Some just never learn...

On patrol midnight shift yesterday, sitting in one of our favorite spots and seemed to be a pretty slow night so far, all that we had to do was crank music and count the points on the deer that wandered past our blacked out cruiser.
Unfortunately for one citizen he picked a bad place to punch it in a 30 MPH zone, i clocked him at 56MPH... he had just past our cruiser when i flicked the toggle and off we went to educate another member of the motoring public. We approach the vehicle and this conversation then occurs:
Obviously slow learner:  "here's my license and registration, oh and here we go!" *driver hands officer another document*

Amused Officer: " sir, this document states that you have just completed driver re-education training (required after accruing a certain amount of points on your license) just 5 hours ago?"

O.S.L: "uhhh...yea! i was hoping that since i just completed the course and showed i was...you know, a good driver that you would... give me a warning?"

A.O.: "Well sir what i can do for you, since you appear to be a slow learner, is warn you that if you do this again you will get another citation" *hands the information to me to return to the cruiser, i run his drivers license and registration and find he has at least 12 pages of various moving violations, then fill out a citation for speeding that includes another point on his license for this violation*

*A.O. hands the citation with a hefty fine and points to the driver*

O.S.L: "OH COMEON MAN CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME A BREAK?"

A.O. : "Sir, it is my opinion that if given a warning you will fail to take heed, and you will most likely just pay this one and continue on as normal, but i intend to write you citations every time i catch you speeding until my point is made."

O.S.L "I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT A**HOLE!"

A.O. : " I hope so... i get paid four hours of overtime every time i show up, now press hard, there are three copies. Have a great day and drive safe"

*driver speeds off*

A.O. looked at me and chuckled, and then back to our hideout we went, waiting for the next member of the motoring public in need of some correction.

Song of the Week:

Faster than a Convertible

While on patrol recently we received a call for a 10-50 Ped (start for a car wreck involving a pedestrian)

Unfortunately for us this was in the middle of lunch and i was in the middle of trying to wolf down a sub. As we gunned the engine, hit the lights and began to alternate the siren between hi-lo and yelp to cut through traffic, I stuffed my sandwich at my feet and slipped on my surgical gloves. From experience a 10-50 Ped is quite a serious thing as i have yet to respond to one without the pedestrian being in critical condition so i was taking no chances in terms of exposure to bodily fluids.

Seeing the accident up ahead gave me a significant start before i quashed my emotions and prepared to do what might be necessary. Ahead of us as we jumped out of the just barely stopped cruiser was a woman in her thirties, who had tried to run across the street. However this woman did not realize she did not have the right of way and a luxury convertible sedan slammed into her at 50 MPH, flinging her up and into the windshield and twisting one leg to point completely 180 degrees in the opposite direction of normal. As we made our way to her motionless body on the pavement EMS arrived on scene and began to stabilize her, leaving us with little to do but to finish blocking off traffic and then take witness statements.This occupied only a short hour and a half of what ended up being an entire shift consisting of numerous car wrecks, Burglary alarms, a stabbing, and an officer needs assistance call that was the result of a faulty radio. 

As summer approaches i am anticipating things to become increasingly active with the kind of population in this town, i will continue to fill everyone in as best as i can although my posts may grow erratic due to increasing hours at work.

--Burnout

Song of the week: The Wombats- Jump into the Fog

Thin Blue Line

It seems that Law Enforcement are no longer respected, or feared at all. Recently there has been another LODD death in Austin Texas, a drunk and disorderly man in a walmart shot and killed the officer as soon as the officer entered the building. that makes twenty-six line of duty deaths this year so far, it fills me with sadness to see another fall, a father, a friend, a brother in blue.

I thought to include this poem i saw a long time ago that truly strikes a chord with me, RIP senior officer Jaime Padron, allow us to take your watch from here...

Just another Day (Short story, 1st draft)

This is my first attempt at writing a short story, let alone one covering Law Enforcement. Any criticism or comments are appreciated! Just a rough draft of something i typed up so don't expect anything amazing...  Enjoy!

It’s another night; another night of cold, pain, and sadness. I grab the keys and a spare radio while hitching up my pants. The duty belt leaves permanent scars on my hips. I snag the keys to an old beat up patrol car and grab the shotgun then stride out to find it in a sea of red and blue. Finally finding my cruiser for the night, I slot the beat up twelve gauge into its place above my head and then sink myself into the soft leather seats of the patrol car and just sit for a minute trying to nurse the aches and groans away long enough for new ones to form in my weary body. I note the full moon above my head as I key up “1496 to dispatch show me 10-41”. An hour of boredom passes as I stare out at a road used only by myself and deer, what keeps me awake is purely the crackle and hiss that accompanies the whispers of my fellow officers over the radio.

           

          I close my eyes briefly and then my calm is broken when a call goes out for me “1496, respond to a B&E alarm at 152 heathland ave”. Normally these calls are meaningless but I have a sense of dread as if my subconscious is screaming something that my conscious mind cannot quite figure out yet. I wrench the car into drive and gun the motor causing the old cruiser to whine in protest at the sudden effort it is being forced to put out. I hit curves aggressively and squeal the tires as I push myself and my car to get there, anticipating an eventful night. I arrive at a large house tucked back in the woods up a hill and a hundred foot long driveway lit only by the moon. I turn down my radio as I get out and scan the area. I see a shadow shift in the distance and draw my handgun out of reflex, the adrenaline slams through my system at the same moment that the wind picks up and leaves skitter across the asphalt in all directions. I crouch and skulk through the woods, thankful of the wind snatching away the sound of twigs snapping underfoot but cursing my inability to hear, I see a figure shift and move behind the house, I break into a sprint as I draw my flashlight. I press myself on the side corner of the looming building and lean out quickly, I see nothing but still have the feeling someone is there, I cut the corner and turn on my flashlight. 

          I see a figure take off and I scream for him to stop, then I feel a sudden sharp pain in the back of my head, my knees lose all feeling and buckle beneath me. I roll over, instinctively press my left hand to my head and feel blood. Keying my radio I whisper “officer needs assistance” into the radio and hear the urgent voice of the dispatcher and fellow officers coming to my help and at the same time trying to figure out what is happening. I struggle to one knee and look up right as a piece of pipe swings towards me again, I hit the ground. Hard. I hit the emergency button on my radio so that everyone can hear what is happening, I lose track of the shadowy figure with the pipe as time slows down and I force myself fully to my knees, staggering as I push myself to look around and find it again. I hear the shrill tones of the Sirens call me in the wind picking up again. I hear snapping branches behind me and pivot, I see a figure several yards away and I fire my handgun as fast as my hand allows. The Figure and I both crumple at the same time as my radio ignites with the call of the dispatcher “1496! 1496 please respond!” As my vision begins to gray out I see another figure come running towards me and I weakly raise my shaking gun at it “brother it’s me, you’re safe now”. I blink. Sirens in the background and the entire area are bathed in flashing lights for the first time; I holster my gun after a few seconds of effort and sit down heavily as I finally realize my brothers have come to my aid. 

Just another day in the life of a police officer.