Cst. Sandra Glendinning and police service dog (PSD) Hondo

Finding a police blog that’s anonymous is easy. But one that’s not? Now that’s a challenge.

When Cst. Sandra Glendinning decided to write about her life as a police officer, she picked the road less traveled. As a member of The Vancouver Police Department’s Dog Squad, she chose to reveal her professional life and represent her department publically online.

Launched in 2008, Behind the Blue Line has a devout following of LEO, retired LEO and non-LEO folks from across the globe. Glendinning discusses everything from suicide negotiations to computer woes. And, of course, she often mentions her partner Hondo, a pure bred German Shepherd police service dog.

We caught up with her this week via e-mail to learn more about her blog, her future novel and her dream pair of tactical pants.

Your blog is one of the few “official” police department blogs out there. When did it start?

The idea for authoring a blog about policing lingered through the first half of 2008. There was so much to say about the job, but I needed to have a reason to write about it. Also, I did not want to remain anonymous, because if anyone was going to believe anything I had to say, it was important they know I was an actual officer.

There are many police blogs out there, but the majority are authored by officers who chose to remain anonymous. Even after extensive searching, there were only a few blogs authored by officers willing to identify themselves. That said, I totally understand why most would want to remain anonymous—being a sleuth gives a police writer the ability to rant without getting in trouble or running the risk of their department not approving of the blog and shutting it down.

I’ve been a writer for years but never tried to publish anything. But as with most things that are a passion, the writer in me was getting angry at being hidden away. The blog was a natural progression as one of the fundamental rules for an unknown/unpublished author is to ‘write what you know.’ Well, I know policing. A little bit, anyways.

By mid-2008 the blog idea wouldn’t go away, so I sought permission from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to write it. In all honesty I expected to be told ‘No,’ so I was very excited when the department embraced the idea and asked when I would start. The department even helped with the design and layout, working closely with me to get the right look.

Why blog from a department standpoint?

The reasons for writing the blog are quite simple:

1. It shows the general public what law enforcement is really like. The life of an officer is not anything like what is shown on television and in movies (for the most part).
2. If the general public begins to understand the ups and downs of policing as well as the wonderful and sometimes horrific things officers are subjected to, then perhaps the public will be more accepting of law enforcement as a whole.
3. I hope the blog shows that officers are just regular people who have chosen a demanding career. Inside our uniforms we are still mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, spouses and friends.
4. The biggest audience at this point are regular people at with no affiliation to police.

When did Behind the Blue Line launch? Have you been maintaining it the whole time?
The official launch was in November 2008, and yes, I’ve been maintaining it the entire time. The department computer guy helps if I have a technical question, but that’s about it. The VPD does not vet my writing, nor does it tell me what or when to cover something—they leave it up to me, which is a huge show of trust. I stay away from hot topics (politics, current investigations) as my allegiance is to my fellow officers, and I will not compromise their safety by writing something I shouldn’t. Even though sometimes I really want to.

What are some pros and cons for having an official blog for a police department?

The pros: Everything. The blog put a few noses out of joint, and my reasons for writing the blog were challenged at the beginning—both from other officers and from citizens. But that’s human nature, and the challenge was not unexpected. Most of the unease seemed to stem from the fear I was going to share tactics, inside operations, training or other top secret stuff, because now that everyone has seen I refuse to do that no one seems to mind. Also, if someone disagrees with a post, they bring it up, and we deal with it.

The cons: Some of the stuff officers are exposed to is very funny, amazing and disgusting but at the same time not suitable to be talked about in this blog format.

As for the VPD benefiting from the blog? I hope it makes their job easier.

What’s the biggest challenge working on the Dog Squad? How is it different than other units?

Working as a police dog handler is definitely the highlight of my career. The initial challenge was learning to trust my dog and his incredible sense of smell. When all my senses were telling me, “The bad guy went that way!” my dog’s behavior would tell me, “No, silly human, the bad guy went THAT way,” and we would go in the opposite direction to where I would have gone if by myself. And you know what? The dogs don’t lie. They find the bad guys.

Now the biggest challenge is to enjoy every day working with PSD Hondo and to not worry about the future. You see, our dog handler positions are tenured. So once your dog is retired, you must leave the section. I try not to think about it too much because I know I am doing what I was made to do. So, while Hondo is able, we are going to do it well.

The bond with a K9 partner is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing to know and work with such magnificent animals and a curse because dogs simply do not live as long as we do.

On your blog you write “You can still be a cop and be a girl.” What advice can you give to young females interested in law enforcement?

If you are serious about becoming a police officer then do it. Do not let anyone tell you can’t, or you shouldn’t, or that you’re too short or too small. You will know, deep within that secret part of yourself, if you are right for the job.

We hear that you’re wrapping up your first novel. Will this book be based at all on your experience on the force?

Ah, yes. The novel. Familiarity with the inner workings of a police agency definitely helped the plot, but all I’m going to say for now is the first and second drafts are complete, and I’m currently working my way through the final edit, which is taking forever, before I start sending queries to prospective agents. It’s in the mystery/crime-fiction/thriller/suspense genre.

We’ve exchanged emails about female tactical pants (or, rather, lack thereof). Can you describe the perfect tactical pant for you?

The women’s 5.11 EMS pant with the following modifications (I wish!):

• Raise the waist line by about an inch (or two) to accommodate a police duty belt.
• Put BDU style pockets on the backside.
• BDU style cargo pockets instead of EMS style cargo pockets on the legs.
• Offered in 32″, 33″ and 34″ inseams.

These pants fit like a dream—they are slimmer in the waist, so they don’t gap in the back, they are slightly tapered at the knee and slightly flared at the ankle so they are flattering on just about every figure.

They are also very functional—built in knee pads and triple stitched at stress points. The only issue for a police officer is the pants are only offered in a low rise. This is great if all you have to do is carry your gun in a hidden/plain-clothes holster, but they do not fit a general duty/patrol belt.

Now that Sandra shared her views on blogging as an official LEO, tell us what you think. Should police officers be encouraged to blog officially for their departments? Do you know of any other “official” police blogs out there that you enjoy reading?