““Deep down I think we have the same dream and goals”.
– Michael Badger
The Heart Beat behind the Badge
It’s no secret that last year was tough on law enforcement, and the motivation behind this conversation is not to marginalize the tragedies of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor and many others.
Those tragedies should not be ignored ,and accountability is paramount. However what happens when the passion of a national tragedy is directed at a local members of our community?
It’s extremely easy to vilify, project anger, hate and ultimately pain to the local members of a national group. That is, unless we personally know the heart behind the badge.
Featured Guest
Michael Badger is a father, grandfather and artist, with a strong passion for our community.
Dedication
Officer Badger has a deep passion for public service, so much in fact that he transitioned back to Law Enforcement after a 23 year absence.To date he has invested 20 years of his life to protect the streets of my neighborhood as well as yours.
Trust and Perception
During our interview you can hear the sincerity in officer Badger’s voice. In reference to perception and handling changeling situations, he opens with describing his body language. He states “I want people to trust me, and part of that is making sure that they know I am trying to understand them. Even if I don’t understand right away, they can see it in my eyes, that I am trying, and we are going to work things out”.
Risk vs Reward
“I think I have received as much as I have given, because even the difficult calls and situations, are opportunities for change, and we can make a connection and really help people” -Badger
Investing in our Community
“I am often approached with past conversations referencing 25 year old instances (and challenges) with people who’s lives were changed due to our encounters”. He humbly adds “that’s rewarding”.
Mental Health Education
How do law enforcement officers decompress and mentally transition to civilian life? Officer Badger states that “there is a difference between home life and the streets, and we are now better prepared to address this challenge because we have access to new training and education.”
Personal Sacrifice
Officer Badger is dedicated to public service, but also loves his family dearly he states “The hardest part of the job, is missing holidays, birthdays and little league games”.
Why Springfield?
Officer Badger had a great career opportunity years ago to move to the suburbs of Chicago, however he wanted to raise his children here. Now his children are parents residing in Springfield as well.
What’s Next
Officer Badger has “never been on a cruise and doesn’t like to sit on the beach, but he does have a passion for art and music and he is excited to spend more time being creative as visiting the Springfield Art Association when his second career winds down”.
Full disclosure, my original motivations for reaching to Officer Badger was to share some concerns about my neighborhood. Our dialogue opened a broad conversation about the state of the neighborhood, our city, state, and our country. Officer Badger is transparent wise and kind. We have had several conversations since our interview and I am honored to share this window not only into his world, but also into his heart.
Thank you for joining me on this journey,Keep Lincoln’s Legends in your feed for updates and Be excellent to each other.
