Officer Matthew MansfieldExpect the unexpected

In interviews sometimes I feel like laughing out loud when I’m asked concerning some threshold of stress that I can handle or work under. It’s obviously never the correct response but it’s never a situation that requires the over-coming, rather, it is one’s self that must be overcome. The measure of self control that one has is the real question that should be asked because you can never be prepared for all possible situations that may occur. Therefore, the only thing you can truly learn is how to solve problems and never stop until they are solved with a level head. Bad things happen when people lose control of themselves and this is why I have come to understand how important it is for me to control myself.

A lot of people go into work, clock in, sit down and do the same ol’ thing day in and day out. I’ve worked a lot of jobs where you honestly didn’t know what the next 60 seconds were going to bring. Each issue we are faced with tests our abilities and the way in which we deal with those situations defines us. Many of us work jobs which are thankless but important and being a 9-1-1 operator has taught me that it takes more than just being able to punch a clock to be a good employee (and citizen for that matter).

I had just had a tonsillectomy and partial adenoidectomy two weeks prior to July 5th, 2007. Officer Kyle DeForestI had been away from work for a few weeks and my voice was just beginning to come back. I had no idea what was going to happen the night I clocked in for my first day back after my surgery. Then of course, within seconds everything went south in a hurry. I was just clocking in and singing into my various screens at work when tragedy struck very quickly. Officer Kyle Deforest was attempting a routine traffic stop and then came up on my radio with some rather priority traffic. The response time was swift and as you can hear the events unfolded in an extremely speedy fashion (note the times of these radio transmissions are between 22:39 to 22:41 hours which was roughly less than two minutes). You can listen to the events from the beginning until the first officer arrived at the scene by clicking on the link below but please read the warning as well and understand that this is not filtered.

Keeping your cool…when they are not

Throughout my life I’ve learned to deal with what life throws at me, whether it’s someone getting shot to just someone being unreasonable. Part of going through the experiences of life teaches me more about myself with each passing moment. Most of my greatest times of growth have come under extreme pressure or when I’m faced with adversity. By nature I thrive off of conflict and pressure because I think that is what shapes us into responsible parents, employees and well let’s face it, just good people.

Many times people just lack patience and cannot understand than many times others around us are upset about things that have nothing to do with us. So many times people become so wrapped up in the moment they neglect to consider the ripples they are placing in the waters of life as they react to stimuli. Take for instance my next clip which depicts me handling a call from an upset caller. These kinds of customers are so common but the important thing to remember is that they are not upset with you it is some situation they are responding to. Often times, when people feel they have run out of options they resort to radical behavior. Many people reach that point before others do and the link below is another example of how life can deal you a hand you may not have been ready for. Please read the disclaimers on this page and understand this is not edited and is of an adult nature.

After all that’s said and done we all still have to go home and bringing the stress of our work to our places of rest is not healthy. Part of releasing stress for me has been finding constructive outlets. My family and my works of art help me burn off any extra stress that I encounter. These are great ways for me to enlarge my ability to learn and grow personally as well as provide helpful and constructive contributions that can be used on a daily basis. Take for instance, my voice recognition program, that I named Wilson, which was just a small thing but is now used in many areas of my life. Creative energy defuses stress and replaces positive energy where there once was negative energy. It is almost my process of photosynthesis (if you will) where I can take one sort of energy and then transform it into another that aids me in growing. Part of moving forward is not dwelling on what’s behind you. Learn from it, yes, but really I cannot let the past rule me or I will never be able to reach the future prepared for the next challenge.

Granted, this page has some graphic or otherwise adult content in it but the bottom line is that I’ve dealt with challenges and have been able to come out on top. Life doesn’t come with a filthy filter and we all know that. We cannot control much of what happens to us but we can control every part of what we do toward everything around us. No matter the problem there is always a solution so long as logic can be applied (no matter what the time frame is…whether seconds, days, months or years). Working with computers is not always sweetness and honey either. Many times both internal and external customers can become unreasonable or upset and I have had my share of conflict and know myself well enough to handle those sorts of situations. Please understand that I am placing these things here not for shock value or for any other purpose than to help you know me a bit more. Where I have been, what I have lived through hand how I have responded during those situations helps you gain a better grasp as to the abilities I can bring to the table.

 

 
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