22 | March 2019 | Real Hero Report
THE DEAD BUG
A Modern Police Training Quandary
Not too long ago, I heard a story that reminded me of many
police training programs and have applied it directly
to our training efforts. Some of you will recognize the
scene.
I watched a large group of ants trying to move a dead bug up
and over the top of a small wall, presumably to carry it to the
nest as food. Though there were hundreds of ants, I noticed that
only a few were actually doing the work. A few were underneath,
carrying the dead bug but all of the ants appeared busy. The
working ants were under the bug, and many were scurrying about
to and fro, while a few even were riding on top of the dead bug. I
can almost hear the ants now.
The “budget” ants said, “How much is this going to cost? We
can get two smaller bugs for the price of this one? Who’s going
to pay for this?” The “clique” ants were heard saying, “We could
have gotten that bug over the wall by now. A better-quality bug
would have been our choice. They didn’t even ask our opinion.”
And the “hardheaded” ants shouted, “We’ve never done it this
Then the “rut” ants (who are stuck in a rut and like it) murmured,
“They’ll never make it. Can you believe what their trying to do?”
Finally, the ants carried that bug to the top of the wall,
struggling to get it over when they dropped the bug. You should
have heard those “budget” ants, “Look at that mess. It’s gonna
cost a fortune to start over.” While the “clique” ants shouted, “We
The “hardheaded” ones whispered, “We’d be eating by now if
we’d done it our way.” And “rut” ants cried, “Ah-ha. We told you
so. We knew it from the start.”
And the ants riding on top of the bug? They were getting a free
ride on someone else’s work.
But you know what the “faithful” ants did, despite all the
grumbling, discouragement, backbiting and complaining? They
ran down the wall, picked up the dead bug and started up again.
Even though the dead bug was going to feed the whole nest for a
long time, did the others now offer to help? NO!
others into their clique.
hardheaded like them.
to the top of the wall again. Teetering for a moment, I thought
ants ran to the dead bug to see what had happened. But it was the
“workers” who picked it up and started on their journey.
And there they were:
would feed the colony. They were living on the work of others
next to the bug. They were trying to increase the appearance of
their clique and they wanted everyone to remember that they had
been there too.
the faithful was because they listened to them, they just succeeded
in a different way. Their way was important too.
could’ve done that if someone would’ve given us a chance.
Nobody understands how hard it is being in this rut. We could do
that too if we were the Queens’ pet (teachers’ pet).
What part of the training ant crowd would you show up in if a
group pic were made?
of earning respect? Or the hardheaded ants looking to convince
others that “my way is the only way.” Possibly in the section with
rut ants, where we’re willing to lay down instead of climb up
(where only the tops of their heads can be seen, and it appears that
they’re not relevant).
The vision of the police trainer is often very different from
others in the profession. And many times, the police trainer is
lost in the rush of those who have other objectives. Yet, when the
work is completed, it is often due to the worker ants (the trainers)
who simply carried the dead bug.
If you won’t help carry the load, get out of the way–there’s
work to be done. If you want to feed the colony, help carry the
bug.