Lucky Dealership

While on patrol we happened to drive by a car dealership around 10:30pm that had a brand new and decked out GMC Yukon sitting in one of the parking spots there, idling after apparently being parked and having one of the workers forget about it before leaving work for the day. It is a miracle in this town that it hadn't disappeared five minutes after the worker left it unattended, let alone at least 3 hours...

Song of the Week: Like i Roll- Black Stone Cherry

Startling...

Wow, I honestly didn't expect to get over 200 views by this point, thank you to my followers and anonymous readers that follow my stories and rants!
It is pleasant for me to find that some people find my insight, and my frustrations to be at the very least, entertaining.
(as a heads up to all, i will be quite busy this month between work and my obligations to other volunteer efforts in my life)




Song of the week: Familiar Realm by CKY

10-33 (Officer needs assistance!)

Not too long ago while on patrol i heard a call that sends chills through the veins of every officer who hears it.

While dealing with a minor vehicle incident (fender bender) i was sitting in the cruiser taking down information while the officer was talking with the two drivers when i heard another officer initiate a felony stop on a stolen car, i heard his tone of voice change and then he was cut off in mid sentence.

Dispatch: " 287........ 287 respond."

20 seconds later with no response, i run from the cruiser and grab the officer, and tell him to turn up his radio

Dispatch: *hits alert tones* "287 Respond"

about a half a minute passes...

Dispatch: *keys up the emergency tones causing the officer and i to both freeze* "all units all units 10-33... officer needs assistance at the intersection of wayne and montgomery... repeat all available units respond code 3, officer needs assistance"

At that moment the officer and i both told the drivers that their incident would have to be dealt with later and we sprinted back to the cruiser, jumped in and before our seatbelts were even on i had keyed up the siren and hit the lights as we burned rubber. We led a convoy of seven other law enforcement vehicles from three separate departments up the highway, hitting 135mph as we hustled to go assist a brother in need of help.

Despite us bouncing off of our speed limiter and leading the convoy of flashing lights we were still not the first unit to arrive on scene for the incident. What turned out had happened was that as the officer approached the vehicle, the much larger and stronger man in the car barged out of the drivers seat and tackled the officer before the officer could even react, as back up units arrived on scene they managed to drag him off the officer as the two were in the midst of a struggle for the officer's firearm in which the officer was starting to lose.

We rolled up on scene as the criminal was being stuffed into the back of a squad car, and we donned gloves to begin the search of the man's stolen car. There was not too much uncovered in the car aside from filthy clothes and numerous liquor bottles, both of which pointed to the man's state of mind.

All i can say is that that moment between the emergency tones going out and then the dispatcher announcing "officer needs assistance" were some of the worst i have ever experienced, for anyone who has heard those tones as a firefighter or a police officer it is something that with stick with you forever afterwards as it is a moment in which a friend and a brother in uniform is in serious trouble... it is a broadcast that sends ice and adrenaline firing through any officer, young or old, jaded or still gung-ho.

Song of the week: (i'm feeling a little country tonight so let's try this) Country Roads Take Me Home By John Denver

The Passing of Time

As time passes i see the good in my friends and acquaintances...and the bad. It disheartens me that as of late i have dealt with a friend attempting suicide, and several falling into a life of crime the likes of which i could not prevent and was thus forced to cut all ties. On top of this i have so far seen several friends succumb to narcotics and while i am aware that i will most likely not be able to salvage their lives and save them if they don't want the help, I still try.
I find myself realizing more and more how difficult it is to retain a true friendship with anyone as you grow older, let alone in the first responder profession.

If anyone is willing to share a brief story relating to this then feel free, i'd love to see how others have coped with loved ones and friends falling due to these sinister life issues

--Burnout





Song of the Week: Trik Turner- Friends & Family

Multiple Partners

It's not every day you nearly get a lock-up for Bigamy, in the area where we discovered this though i should not be too surprised...just another bizarre night in this city.

Song of the Week:

Personal Troubles

Hey folks! sorry for the long wait between posts, i have been extremely busy between classes, work, volunteer, and personal troubles that have made it extremely difficult to keep on top of my blog, i'll get in a few more posts than normal for this month if possible to try and compensate. Thank you to the loyal readers who have followed me so far! more interesting stories to come soon!

--Burnout

Song of the Week: Take a Walk By Passion Pit

Law Enforcement Memorial

Made it all the way up to DC for national police week this week, despite the poor weather i will be wandering DC before and after the memorial services and the wreath laying and taking a few pictures. So far i have found DC to be an enjoyable experience and plan on making it to the changing of the guard at Arlington (any of my readers who frequent DC or know the area if you have any suggestions of places to visit while i am here i would appreciate a comment!)

 Although it is heart breaking to realize just how many men and women have given their lives in defense of others, it is an amazing sight to see numerous officers from all over the country out in tribute to them, "all gave some, and some, gave all"

Song of the Week (warning, this one is not for those who do not enjoy a mix of screaming and singing): H.M.A.S Lookback by The Amity Affliction

--Burnout

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