His Authority...
Feb. 3rd, 2004 08:50 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
tyk.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ds_flashfictionI wanted to key in on person in the DS universe i thought had innate authority. The shape it took kind of surprised me. A warning that it's kind of, well, death fic...
…It was never anything that had to be said aloud, it just was. He wore his authority like a piece of tailored clothing. When you saw him, it was part of who he was, not calling attention to itself, just perfectly fitted to his person. We responded automatically to that authority. His authority was tempered with other facets that also commanded the respect of those who worked under him – humor, intelligence, gruff concern, loyalty, an understanding of what it took to do the job and of what the job took. You knew where you were with him. You knew when you were doing your job well and when you weren’t. While he threatened punishment and retribution, his authority came from the expression on his face, not from fear of his punishment. When you weren’t doing the job, you felt bad, because you let him down. It was worse than having your own parents disappointed with you. When you were doing things right, he shared the rightness of it all with you. He led us to be the best cops, the best men and women, we could be.
I cannot describe the loss we feel today, the loss we will continue to feel. Someone else will come into the precinct and sit behind his desk. But no one will lead us the way he did. Thank you, Harding Walsh, for your leadership, your example, and your concern. We will miss you.
…It was never anything that had to be said aloud, it just was. He wore his authority like a piece of tailored clothing. When you saw him, it was part of who he was, not calling attention to itself, just perfectly fitted to his person. We responded automatically to that authority. His authority was tempered with other facets that also commanded the respect of those who worked under him – humor, intelligence, gruff concern, loyalty, an understanding of what it took to do the job and of what the job took. You knew where you were with him. You knew when you were doing your job well and when you weren’t. While he threatened punishment and retribution, his authority came from the expression on his face, not from fear of his punishment. When you weren’t doing the job, you felt bad, because you let him down. It was worse than having your own parents disappointed with you. When you were doing things right, he shared the rightness of it all with you. He led us to be the best cops, the best men and women, we could be.
I cannot describe the loss we feel today, the loss we will continue to feel. Someone else will come into the precinct and sit behind his desk. But no one will lead us the way he did. Thank you, Harding Walsh, for your leadership, your example, and your concern. We will miss you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 03:25 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 03:41 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:23 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 04:48 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 04:54 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 04:11 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-04 04:36 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 01:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-05 12:40 pm (UTC)