COMMUNITY “In my first Rookie year it was all about community-based policing, in some of the toughest neighborhoods. We went door to door; church groups, and all the places the community congregated to talk about their concerns. We built relationships to establish trust. There were people in those communities who wanted to live in a better environment, they just didn’t know how to [make it happen].” His excitement stemmed from his internal drive to help others. He didn’t realize the impact he was having, until he received an award for his work. In his years on the force he was mainly undercover and patrol. In 2015 he reached his mark where he could retire, but in his own words “he was having fun”. He decided to stay and continue in his career and took the test and other prerequisites to become a lieutenant. As a lieutenant he was assigned to patrol over about 100 or so men. This position kept him involved with the community, but also kept him relevant on day to day struggles officers of the law faced. “Wearing the uniforms in high temperatures, having to work crazy hours and be away from family…. Things I won’t forget.”-Potts He came into his career around the same time that Rodney King was violently beaten by LAPD officers (March 3, 1991). He was on duty that night, listening as everything was unfolding. Even though he wasn’t patrolling in that place, the effects of that beating rippled through every community. the verdict was declared: not guilty. Especially after Yet he was determined to make a difference and grow as an officer to better his community. The multiple transitions in his career were based on a plan he made for his career. In each transition he had a lot of support. “My wife is instrumental in every part of my career,” Chief Potts states. Becoming a detective came with putting himself in dangerous situations, and he had to have a rough appearance to hide his identity. He still remembers sitting at a drug house and hearing bullets whizzing by his ear. His wife, dealt with not only the danger he was put in as a detective, but she also accepted his rough appearance. His was in a new marriage and he had no children, so as a young officer he was fearless. “There is no way I would do that stuff today, I’m smarter now,” he says with a chuckle. He still discusses these situations with long-time colleagues. There were times they May 2019 The URBAN EXPERIENCE 29
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