went into places knowing they could be shot, and still they went into the situation. As an officer he did have some third shift hours. It was just easier doing that shift as an officer compared to a lieutenant, because he was patrolling. As a lieutenant his duties kept him at his desk focused more on administrative work. In his opinion being a Sergeant was one of the better management positions to hold. He was over a squad of about 4 or 5 people. He was able to interact with his troops and be on the streets still. Most of all, he was able to speak up on behalf of his squad. “The job is stressful, if you care about people,” said Chief Potts. He went on to explain how he met a twenty something year old man who couldn’t read. He broke down to his wife, about it. He said people have a lot of problems in this world and a lot to carry. Trying to balance understanding with upholding the law can be demanding. The example he used was traffic tickets. Now officers must write tickets. Yet as an officer in low income neighborhoods he understood how one ticket could set a person back. One ticket can mess a person’s livelihood up forever. It can stop them from being able get their family around, not to mention travelling to work to provide for them as well. He said he knew officers who wrote the tickets anyway. He also knew a lot of officers who understood the impact of a ticket. I must agree with him, as I have experienced both kinds of officers. Special thank you to the officers who let us off with a warning. As Chief Potts speaks about reaching this position in his career, he reflects on how each thing he experienced prepared him to be able to take on this level of responsibility. He thanks his family and mentors who he gleaned to early in his career for helping him to make the final decision to become Chief of Police. Heston Silbert was one of those people. Silbert left as a lieutenant to become an Assistant Chief in a different town in Arizona. He then went to the Department of Public Safety and became a Deputy Director. He was the person Potts went to for guidance on how to be successful in each of the positions he held. Mr. Heston Silbert advised him to go after becoming a Chief and pushed him by saying, “You’re more ready than you think you are”. This reality hit once Chief Potts started going to interviews. He [Potts] remembers calling Mr. Silbert after his interview in Ankeny. Silbert’s question was simply “What do you want?” After a slew of familial excuses, Silbert asked the question again. At that moment Mr. Potts was honest, “I want to be Chief of Ankeny.” Silbert responded, “go be Chief of Ankeny then”. “Being an officer is a heavy thing sometimes, and you need someone to talk to who has been through it. I haven’t always listened to him [Silbert], but you need a mentor in life. You need someone who will push you to become who you can be. Sometimes you don’t see you, because you forget all the things you have done.” There were concerns that came up within his own family. He began to tell me how he was surprised at his eleven-year old daughters look of fear as he was being sworn in. Though many asked her what was wrong she didn’t speak about it until he sat her down to talk. She explained to her dad that she was scared for him, because of what could go wrong because of the position he was going into put him in a light that she felt may attract danger. She was scared for her mom, and for her brother as well. Though he had been with the police department her whole life, this was the first time she voiced her concern about his career. The reality of his position was finally hitting her. As a father he calmed her and explained everything would be all right. He went on to say,” now my daughter is a rock”. Mr. Potts other concern was his son who was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at a young age. Prior to moving to Iowa his son had just graduated from high school. Pulling his son from his routine was the biggest challenge. Yet, his son has been doing well and will continue to flourish. Though his son has high functioning autism, he still has his independence. Which includes driving and other joys of many young men. With the reality of dangerous situations he may face because of his
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