Dec 2000 Volume 81 Number 12 "serving the protectors"

The Comfort Zone

It is funny how times have changed. I can remember when there was a desire among many to work towards personal and family security; and Australian workers’ goal was to become “comfortable”. I was a working-class kid and can recall my father striving hard to provide us with a comfortable living.

Later - studying social policy, sociology and psychology - I began to read strange things about self-actualization and a hierarchy of needs, which I interpreted as further proof of the human desire to be comfortable. When I added in my labour studies of Marx, it became too confusing and I left it alone.

I was musing with a colleague recently about the world order and how we might save planet Earth, but agreeing that it was not an easy task we came back to the world of SAPOL.

We discussed how policy and procedure had become tools of control. We shook our heads as we both recalled people being criticized by management in recent times for being in their comfort zone. They needed to be shaken out of their comfort zones? You know the type of logic: “Let’s switch team one with team two.” Why? “Because they are too comfortable.” We laughed and shook our heads. Fancy being seen as deviant for wanting to be comfortable. Fancy anyone wanting to be comfortable.

Yes, there are concerns that some may become too comfortable with their world and fail to identify needs to change behaviour or goals, because the world is not a static place. There are dangers in change, but there are dangers sometimes in not changing.

Yes, there are those who are driven not to be comfortable. There is a reason for it. Perhaps ego is part of the drive. There is nothing wrong with having an ego, and it certainly isn’t a dirty word to me. But the drive to be uncomfortable makes me uncomfortable.

Relaxation training can be and is provided by Ray Dowd as one of the services provided through the Welfare Section - or is that the Employee Assistance Section, Welfare Group, or EAS counsellor. Damn, I’ve forgotten what I am, and that does make me uncomfortable. I had better lay down on Ray’s couch.

International Policing Conference 2001

It’s amazing who you bump into off the corridors in Flinders Central. The other day I ran into a trio which is part of the organizing group for the International Policing Conference 2001 (Hilton Hotel, Adelaide, March 6 - 8). This, I was told by the trio of completely non-vested interest, was going to be a great event for SAPOL, SA, Australia and possibly the world.

It will cover all the real police-type issues: electronic crime, transnational crime, partnerships and alliances (including UN peacekeeping), and some more items in my career stream such as valuing diversity, retention and mobility of the workforce.

This is an opportunity to get to a major police conference without travel and accommodation expenses being greater than the conference costs.

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