. God, I ask that you take the evil from my street corners, bars, etc. as I claim my area of responsibility for you, Lord. In everything that I do or say, may my prayers and requests be given to you only to uplift and glorify your name. In Jesus Name, Amen.'

This is no magic prayer and it is not intended to be used as such. It is simply following biblical principles as outlined in God's word.

'...BUT in EVERYTHING BY PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.' Philippians 4:6.

'...and Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.' 1 Chronicles 4:10.'

'Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.' Psalm 127:1.

Trust me when I say. If you pray and ask the Lord God to watch over your city, protect it from evil, and to remove the evil from it God will hear your prayers. Let's start praying today!"

Well said Mike!

(2) OFFICER IN NEED (from Englewood Officer Jason Pearson, State Criminal Investigator Jimmy Wattles, and Lone Tree PD Sgt. Candice Mullins):
"I am sure many of you have never heard of Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado. However, Craig Hospital is a very special place, and one I would like to tell you about. Craig Hospital is one of the best spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation centers in the U.S. Patients are flown to Craig Hospital from all over the country for extensive and ground breaking treatment, including an Englewood Police Officer who was paralyzed in an on-duty motorcycle accident several years ago. And since we are on the topic, Police Officers from all over the country who are injured on duty are also flown to Craig for treatment. The Englewood Police Department, along with Denver P.D., have an outreach program where Officers go and visit the fellow officers and their families who are shipped hundreds of miles from home in a city where they don't know anybody. Yesterday, I got to meet Officer Densey Cole of the Chicago Police Department at Craig Hospital. Densey was responding to a robbery call when another motorist slammed into the side of his patrol vehicle and shoved the police car into a light pole head-on. Densey had been launched out of his seat belt and went airborne inside his C.P.D. Chevy Tahoe. He knew immediately he had broken his neck and was laying in his seat paralyzed, unable to use his arms to call for help on the radio. As Densey was trying to assess the situation he was in, a local ex-felon entered the police vehicle, shoved Densey into the passenger seat, took Desney's wallet and gun, and began beating Densey over the head with his own pistol. Officer Densey was unable to move and could only lay motionless, sure that he was going to die. The criminal left Densey alive, but took his gun and wallet with him. Densey was eventually rescued and taken to the hospital, and later transferred to Craig Hospital here in Colorado. Densey and his long time girlfriend married while he was hospitalized in Chicago, and Densey has children from a previous relationship. Densey is a 16 year veteran of the Chicago P.D. and knows he will never return to work. Densey has been able to move his left arm since coming to Colorado and his spinal cord was not completely severed, giving hope of at least a partial recovery from his injuries. He and his new wife are here in Colorado and could really use some visits. Craig Hospital (http://www.craighospital.org/) is right next door to the famous Swedish Medical Center in Englewood. If you are not here in Colorado, I would bet the Cole's would love to receive some cards or letters from people around the country. I am asking that we show Officer Cole that we care, and thank him for what he has done and sacrificed. For security reasons, I cannot give out Officer Cole's room number, but ask that cards and letters be sent through the Metro Area Graffiti Task Force of Denver, P.O. Box 2223, Englewood, CO 80150-2223. MAGTF will make sure every letter and card is hand delivered to this outstanding hero. Thank you,
Ofc. Jason Pearson,
Director, Metro Area Graffiti Task Force of Denver
P.O. Box 2223
Englewood, CO 80150-2223
www.magtfdenver.org

(3) From Denver PD Detective Danny Vieth:

"This morning a Dallas PD officer was flown from Gunnison to Swedish hospital when it was determined he had blood clots in his brain. The 22-year-old officer was in Gunnison to support Dallas PD Explorers in a national competition. The officer's wife, with the assistance of 4 agencies, was driven from Gunnison to Swedish early this morning.

The officer underwent surgery this morning and two blood clots were removed. He has some bleeding within his head and is recovering in ICU at Swedish.

His wife, in the meantime, is going to be staying at the Mariott (I-25 and Hampden) so she can take a shower, get some sleep,... She is awaiting family to fly in from Texas later tonight.

Does anyone have a spare vehicle we could loan the officer's wife and family, so they can drive to and from the hotel and hospital?

Please call me on my Nextel if you can help: 720-641-0208.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide for this officer's family during a difficult time!"

(4) Pray for a brother officer who is dealing with some challenges in fighting for visitation/custody issues with his ex-wife. She is very bitter and not being godly in her actions. Ask God to intervene on his behalf. Also pray that this brother will be obedient in his own walk.

(5) Praise Report! Thanks for all who prayed for us in reference to the OMG rally in Fairplay last weekend: no major incidents! Thanks also to OMG guru Jimmy Wattles and gang taskforce member Jason Pearson for their assistance and support.

See ya next week!