Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith - Career Survival

Career Survival
with Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith

Sergeant Betsy Smith has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience and recently retired as a patrol supervisor in a Chicago suburb. A graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety's School of Staff and Command, Betsy is a police trainer, author and instructor for the Calibre Press Street Survival Seminar. Visit Betsy's website at www.femaleforces.com.

Contact Betsy Smith and Follow Betsy on Twitter

Following your gut: Officer's hunch saves kidnapping victim - 05/22/2012 Comments

Officer Brandy Roell: Always a fighter, forever a warrior - 03/29/2012 Comments

A behind-the-scenes warrior: Amy Peterson-Uribe and the TAPS Foundation - 02/03/2012

Drug wars: This isn't your mother's cartel - 12/01/2011 Comments

Police leadership: Becoming a 'cop whisperer' - 11/04/2011 Comments

Officer Brandy Roell: 'You never give up, no matter what!' - 08/11/2011 Comments

Using social networking sites as an investigative tool - 08/05/2011

The next 30 years of the Street Survival Seminar - 06/30/2011 Comments

Women in law enforcement: How gender differences enable new police leaders - 05/17/2011

What do our 'cop dreams' tell us? - 04/29/2011 Comments

Motivated to learn, train, and pass the torch - 04/13/2011 Comments

Protecting yourself and your family from predatory criminals - 03/07/2011 Comments

Responding appropriately when a cop is killed - 02/22/2011 Comments

What do you do with a pregnant cop? - 02/15/2011 Comments

The 'conspiracy of safety' continues - 01/31/2011 Comments

What really makes someone a leader? - 01/07/2011 Comments

Guns and kids: Safety is a family affair - 10/26/2010 Comments

Going home rituals for cops - 08/26/2010 Comments

Keys to successful parenting for police officers - 07/16/2010 Comments

88 LEOs killed in line of duty in just six months - 07/01/2010 Comments

Are we being used (again)? - 05/28/2010 Comments

Cops and kids: 3 keys to dealing with "out of control" children - 05/14/2010 Comments

The forgotten first responders - 04/29/2010 Comments

5 tips for female leaders in a paramilitary organization - 03/11/2010 Comments

Becoming a better police trainer - 02/08/2010 Comments

Learn from their sacrifice: A deadly two weeks for LEOs - 01/15/2010 Comments

Officer Benjamin Kelly: The mindset to win a split-second confrontation - 12/02/2009 Comments

Why conflict between officers helps the team - 11/23/2009 Comments

The supervisor's role in officer survival - 11/02/2009 Comments

Keys to surviving high-risk traffic stops - 09/10/2009

Fatal fatigue - 08/21/2009

Conflict resolution, being a team player, and other stupid cliches - 07/31/2009 Comments

Edged weapons, bullets, and blunt trauma - 07/17/2009 Comments

On July 4th, a wake up call for American cops - 07/01/2009 Comments

Trainer's reflection: Who is it really all about? - 06/12/2009 Comments

National Police Week: Taking time to remember - 05/11/2009 Comments

The last call: Reflections on retirement - 05/08/2009 Comments

News from ILEETA: A week of teaching and learning - 04/26/2009

News from ILEETA: Street Survival instructors in action - 04/25/2009

News from ILEETA: Train your troops with Federal stimulus funds - 04/24/2009

News from ILEETA: Police Trainer of the Year is Chief Jeff Chudwin - 04/23/2009

News from ILEETA: Lou Ann Hamblin is the Iron Cop - 04/22/2009

News from ILEETA: Starting before it starts - 04/21/2009

News from TREXPO: A patrol officer's guide to terrorism prevention - 04/02/2009 Comments

News from TREXPO: Teaching at TREXPO - 04/02/2009

News from TREXPO: A day of training, information, and camaraderie - 04/02/2009

News from TREXPO: Tips to stay at your peak - 04/01/2009

News from TREXPO: Field trauma care for LEOs - 04/01/2009

News from TREXPO: Day one was BIG! - 04/01/2009

Questions to ask yourself in the wake of the N.C. active shooter incident - 03/30/2009 Comments

I cried: One community’s tragedy is a profound loss for us all - 03/23/2009 Comments

I will win because... - 03/13/2009

Self-talk and your survival - 02/27/2009 Comments

Handling an officer after an officer-involved shooting - 02/06/2009

What Makes a Hero? - 01/02/2009 Comments

Teaching by storytelling - 12/19/2008

“I want to become a trainer” Part 2 - 11/21/2008

A bad year for female officers - 11/07/2008

Politics, terror, and patrol: Time for renewed vigilance - 10/24/2008 Comments

No excuses to not carry - 10/01/2008

"I needed to be able to do something" - 09/11/2008

Routine traffic stops aren't - 09/04/2008

What do the mid-year stats mean for American cops? - 08/15/2008

"I want to become a trainer" - 07/11/2008 Comments

Are You on Patrol This Weekend? - 07/04/2008

Lessons from the street: “I thought I was dead” Part 2 - 06/05/2008 Comments

The healing power of giving ..."It's a matter of honor" - 05/16/2008 Comments

Lessons from the street: “I thought I was dead” - 05/02/2008 Comments

What makes a successful career? - 04/02/2008 Comments

Do you have a life outside law enforcement … really? - 02/29/2008 Comments

Visiting the Wall - 01/21/2008 Comments

In this season of gratitude, I'm grateful for…you! - 12/28/2007

How do you really feel about your job? - 11/21/2007 Comments

The Real Stars - 09/20/2007 Comments

What advice would you give a female rookie? - 09/19/2007 Comments

Career survival: The evolution of a police column for women - 08/22/2007 Comments

Surviving your relationships - 08/14/2007 Comments

"Nobody ever said life was going to be fair" - 07/23/2007 Comments

The "love/hate" relationship between cops and their dispatchers - 06/12/2007 Comments

Never let them walk alone: Learning from those who sacrificed - 01/19/2007

Guns & Kids: Feedback from the field - 01/18/2007

Remember that you're included in "To Serve and Protect" - 01/18/2007

Justifying off duty preparedness to your family: A Street Survival Q & A - 01/18/2007 Comments

Guns & Kids - 01/17/2007 Comments

Time to winterize yourself - 12/11/2006 Comments

Eight Officers in Four Days - 10/27/2006

Officer ambush: Risks and awareness - 09/21/2006

Justifying off-duty preparedness to your family - 05/10/2006 Comments

Tip: Don't 'hang' your cuffs - 05/22/2012

Tip: Proper use of weapon-mounted lights - 03/23/2012

Tip: Video: Carrying a second gun - 02/17/2012

Tip: Video: Practicing the 'one-hole drill' - 01/27/2012

Tip: Secure a female subject before a same-sex search - 12/01/2011

Tip: Enhance your career by volunteering - 11/30/2011

Tip: Video: Using social networks for departmental PR - 11/04/2011

Tip: Video: Tech-savvy cops can prevent terrorism - 10/14/2011

Tip: Video: Deadly force cover - 09/30/2011

Tip: Video: Precautions when social networking - 08/12/2011

Tip: Video: Calls involving off-duty officers - 05/27/2011

Tip: Use your capacity to multitask to your advantage - 05/17/2011

Tip: Are you rehearsing the basics? - 03/30/2011

Tip: Make yourself stealthy! - 03/23/2011

Tip: Video: Don't let technology hurt your career - 03/04/2011

Tip: Bringing your family into our world - 02/23/2011

Tip: Is your duty belt designed for women? - 02/15/2011

Tip: Use your computer to maintain your training - 01/26/2011

Tip: Searching suspects for concealed weapons - 10/15/2010

Tip: 3 keys to preparing for the unexpected - 09/01/2010

Tip: Frisk like you mean it - 08/11/2010

Tip: Off duty safety: Working with uniforms - 07/23/2010

Tip: Exiting your squad when a citizen approaches - 04/30/2010

Tip: Navigating the junk food maze - 04/28/2010

Tip: Critical incident debriefing: Don’t forget your civilian employees - 01/25/2010

Tip: Check to see if your body armor really fits - 12/21/2009

Tip: Holiday giving: Look inside the agency - 12/09/2009

Tip: The survivor's rule of three - 11/30/2009

Tip: Technology that helps you catch retail thieves - 07/17/2009

Tip: Off-duty clothing awareness - 07/10/2009

Tip: Off duty belts - 05/08/2009

Tip: Female Challenges: The Uniform - 05/01/2009

Tip: Simulation training with TASERS - 04/24/2009

Tip: Warrior families - 04/10/2009

Tip: Off duty carry - 03/20/2009

Tip: Take 20 minutes - 03/16/2009

Tip: Monitor your habits - 03/02/2009

Tip: Online social networking for LEOs - 01/29/2009

Tip: Gear and career maintenance for the new year - 01/05/2009

Tip: A sergeant's tip for holiday giving - 12/17/2008

Tip: Make sure home gun safety is on your holiday list! - 11/24/2008

Tip: Gear up for winter survival - 11/12/2008

Tip: Capture the moment - 10/28/2008

Tip: Patrol gloves - 10/20/2008

Tip: Cell phone control - 09/10/2008

Tip: Cold is coming...prepare now! - 09/03/2008

Tip: Stay hydrated - 08/18/2008

Tip: Check your tac vest - 09/05/2007

My column is undergoing a bit of an identity crisis. I’ve been writing for the Street Survival "Newsline" and the P1 Newsletter for several years. As a Street Survival seminar instructor, I write about officer safety and survival, but I’m also a supervisor, a mom, a trainer, a cop’s wife, and dare I say, a woman, so I’ve got a lot to say about any number of topics (what woman doesn’t?!), and I’ve always received great feedback from our readers. So when Police One approached me and asked me to author a monthly column dealing with women's issues, I enthusiastically agreed. "What a great opportunity" I naively thought “to bring issues to light that both women and men in law enforcement could all relate to, perhaps discuss at roll call, and ultimately learn something from each other."

Yeah, just call me Sergeant Pollyanna…I forgot that by calling it a "women's" column, not only will most of our male readers skip over it, but so will at least half our female readers. What?! Why in the world wouldn’t women read a "women's" column?! Because, there are a lot of female crimefighters out there like me who have spent a lot of years just trying to blend in, to be "one of the guys" if you will…to be perceived as and conduct ourselves as "warriors," not "victims." We don’t want special treatment; we just want to be cops. Read more

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