Police officer, Cop, whatever you want to call me, I don't care. You see, I love doing this job. I feel like I have tickets to the greatest show on earth. And this thread is for me, in my own self-centered way, to celebrate being a cop. Join me, will you?
Years ago, when I was still wet behind the ears and thought I could make a difference to the country, I actually sat down and figured out how many years I was responsible for sending people to jail for. Since then, it hasn't mattered as much, if at all. Now, I look at the bigger picture, which is, of course, made up of all the smaller pictures.
The stupidity of criminals will never cease to amaze me. Like the guy who called PSP because he got punched in the face at the Duncannon truck stop. We went to back PSP up. The "victim" told us his story, and the suspect admitted that he punched the "victim" right in the kisser. The suspect told us that the only reason he did this was because the "victim" had asked to borrow a lighter to smoke some crack, and then as he walked away, asked the 14 year old sister of the suspect if she wanted to get high and "party." Well, the "victim" failed to mention this to us, and as we went to ask him about it, he ran away, into the woods. As PSP checked the tag on his motorcycle, they discovered that he had cut the corner off of another tag and taped it onto his tag. That was classic. I still laugh about it to this day. That right there is job security.
I have also learned that (and pay attention here) it is very, very important to close your blinds when the lights are on in your house. I cannot begin to count how many people that I have seen, who are just walking around their house, stark ass naked, as I drive past. To the hot chicks, I say "Thank you." To the hairy assed guys, I say, "PUT SOME FREAKING CLOTHES ON ALREADY!!!!" And to the couple in Mt. Holly Springs, I say, "Well done."
I have learned that cops can be sarcastic, ball-busting jokers, and can take it just as well as we give it. Like the time that I put the rainbow sticker on a magnet and stuck it to my chief deputy's truck. By the way, if your chief deputy was the best man at a bomb technician's wedding, this MAY not be the best idea in the world. So I've heard. And alarm clocks with very soft beeps and drop ceilings combined make for great humor when you have a paranoid supervisor.
I have also tasted the salty tears as I listened to the Chief of Police answer his son's final roll call, and still tear up as I think of it.
I have seen people at their worst, delivering death notifications on holidays, knocking on festively decorated doors and being greeted with a smile and a laugh, leaving an hour later, feeling like shit, red-eyed and downcast, because we are, in fact, human.
I have seen people at their best, like the eight year old girl who called 911 because her mommy wasn't waking up. She was scared, and she was brave, and she saved her mother's life. No gift in the world can be as sweet as the courage to overcome the terror that she felt that day.
This job, the people that I've worked with, the things that I've done and seen, they have taught me that the three C's of police work, Common Sense, Courtesy, and Compassion, are also the three C's of life.
I have learned to go to the bathroom when you can, eat when you can, and to never, ever get between a K9 and a suspect. I've learned that a great arrest on the street can look like a goatfuck in court if it's not properly documented, and that a lot of defense attorneys dislike their clients more then we do.
I've laughed, I've cried, and I'd do each and every thing over again in a heartbeat if I had to.
I love this job.
No comments:
Post a Comment