Family First Series: Almost Superman
May 03, 2021
“Grilling and smoking meats.” That is Brian Meo’s answer to what fun activities he likes to pursue in his free time. Brian also mentions he likes to spend time with his dog Charley, who “always insists on running down the stairs no matter what time I get home to make sure he says hello.” In a profession as stressful as Brian’s, outlets such as these were important.
Brian was a sworn officer with Fort Lauderdale PD for over 23 years. During his time on the force, Brian served in the patrol division, Marine Unit, Narcotics Unit, Administration Division attached to IT, the Honor Guard, the Dive Team and as an Assistant on the Bomb Squad. For Brian, the most stressful part of serving was not the job itself, but the internal politics and issues throughout the years. “They became problematic at times and they couldn’t be escaped” whereas “issues with the citizens went away as soon as the call was over.”
Brian’s advice for how to deal with this stress, and the stresses of the job, is simple: “Don’t close yourself off. Talk to your family about what goes on day-to-day. If you talk about what’s going on, it will help you process and shed the stress you’re going through.” He also encourages future law enforcement officers to find time to relax and unwind with their families and children. “Don’t make your whole life about law enforcement.” He explains that if you do, it’s only a matter of time before you burn out.
After retiring from the force, Brian joined Axon, and now works in the Professional Services Organization providing services and training for agencies after purchasing body-worn camera or TASER weapon programs. Brian believes that “Public Safety training is paramount to help the men and women of law enforcement stay safe. Without ongoing training our skills can diminish, but even more importantly we can’t learn new skills and tactics to work smarter and safer.”