Test of Charachter

There are those who talk in grandiose terms about their character. The truth is you don't know until you have been tested. Talk in training is fairly cheap. The topic is if you are asked to do something illegal would you do it. There is a subtext if you don't you run the risk of being fired for insubordination.

My trials were quite famous and I paid a price for my beliefs. In the end I prevailed, but it has made me an expert on suspensions and rights.The topic came up in several ways this week. In many ways I am more a symbol than a person. A coworker claimed she was sick when cases were dumped on her.
She refused to take the cases and now faces insubordination charges.

Sadly, the reputation of the worker is an issue. The bosses know I do as told with minor complaining. I think the worst of it was when a case that was fully prepared was switched with a peer who never prepares. It was a mild, but I invested so much time and I am getting an inferior case. In this case the boss looked at me and said. You are right, but we don't have any other options. The boss saw the preparation and said bear with me.

In the situation where an officer bails, I am usually annoyed at the peer if it is chronic. One of the cases is now a comedy classic. The case was abnormally big and a rookie bailed. The attorney got hit by a car and it had to be rescheduled. We did a mock SVU episode and I was Dt Constantly Munching. Everyone had a good laugh as some of the office played SVU cast jokingly questioning the rookie about where he was at the time of the car crash.

I explained that I would have negotiated downwards. It doesn't work in my case. My boss usually says if you run into trouble call. I never get into trouble and know how to manage a docket with social skills. Lawyers are funny as well. In the case of a switch, I caution that I have to do prep work.
The attorneys grasp this and are usually fine.

It was hard for me to talk to this peer. I explained that the system has checks and balances and if she sticks with the union line  any suspension will be reduced. The more difficult conversation was the next part, especially because I like this peer. Never mistake my example for that of a badass. I always did my job and whatever was ordered if it were legal. My refusal was an illegal order and I stated upfront the order was illegal. The supervisor in question exceeded his authority and illegally directed
me to a certain outcome. It was tough to tell a peer I mentored that she could have handled it better.

A new boss looking at the file shook his head. He asked about the situation and I explained numbers are only meaningful if they are accurate. Making a person fit a numerical goal is unethical. The boss agreed and noted how dysfunctional we were.