September 2018

Posted on December 1, 2018 by Wes in Newsletter

Code 7 Connection Newsletter Qtr 3 2018

“QUOTE OF THE QUARTER”

“Oh, so I see the Captainis out with the lower ranks tonight.” (my shirt reads Chaplain) I say – Everybody needs to get out sometime.

Unusual Calls:

As a law enforcement chaplain, I am exposed to plenty of interesting situations involving a spectrum of individuals. Take a look.

This driver “fell asleep” one afternoon and ran through the closed end of a “T” intersection directly into a barrier keeping her from entering a bridge construction site. The concrete barrier activated her airbag and provided her with a powdered wakeup slap in the face that would not be forgotten soon. Could have been worse.

This man, who couldn’t get what he wanted from the clerk in the Police Department lobby, threw a tantrum. His actions summoned our attention. We found him in the Police Department restroom where he was still actively throwing his fit while “showering off” at the sink. Not the best location to act out when you are angry and high. Transportation was provided for him to a secure area where he could cool down and work on his behavior.

Finishing it off with this photo of an extensive minivan trunk bong collection. I guess he wanted to keep his favorites with him in case he got an invite to a party.

Regional Police Explorer Training

I was invited by my friend David to join him in presenting at the annual Regional Police Explorer weeklong Academy. The training was attended by a few hundred law enforcement interested teens. I listened to his terrific presentation of his critical incident last year and heard for the first time his full perspective of the ordeal.

I also had 25 minutes to share my memories of the incident, including my role and duties as a chaplain while riding along. I stressed the need for self-care and for the students to stay alert to the mental/emotional state of their fellow classmates after something traumatic, in case they may have some after affects. The team from CVPD did an amazing job planning and executing the extensive training.

Epidemic Levels:

Police calls involving mental health issues.

Our law enforcement spends more and more time daily addressing mental health issues throughout the community. Each call is unique and requires copious attention to detail and the needs of the citizen. Sometimes, for the safety of themselves or others, police are required by law to place individuals into their custody and transport them to local facilities, where professional staff can further evaluate and even “hold” them for care. On those days, it’s nice to be able to enjoy a sunset and start the work of recalibrating ourselves on the way to the County Mental Health building. #smallthingsmatter

Sometimes, a Chick-fil-A (CFA) iced coffee is all you need to make an afternoon better.

Sometimes we need a full spread to feed the troops. A special thanks to the National City Clergy Association and CFA Eastlake Terraces for working together to get it done.

In Conclusion

It is an honor to serve as chaplain for the police departments in my community. Hanging out with the men and women of law enforcement and providing support through conversation, training, and encouragement is what I consider a win every day. Thank you for your ongoing generosity to me and the ministry of Code 7.

“There is nothing in your life God has blessed you with, that He doesn’t intend you to share with others.” ~ James Grogan

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. James 3:17-18

Blessings,

Wes Anderson
Executive Director ~ Code 7

“You are not here to save the world, but you are here to touch the hands that are within your reach”~ Kathleen Price

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Officer Ocean

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Wes in Officer Alpha Stories

Officer Ocean

Officer Ocean encountered an individual who seemed to be hallucinating. With his arms flailing, the man paced and circled the sidewalk immediately in front of an elementary school mumbling indistinguishable words. Parents escorting their children to school were deeply concerned and working hard to avoid interaction with the man. All of this summoned Officer Ocean.

When Officer Ocean arrived on scene, he immediately recognized the individual (Mr. Doe) from previous encounters. He calmly approached the confused Mr. Doe and introducing himself and said, “You know me, I’m your friend.” Officer Ocean continued his conversation with Mr. Doe using gentle, reassuring words and tones, reminding Mr. Doe he was there to help.

Officer Ocean asked how Mr. Doe was feeling and if he had taken his medication on schedule. Mr. Doe answered what is commonly heard by our law enforcement, “I’m not taking my medicines right now. When I take them I feel bad, so sometimes…” he hesitated, “I don’t take them.”

Officer Ocean asked Mr. Doe what he was having trouble with this morning and why he stopped in front of the school. Mr. Doe paused his movements momentarily but did not reply. Having observed an area of fresh dirt in front of the school where the landscaping had been torn out to make way for some new shrubs, Officer Ocean decided to go with a direct approach. “Is it your fear of dirt that has you stopped here in front of the school today?

The man looked cautiously upward through his dark eyebrows at Officer Ocean and confessed, “Yes, I don’t like that,” pointing at the dirt in the planter area. Without prying into the origin of his phobia, Officer Ocean offered to give Mr. Doe a ride, but the invitation was declined.

Officer Ocean offered an alternate resolution – he suggested the man carefully step off the sidewalk and into the curb line, walk about 15 feet, which would get him past the dirt, and then get back on the sidewalk. The simple solution was well received, and off he went. Problem solved.

Fast-forward five hours. In the same general area of the city, units were sent to investigate someone walking in the middle of the roadway. The caller stated a man was walking on the double yellow line of a four-lane road. The man kept stepping into the traffic, would get honked at, quickly re-direct his steps onto the yellow lines, only to attempt crossing again every few seconds. It was obviously a very dangerous situation that needed immediate attention.

Officer Ocean had a hunch that this might be his friend Mr. Doe from earlier in the day, so he asked to be added as a responder to the call and headed toward the area.

There he was, Mr. Doe, safely on the sidewalk. When asked why he had been in the middle of the road, Mr. Doe said he needed to be there because he didn’t want to be near Monster Street, because he doesn’t like monsters. The name of the street is Monserate, but the words were apparently similar enough in his mind to trigger overwhelming thoughts he couldn’t navigate without putting himself in the middle of the roadway.

When questioned further, Mr. Doe said he was in the middle of the road walking on the yellow lines because “I know it’s safe there. As long as I stay on the yellow lines no, cars can hit me.”

In this case, Officer Ocean determined Mr. Doe needed psychiatric attention, because he was unable to care for himself and was placing himself in danger with his actions. Mr. Doe’s safety was the priority and responsibility of Officer Ocean, so he provided transportation to a care facility for Mr. Doe’s further evaluation of his psychosis and more than likely renewed attempts at medication.

This story illustrates a very common problem our law enforcement confront daily – mental illness. These types of interaction require compassion, patience, and understanding. To engage individuals during these episodes is also dangerous – they don’t all go quite as smoothly as this one. Nevertheless, police officers always work to give their best to aide others.

The next time you see a cop, smile and say hello, and say a silent prayer for the variety of people they will encounter. Lord, give them wisdom to serve others in need who are knowingly or unknowingly endangering themselves or others.

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CONNECTION NEWSLETTER April/May/June 2018

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Wes in Newsletter

Code 7 Connection Newsletter Qtr 2 2018

“QUOTE OF THE QUARTER”

“Awww man, Wes, seeing you walk in is like seeing your girlfriend with another guy” – a Chula Vista Police Sgt. as I walk into the coffee shop with a CHP officer. I say, “It’s only one date.”

Code 7 exists to serve and support law enforcement agencies, their personnel and families. Our mission is to bring hope into the workplace of our cops. Thank you for your interest and involvement with our non-profit organization.

T-shirts

Code 7 printed up some stylish short and long sleeve t-shirts. Shirts are limited in supply and are available on a donation basis. If you are interested, reply to this email, and I will send you the details.

2018 LE Torch Run for Special Olympics

The 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics was held on May 29. I took the opportunity to run with law enforcement from around the county and raise funds for the Special Olympics. CVPD hosted the Opening Ceremony and initiated the first of 16 legs spanning from Chula Vista to Oceanside.

After running the first 5.3 mile leg, I decided to keep going and ended up downtown at SDPD headquarters with a few other eager runners. When it was all said and done, I had run 8.9 miles and collected a commemorative t-shirt and a souvenir skinned knee from a completely graceful stumble, thanks in part to a roadway pothole. The run was worth the effort and helped a terrific cause and has been added to my yearly must-do list.

Care and Crisis Instructor

I was asked to provide training for a conference EastLake Church was putting on for their network churches. I enjoyed presenting “Caring in Times of Crisis” to staff and leaders during two sessions. I enjoy sharing from my passion zone and made great connections with people possessing similar gifts and interests. Student notes are available if you are interested. Freely I received, freely I give.

O-Line Officers

While on a ride along a week ago, I was following my partner and his backup to the front door of a family disturbance. As we approached, it struck me that the guys I was with are probably amongst the two largest officers on the force.

At a little over 6’2”, I don’t usually need to look up to talk to people, but when standing with these officers (6’5” and 6’9”) built like football offensive linemen, I gained an entirely new perspective. I didn’t get very much sun on my ride along that day. I don’t often feel like a football running back, but with them, I kinda did.

CVPD Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony

Chula Vista Police Department Awards Committee selected me as the recipient of the Exceptional Service Award for my role during an incident while I was on a ride along last year. I was honored to stand with my friend D. Sachs and Chief Kennedy on stage to receive the commendation. My favorite part of the script that was read during the presentation was “armed only with his faith and quick whit, Wes…” I’m truly thankful for the recognition, but personally, I prefer the view from behind the scenes much better.

Coffee and cops

Uber-faithful sponsor and long time friend of Code 7 Donny’s Café in Bonita is always 1st choice, but afterhours – sometimes Starbucks. This picture was taken just before an impromptu but very needed 90-10 conversation. I listened 90% of the time and along the way interjected the10% encouragement and affirmation. The situation was much better after the “Code 7 coffee stop.”

Thanks, sponsors! YOU make these moments happen and are a key to the wellness of our police officers. Every donation counts!

Partnership with DeleteMyInformation.com

Speaking of officer wellness, there is an opportunity for our law enforcement (and YOU) to reduce your online social footprint and support Code 7 at the same time.

Code7 and DeleteMyInformation.com have partnered to provide the Law Enforcement community with a service that identifies an individual’s online exposure and outlines a systematic plan to reduce your social footprint.

Social footprint is how we refer to the amount of personal information such as, addresses & phone numbers that are available about a person online. The DeleteMyInformation.com product does not ask for people to remove or change how they express themselves, but attacks data-miners, and detaches the link between the data aggregators and the client.

A breach in privacy could have dire consequences to a police officer and his/her family or for you. Unfortunately the hyper-availability of personal information is an emerging threat in today’s social environment. Within a couple of clicks, anyone with interest or those with criminal intent can typically find extremely personal information that most would expect to be private.

With a social footprint reduction we can help you and those in law enforcement regain control of their privacy. To sign up, visit DeleteMyInformation.com and when checking out enter promo code: CODE7 to save 10% which will be donated back to Code 7 in continuing support of the law enforcement in our community.

Looking Ahead to July

In July each year, Code 7 links the 7th month with our name and uses that as reason enough to provide squad meals for each of the patrol teams. Chula Vista and National City Police will be briefed on our services and given breakfast, lunch, or dinner, based on their work shift. I love to be able to brag on YOU, our financial supporters, and remind the cops that the public, businesses, and churches are thankful and applauding their work for our communities.

I would be happy to have you join me during lineup when the meal is provided and personally let our police officers know of your appreciation for their hard work.

In Conclusion

Your one-time and monthly sponsorship of Code 7 not only funds the services we provide, but also provides a portion of my income allowing me to be in the patrol car two-times weekly as well as meet with the officers and their families to assist in life difficulties and renewed connection points with family and faith.

Together with you as our sponsors, we continue to nurture an environment where our police know the community loves and supports them.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

Blessings,

Wes Anderson
Founder/Chaplain Code 7
“You are not here to save the world, but you are here to touch the hands that are within your reach” ~ Kathleen Price

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