24 July 2009

Help, Police!


Look over there in the upper-right corner of the blog, where it says "About Me".
See where it says "Ex- Dogcatcher, Ex-Cop. Ex-County Civil Defense Director"?
I did all those jobs for a County that was adjacent to a major U.S. city. I was a fully commissioned Deputy Sheriff, flying as the Department's helicopter pilot, part-time. I did that job for three years. So I could make enough money to put beans and biscuits on the table, the County Executive, a personal friend, gave me other jobs that overlapped my tenure as a Deputy...
As a Dogcatcher I was promoted to Chief Rabies Control Officer overseeing 28 Animal Control Officers. I apparently impressed the boss with my performance because he later gave me the job of Civil Defense Director where I wrote the County's first Emergency Operations Plan.

But I flew the helicopter as a Deputy Sheriff for three years, and I want to focus on that duty in this post.

What an eye-opener that was! Looking around at my fellow Deputies I was surprised...
Some of them were just kids, 21-22 years old. Of course, some were older. Some were quite intelligent, some were of average intelligence. All were underpaid for the risks they faced everyday. (A city within the county lost an officer in a shooting during a routine traffic stop during my first year of employment there.)

One or two were held in scorn by all the others...
One in particular made no bones about the fact that he loved going "Code Three"...
Lights and siren blazing, scorching the pavement for whatever reason.
One of the others obviously had a "Little Man Complex", and had joined just because the gun and badge gave him the ability to push others around.
Neither of these Officers lasted long in our department.

But for three years I flew overhead and provided aerial support for these brave folks...
An overhead perch to search, or watch what was happening on the ground during daylight hours...
An "artificial sun" to turn night into day with my "Nightsun" during darkness when they were searching for victims ejected from an auto accident in that wheat field, or when the odd perp. was trying to escape. I listened to radio calls and experienced near first-hand what these guys had to deal with in order to do their jobs well. They continually deal with people you and I don't want to share a bus seat with...
"Underbelly of the world" types.
They are spat upon, subjected to the vilest of language, and sometimes assaulted.
Few can do the job well.

So when a Police Officer shows up at your door because there is a report that someone is attempting to break in to your home...
Having to be aware and prepared to face deadly force...

Apprised of the fact that this same address experienced an attempted break-in earlier that very week...
It's not good form to shout at the Officer who is trying to protect your property.

...And anyone who thinks that Officer is "stupid" is beneath contempt.

UPDATE, Friday afternoon:
Ha ! President "Stupidly"!
Did I hear an apology in that 5 minutes of rambling? Is this self-absorbed dweeb capable of admitting he made a mistake?

5 comments:

jinksto said...

Absolutely, 100% on the mark.

ddf said...

Perhaps Potus responded..eh, stupidly. Not that I am calling the former community organizer stupid mind you.

Anonymous said...

sticking his nose in where it none f hs business

the golden horse said...

You have got to be kidding if you think that man would ever truly sincerely apologize. That is way beneath him.
I never heard the words I am sorry and those are the ones that count.
I would suspect in his life, he has never admitted an error, said he was wrong or apologized.
Just when I think he can't act any more stupid, (isn't that a version of his word) he proves me wrong, yet again.
But, I must say, lately, he hasn't been letting me down on my assumptions.

Anonymous said...

Police ALWAYS lie. Everytime I have a discussion and prove them wrong with elementary logic, then they want to falsely accuse me of being belligerant and disorderly, then start loudly at the top of their lungs repeating over and over, "Calm down, Sir.", while I stand there and look at them in disbelief. Then when caught in lies, continue to go forward with their clumsy, inept lies with false stories that make no logical sense. Then, when it dawns on them that there are 10 witnesses that will tell the truth and people with cameras, they then begin trying to confiscate the camera while saying it is "investigatory". Then, instead of admitting they overstepped their authority, they attempt to further their lies through false prosecution to avoid a lawsuit. Meantime, the criminal in black robes cover for them and excude perjury, thereby destroying the very justice they claim to provide. When the government creates a monoply on justice, the price becomes more and more expensive and the quality of that justice become less and less. We are now at a stage where government only seeks to increase its power, not provide fairness. The courts have aligned themselves against the people and in favor of a corrupt police state.