36 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com photographs and process any kind of evidence on scene, such as DNA and fingerprints. “We just look to see if there’s anything out of place. Anything that could be related to the crime itself,” said Mitchell. Many people think they may know how police operations are run by watching TV or what they see in a movie. The truth is, after graduating from the Police Academy, an officer’s responsibility to keep up with continuing education and stay current in practice and knowledge is perpetual. “Our training never stops. As a patrol officer, we are doing at least 100 hours of training per year,” noted Shaver. “Any new updates from the local or state government, we are notified and trained on.” Any one of these officers, along with others in law enforcement, need to be agile, both mentally and physically, and capable of making quick decisions when called upon. With the countless stressors they experience in their careers, it is imperative that our civil servants teach themselves how to detox and relieve stress. With work days averaging 10-12 hours or longer, officers have responsibilities and witness things civilians couldn’t even imagine. Sitting down with the officers and listening to their career stories, the level of uncertainty and spontaneity in their job immediately becomes apparent. It can be easy for anxiety and adrenaline to run high, greatly impacting these officers from day to day. Mental health is important and MPPD takes it very seriously. “You must figure out ways to decompress yourself. You don’t want to take anything home with you,” stated Croy. “You are answering 911 calls and that could be the worst day of someone’s life.” Many officers detox with their families, by spending time in nature, traveling, playing video games or sinking into an uplifting streaming series. Capers has a twin sister who works in another department and they both garner unquantifiable support from one another. Detective Ballentine loves baking and cooking to decompress. Mitchell enjoys watching Bravo and presently is on a “Top Chef” binge. It takes patience, intelligence, courage and determination to be a police officer. These men and women risk their lives daily for the people they serve, continuously needing to recalibrate to each situation as it unfolds. Let us thank these courageous civil servants of the community for their dedication to upholding a safe, lawful society, and for allowing us to feel protected and more connected within our community. It is because of your service that we enjoy the freedom that safety provides. our town
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