Yup, it is Friday and you know what that means....Friday Favorites!  Today's favorites are based on the Andy Griffith Show.  It is one of my all-time favorite sitcoms.  I often say, "Everything I need to know about life I learned from The Andy Griffith Show."  Honestly, there are many episodes that offer valuable basic lessons on various topics in life.  Yesterday I blogged about the use of discretion for law enforcement officers and linked an Andy Griffith Show that I believe illustrates that.  A black and white sitcom from the early 60's, with some classic characters, simpler times, timeless basic life lessons and often quite funny.  Herewith, some of my 'Favorite Things' - The Andy Griffith Show.
1- The Andy Griffith Show DVD 1st season
2- The Andy Griffith Show DVD complete
3- The Andy Griffith Show book
4- WWAD Andy? - What Would Andy Do? T-shirt
5- I'd Rather Be Watching The Andy Griffith Show license plate frame
6- Fife Security Agency - tin sign (this one is my absolute favorite)

Do You know What Discretion Is? Would You Know How to Use It?

One of the first things you learn as a law enforcement officer is that situations are not black and white, they more often fall into varying shades of gray.  In the course of the day you may stop 2 different people for the exact same infraction, but you only give one a ticket and the other gets a verbal warning.  Why?  Discretion.  Say you make a traffic stop for someone who rolled through a stop sign and the person is in tears on their way home from work because they just got the call their dad passed away,  Do you write them a ticket?  Or do you use your discretion and offer your condolences and make sure they get home safely?
There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law and a good cop knows the difference - they know how and when to use discretion.
Watch this episode of The Andy Griffith Show and see Deputy Barney Fife follow the letter of the law and then Sheriff Andy follow the spirit of the law as he dismisses cases saying "seeing as...".   That's discretion.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxxfdm_andy-griffith-s01e20-andy-saves-barneys-morale_shortfilms