Police Magazine

William Harvey

Chief

William "Bill" Harvey is the Chief of the Ephrata (Pa.) Police Department. Prior to this he was the Chief of the Lebanon City (Pa.) Police Department for more than six years. Harvey retired from the Savannah (Ga.) Police Department where he worked assignments in training, patrol, and CID. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps and has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey has more than 25 years of experience working with recruits, rookies, and FTOs. He serves on the advisory boards of POLICE Magazine, POLICE RECRUIT Magazine, TREXPO, and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•August 7, 2007

Can I Get a "Do Over"?

Yes, in the FTO program you can get hurt, killed, sued, and all of the nasty things of a cop's life up to and including termination. Do not get faint of heart. Just know that this is still a learning program and you will make mistakes!

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•July 25, 2007

Treat the Academy as a Job

If you are getting ready to attend the academy, I want to share with you a philosophy that can help lead to academic success: Treat the academy as a full-time job. This premise may sound simple, nearly an overstatement of the obvious, but following this philosophy will give you focus throughout the academy.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•July 12, 2007

Accepting Department-Issued Equipment

Recently a reader contacted me about a personal dilemma. He told me his department issues a certain make and caliber of pistol and he doesn't like it. He further stated he did not like the holster, in addition to a laundry list of other items he was issued. What could he do now as his agency's newest rookie?

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•July 3, 2007

Maintenance Day and Other Rituals

Back when I was in the U.S. Army MP Corps we were taught to set aside time for personal equipment maintenance. I highly recommend you do the same. Warriors need to prepare for their calling; policework is no different.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•June 26, 2007

Get Your Life in Order

Everyone has seen movies where the drill sergeant storms into the barracks and tells the recruits how it's going to be. Some of us lived this. For me, it was at Ft. Dix, N.J. Well, what do you need to do to get through the police academy and the FTO period? Simple; what I was told and what I tell every recruit: Get your life in order!

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•June 20, 2007

Learning to Speak Like a Cop

One of the most daunting tasks a recruit must undertake is learning and mastering the various languages that are spoken in policeland. How many languages does a cop speak? Quite a few; definitely more than two, to my mind.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•June 20, 2007

Flash Your Way to Higher Academy Grades

Before every academy class I taught, recruits asked me how they could get better grades. Make time and study with your flash cards.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•June 1, 2007

Prepare for the Agility Test Now

In your quest to become a cop or deputy, you will likely face an agility or physical fitness test. This is no worry, right? Wrong.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•June 1, 2007

First Impressions Count

You have waited for the announcement that your local agency is hiring officers. Then you see it in the newspaper. You cannot wait to make that application to become a cop! So you want to run down immediately to apply. Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but don't let it end your career before it starts. Stop, read the announcement carefully, and comply with what it directs you to do.

Inside the Badge •by William Harvey•May 9, 2007

Recruit Tip: Have a Comfort Kit

Patrol duty can be really long and tiring. You will have headaches, minor injuries, heartburn, and you will spend a lot of time in weather that drives most people indoors for the night. You can make your life on the job a lot better by taking the time to pack and carry some little things that you are sure to need. Put a creature comfort kit in your bag. Why? It is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and have to pay $5 for a 25-cent item in a convenience store on

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