anthropology

It’s safe : Inside the Box

December 11, 2013

I enjoy the challenge of remaining creative in ways to better serve the public. While I passionately believe there is always room for improvement, I also understand that improvement, via “change” is not always welcome. We’ve worn out the phrase “Think outside the box” to the point that merely saying it shows complacency and cliché.  While I fully appreciate tradition, I could not imagine football played before the forward pass. Inside the Box: People don’t actually like creativity In the United States we are raised to appreciate […]

Silence in Policing | A Cultural Revolution

October 7, 2013

NOTE: Going back through articles I’ve written, this was and still is an important issue in the profession and use of social media by law enforcement. Police Silence in Research This post covers law enforcement’s “Code,” and the blue culture of police silence. I spent several years researching this culture during an anthropological ethnography for my doctorate degree. Going back into my research, I decided to use that as my source for drawing information for this post about the influence of Police […]

Police Chief Scott Silverii: Sheepdogs in the Fringe

May 8, 2013

Editor’s NOTE: Originally posted at The Graveyard Shift as a contributing guest of Lee Lofland. Police Chief Scott Silverii: Sheepdogs in the Fringe I was recently asked to speak at a book reading for the local library to discuss my latest work on cop culture, “A Darker Shade of Blue; From Public Servant to Professional Deviant.” Unsure of what was expected, I looked for key sections or excerpts that might appeal to the civilian public. One of the selections discussed why cops […]

Chief Scott Silverii, Ph.D. Named Executive Fellow | Police Foundation

April 25, 2013

Police Foundation President Jim Bueermann approved the appointment for City of Thibodaux Chief of Police, Dr. Scott Silverii as an Executive Fellow and member of its Research Advisory Committee. The Police Foundation also sponsors the Cambridge Police Executive Program Executive Fellowship Program Executive Fellows at the Police Foundation are current or retired executive-level members of criminal justice organizations whose knowledge, experience and skills help advance the Foundation’s mission. They serve as members of the President’s Practitioner Advisory Board to help ensure the Foundation is […]

I Quit

April 12, 2013

I Quit Johnny Paycheck popularized this song originally written by David Allen Coe in 1977, and despite having been his only #1 hit, we recall with clarity those famous words, “Take this job and shove it.” He sings about the dissatisfaction and hurt of a man who gave his life to his work without reciprocation of reward. Ok, I’m not quitting, but it gets your attention. It also gains the attention of supervisors, Chiefs and Mayors who ask, “Why?” Well, there are […]

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

April 10, 2013

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do February 13, 2013 in Featured, Patrol, Posts by Chief Scott Silverii, Ph.D. Let’s explore why it is so hard to “break up” from a job you love and love to not love. before beginning, I was approached by a lady Saturday night while monitoring a downtown nightclub crowd following the Ambrosia Mardi Gras parade. She is not associated with law enforcement and I am not sure who she is. She was kind enough to share having […]

Rookie Cop; The Stand-Up Guy

March 15, 2013

Years ago while commanding a Uniform Patrol Division for a nationally accredited Sheriff’s Office, I worked closely with the Regional Police Training Academy Director. Having previously worked for me in a special services division, we became fast friends. The Question Following the graduation of each academy class, the rookies reported to the Patrol Section for assignment to an experienced Field Training Officer (FTO). The Director made it a point to ask if they still stood up. I’d laugh and say, “Yes.” This went on for just a few weeks, […]

Cops; Old Bulls & Young Bulls

March 14, 2013

January 22, 2013 in Featured, Leadership, Posts by Chief Scott Silverii, Ph.D. Who can forget Robert Duval’s advice to a young LAPD Officer played by Sean Penn in the 1988 movie “Colors?” While Duval’s character may have been referring to operational efficiency more than chronological age, the point is that better results are often associated with maturity. Oakland’s Chief of Police Howard Jordan recently announced increasing the Police Department’s minimum hiring age from 20.5 years to 25 years old. I hope this […]

Discover Our “WHY” Week -Day 5

February 22, 2013

Once you discover your passion, everything else makes sense. This week, lets discuss and discover our “why.” If you liked this message, please share the vision by passing it along. Help ignite a cultural revolution.

Discover Our “WHY” Week – Day 4 – Guest: Sgt. Todd Prevost

February 21, 2013

I have known “Pre” for many years, and I am thankful for his friendship. Though I may have taught him a bit about POP Squad and SWAT, it was he teaching us about consistency, committment and humility. I am honored that he agreed to share his passion with us. He is blessed for having discovered his “WHY”  Bike Cop, “WHY?” After sixteen years in law enforcement, thirteen spent patrolling on a bicycle, I am still asked, “why?” Many accompany the question with further inquiries into as why I […]

Discover Our “WHY” Week -Day 3

February 20, 2013

Once you discover your passion, everything else makes sense. This week, lets discuss and discover our “why.” If you liked this message, please share the vision by passing it along. Help ignite a cultural revolution.

Discover Our “WHY” Week – Day 1

February 18, 2013

Once you discover your passion, everything else makes sense. This week, lets discuss and discover our “why.” If you liked this message, please help share the vision by sharing our site.

“PEOPLE I LOVE” Week – Day 1

February 11, 2013

People I Love Week Dave Paul Thibodaux I recently published a book based on my doctoral dissertation research, A Darker Shade of Blue: From Public Servant to Professional Deviant. It is the culmination of 7 years in graduate school while earning a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. This is a commitment I made to sacrifice my time and energies in pursuit of something special to me; education. My friend and dear brother, Dave Paul “DP” Thibodaux also made a commitment, […]

I Quit

February 1, 2013

Johnny Paycheck popularized this song originally written by David Allen Coe in 1977, and despite having been his only #1 hit, we recall with clarity those famous words, “Take this job and shove it.” He sings about the dissatisfaction and hurt of a man who gave his life to his work without reciprocation of reward. Ok, I’m not quitting, but it gets your attention. It also gains the attention of supervisors, Chiefs and Mayors who ask, “Why?” Well, there are many reasons […]

CHANGING the CULTURE and HISTORY of POLICING; PART 2

January 24, 2013

This is a two-part series about the needs, challenges and promises for revolutionizing the profession of policing.  We have performed brilliantly at times, and with an openness for improvement, we will be brilliant always. CHANGING the CULTURE and HISTORY of POLICING  PART 2 This is where the executives become increasingly interested.  There are zero additional expenses associated with the implementation of the DDACTS (Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety) philosophy, strategy or tactic. Officers already assigned to Patrol are, or should […]

The Old Bull & the Young Bull

January 23, 2013

The Old Bull & the Young Bull Written for LET and published this week about the Oakland PD searching for positive change, and the nature of Blue Culture.

01/24/13; Part 2 – CHANGING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF POLICING

January 23, 2013

This is a two-part series about the needs, challenges and promises for revolutionizing the profession of policing.  We have performed brilliantly at times, and with an openness for improvement, we will be brilliant always. Changing the culture and history of policing

Changing the Culture & History of Policing – Part 1

January 22, 2013

This is a two-part series about the needs, challenges and promises for revolutionizing the profession of policing.  We have performed brilliantly at times, and with an openness for improvement, we will be brilliant always. CHANGING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF POLICING  PART 1     The apple never really falls far from the tree, and this remains a truism of policing’s reactive paradigm of responding to crime.  The tree I’m referring to is England’s tithing system begun in 648 A.D. that included […]

I Love You….

January 18, 2013

I Love You… There, I said it. Actually, I said it Wednesday night to my entire agency during our annual Blue Summit. I am not a “tree-hugging” chief of police, but I do believe that a key part of sincere leadership is allowing yourself to be human to your staff. I also remind them that I prayed with expectancy before accepting the position, as God led me to this city to serve Him, them and our citizens. Sharing the vision, the bigger […]

The Sociology of Racism

January 17, 2013

The Sociology of Racism.