Good Cop Bad Cop!
We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart. – Blaise Pascal, 17th Century French mathematician, physicist and religious philosopher
Just simply turn on your television any given night and you’ll find some show featuring cops interrogating someone…whether fictitious or reality this stuff must get super ratings or it would never be so prolific. The best part of these cop shows is definitely the interrogation as the cops move in on the culprit in search of a confession. Getting the truth out of these people is like pulling teeth but the cops persist. Although there are many techniques, there is none more dramatic than the “good cop, bad cop” approach. With both cops in the room, the first one plays the role of the bad guy…directly accusing the suspect of the crime and promising many years behind bars. The scene usually escalates to the point where the bad cop has risen to a boiling point basically intimidating the witness. In contrast the good cop promises that he will use his connections to see that the sentence is reduced if the suspect will simply comply and confess. The technique is effective because it gives the suspect the impression that there is actually someone on their side, rooting for them to do the right thing…ultimately, it’s a small step to a complete confession.
What’s remarkable is that we even need this type of technique at all. Why is that we have to be scared to the point of the ultimate penalty in order to be moved to take action. It’s not just the suspects in a criminal case, it’s all of us. Think about that! How often have you been pushed to the limit where you had to take drastic measures in order to complete a simple task? It happens in colleges all over the world…the last minute cram study session to avoid failing a class that leads students to pull the “all nighter.” For what? All they have to do is eat the elephant one bite at a time and study a little bit each day and slowly accumulate the knowledge. How about the attorney who prepares for a case well into the night before the trial? Maybe we all need a bad cop to show up on our door step on a regular basis and threaten us with what could really go wrong if we don’t get moving in the right direction!
My mother always used the bad cop’s psychology and would deliver her medicine in the form of a “truth pill.” Any time that I was off track, she could see my effort slipping and would drop one of her truth bombs on me only to send me reeling and agonizing all the while knowing I was hearing the truth. Have you ever had a teacher that you couldn’t stand only to look back years later and be grateful they had the guts to tell you exactly what you were doing wrong? How about a tough coach? A strong parent? Harsh advice from a close friend? That’s right; you see them now don’t you! The bad cops have been all around us but we never really give them the credit they deserve because we’d rather fight them for giving it to us straight! We’d rather keep our head in the sand instead of taking 100% responsibility! Did you ever quit a sports team because the coach was mean? Ever leave a job because the boss actually had the nerve to tell you that your work effort was below par? Ever get mad at the teacher when they told you that you were not giving it your all? So if you’re looking for the bad cop…here I am! In this politically correct world where the bad cops can no longer get away with their techniques, you might just have to be your own bad cop! Give yourself your own truth pill and take responsibility for everything you do. Instead of pointing your finger at the rest of the world, grab your elbow, turn your arm around and make sure your finger is pointed right between your own eyes. You are the only true suspect in your own life!
