The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 25, Number 2 | Page 11

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | February 2019
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me and a $35,000 annual budget, to a task force of 35 incredibly talented investigators and analysts, and a budget of
$500,000 per year. We were arresting some of society’s worst offenders and helping in countless other investigations.
However, this success and commitment to the mission, led to my first mistake. I mistook my passion for locking up child
sexual predators and other deviants for a passion in the field of technology and computer forensics. I discovered later, that my
real passion lied in adding value to the lives of others. Getting to that realization took time, plenty of mistakes, and a fair
amount of frustration. Here are some things I learned along the way that I wish I had known earlier:
Tip 1: Be Clear About Your Passion and Quality of Life
When I retired from law enforcement, I started my first company, Cyberology Consultants. Through this company, I provided
network, computer, and mobile device forensic analysis mainly in support of litigation. This seemed an obvious transition given
the skills I acquired in law enforcement. Although from a practical stand point, I was going through the same technical
motions, the purpose was a lot different. I was not fulfilled and grew increasingly disinterested in the types of cases I
supported. I also found the field to be very demanding of my time, often with little notice. Although the company was
successful and profitable, I knew I wasn’t happy nor living the quality of life I wanted. I felt a bit stuck – it’s amazing how
quickly we grow into our increased income. I took a leap of faith and switched the mission of Cyberology to IT security audits
and penetration testing. My quality of life changed, and the dissatisfaction waned, but I still didn’t feel as passionate and
connected to my work.
I have been fortunate to have a son who took an interest in the field and he now runs the day-to-day of that company. I was
finally in a position to pursue my true passion and pursue a career where I can add value to the lives others, help professionals
succeed, develop organizations, and grow leaders at all levels. Today, I am a consultant, coach, and educator for professional,
organization, and leadership development. These were the other skills I hadn’t realized I developed in a lifetime of law
enforcement leadership. As I reflect on it now, I know the steps I needed to take to get here:
1. Be Intentional. I took a great deal of time thinking through what it is I am passionate about and how to live that
passion through my work. In government, we don’t speak a lot about the right mind set, being intentional, and taking
time to reflect – but trust me – we should. Use a journal, write down your thoughts and reflect on what you want to
do next, and how you want your life to look. Putting it out there goes a long way. Read, As a Man Thinketh by James
Allen, for a little more insight into this.
2. Get in Touch with Your Interests and Desires. One of the best ways to do this is what I call the reading test. What do
you love to read? What topics and subjects fascinate you? If you’re not a reader, you can change it to the doing test.
What to you love to do? What interests you? What would fulfill you? Answering these questions can help you discover
the type of work that won’t feel like work. I worked another seven years before I figured this out.
3. Talk to Others. If I had spoken to others in the field of private sector computer forensics, I could have gotten a quicker
handle on what it entailed and possibly avoided several years of angst. I encourage you to get to know others outside
law enforcement, particularly in fields that interest you. Get a clear picture of all that it entails.
Although I made some mistakes, you don’t have to. Regardless of how much time you have left, start this process now.
Tip 2: Read, Learn, and Set Yourself Apart
I used to laugh when my colleagues would say: “You’re lucky, you have something else you can go to in retirement.” I would
think: “You know, I have always found the harder I worked, the luckier I got.” Yes, I have been blessed with health and a
passion to learn, but I worked hard for my education, balancing a family, a crazy demanding job, and school schedules. In
many respects, luck had very little to do with it.
If you are clear on what you want to do next, identify the skills you need to do it. Do you need certifications, additional
schooling, or on-the-job experience? Find out what will qualify you and set you apart. Part of this includes working on the soft
skills. This is an area where law enforcement lags the private sector. Read and take seminars about mindset, communication,
employee engagement, and leadership. It will prepare you to make an easier transition from public to private life and also
show your potential next employer (or your own clients for that matter), that you know more than police life.
Tip 3: Examine Your Finances
If you want to determine where you’re going, you need to know where you’re starting from. If you are like me when I served,
you never really took a detailed look at your financial position. It is one of the downfalls of people in public service. Our tax
withholdings are done for us and our retirement savings (pension and deferred compensation, in my case) was preordained.
Additionally, our salary increases are done contractually and any money you earn in addition to that is through overtime or a
second part-time job. Now being on the other side of my law enforcement career, I wish I would have done this analysis
earlier. Explaining how to construct a detailed financial plan for your future is beyond the scope of this article, but most law
enforcement officers don’t need that level of detail because some form of retirement savings is generally part of the job. It is,
however, very helpful to analyze where your money is currently being spent, what your financial picture will look like in
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