started a job

Congrats! ... or condolences, whichever you deem to be appropriate. After 30 years in law enforcement, I'm glad to be retired. I wish you a long and unexciting career. Beware the small town politics.

Thanks. And I 1000% get the small town politics thing. Its already shown up from jump. I got sworn in by a mayor who served over 4 decades in the role and he just retired. New mayor means possible new changes for us and all the other city agencies. Hopefully for the better. 

Definitely got introduced to some of the who is who and how things worked out the gate. 

Not sure if this agency will be my forever home as a tin toting government functionary or if I'll wind up moving on. I can see benefits to staying, but I can see other benefits (higher pay, more specialized divisions, take home cars, closer commute) if I landed a job with a bigger agency. 

Politics is an unfortunate part of life everywhere. If you can navigate the BS you can be ok. If it turns out that the politics get too much... I can always fall back on other skills or go off in a new direction. We're not promised tomorrow, or even an hour from now so I'm forcing myself not to make plans that I have no ability to keep. I'm enjoying the ride while it lasts for sure.