Short Talk

Today I had the fortunate/unfortunate task of talking to the Chief.

I have applied to other ponds. I'd rather not for the reasons I love the people in my pond. I love the people I work with. I love the department. I don't love the pay and the fact it stands in the way of a future with a family.

I am in background with one department. The stage were they talk to everyone and an investigator asked if I had told the Chief. Telling your boss that you are looking for work else where is never fun. In this instance it will be hard. Having been cut from my last job and being almost desperate for a LE job. To be given another chance, to be taken in and be treated with respect and as an equal (yes being given shit about minor mistakes).

I had thought about what this job had meant, but the Mrs had made me realize how good this part of my life had been. How much the pond was good place.

So, I get up early (off days I try to keep same schedule, but this is important) and drive to the talk to the Chief. He is in and I give him the news about what is going on. I want him to hear it from me first and the reasons. Chief knows the reasons and understands. It went easy but it still feels odd.

The Look and Deer Slaying

The new shift has allowed for more time to fish in prime hours. How the other guy manages to do no stops and never initiates cases, I don't know.

I am on for a hour checking all of the spots for trouble, but there is none. My house that had nothing but nozzles has become quiet. Their lease is gone and so are they.
I am about to settle into one of my spots for speeders. When a car passes me going the other direction. It looks like a beat up Ford Taurus 90's addition, but not sure. The driver gives me the "look".

Now there can be many looks, but this one is specific. Unlike the others, this one never fails to give you hours of fun. I call it the "oh shit look". One the driver or passengers see the a cop car or a cop and immediately changed demeanor. The eyes bug, the posture changes, they tense up and the driving becomes either avoidance of your presence or super careful.

This nozzle choice the sudden turning of the car without proper signalling (my favorite pc). I can't get to him right away, so quickly circle the block. The driver is parking trying to walk off, again attempting to avoid me. I drive right up to him.

-You don't have a license do you?-
"no"
-okay lets go back the vehicle and see what we are going to do with you-
"ok"

He has been suspended since 1997. He is on probation. I ask if there is anything in car I should be concerned about.
" a little weed",
-okay. but nothing else-
I pat him for weapons and sit him down. I ask when is the last time he used.
"I don't use meth"
-what's with the meth sores all over your arms?
"i got skin cancer"
So, I know his ability to tell the truth maybe off. I check him for wants, none. I ask if I can search the car, he agrees.
I find the pot, a pot pipe and punching dagger in the door. I ask if the PO will detain, Yes. I impound the vehicle and take him to jail. He claims the knife is for defense, but later denies knowing anything about it. Felons can't have punching knives. His mom picks up his dog, so I don't have to take it the pound for the weekend.

That was the first 3 hrs of work. As it becomes dark I settle in for Church getting out and set up to catch speeders. The church outside of town has a lot of young people who don't drive slow and there is a large population of deer in town and just outside town, as well as the citizens of the pond.
And of course within 5 minutes a car is flying down the road, I pull out behind it and try to catch up with it. As I come around a slight bend the car has momentarily slowed. I wonder if they realised I am following them or what. I call out the stop and realise "the what".

"The what" is a deer that ran in front of them stopped went back towards the side of the road. Thinking it could pass after the speeder went by, it turned to attempt to make it across . That is where I (my vehicle and myself) briefly met with the deer as it turned it's head into my headlight. I stop behind the car and notify the other officer on to check on the deer.

The speeder wants to know if I hit the deer.
-Yup, that is why it is important not to speed-
"is it dead?"
-another officer is checking on it, but it is probably dead-
"it's my fault you hit the deer"
-yes and no-

I check the Crown Vic. and the only damage is the smaller left light on the front is broken. All the lights still work. The other officer tells me the deer is toast and has pulled it off the road.

I don't give the speeder a ticket, but she is crying about the deer. I leave to write the report, not happy about hitting the deer, but glad there only minor damage. For the amount of deer and amount of roadtime, I am surprised it's has been at least 2 years since any officer hit a deer.

Stress and Paranoia

The days starts slow for a Thursday. The weather is still warm, but the start of school has tired out most people. People move with no hurry and things are calm.
The exception. The lady has had enough she is stressed and overwhelmed. She doesn't know what to do about her kids, her bills, her warrant (out of state not serviceable -but prevents her husband from getting the LE job he was offered), her husband. She says she will hurt herself ad keeps hanging up.

On very few occasions do I go lights and siren, but people don't seem to see the flashing missile I have become. I'll be damned if I'll be late because people wouldn't move it.

I am there. I have met her before and is a nice lady, but she goes from normal to crying every minute. Husband knows there is a problem but can't figure the solution and when he speaks she becomes agitated. She is vagues about hurting herself, she is overwhelmed and stressed. It would be pushing it to put a mental health hold on her, so I ask.
-Do you want to voluntarily go to the ER for an eval?-
"yeah, I like that"
-I'll give you a ride, let me tell your husband-

Husband understands, but baulks when she is sitting in the backseat. He doesn't want her labelled a nutcase and asks if she want him to take her. She becomes agitated again. I step in and state I'll take her.

I drive her to ER. She talks to me the whole time. Not crazy. She is stressed over her special needs kid, her stupid job, her warrant, the lack of communication with her husband, thoughts of worthlessness and no idea what to do. She is still concerned she will be labeled a nut and be medicated, which won't help her.

I explain being stress and overwhelmed are normal, but how you deal with them is important. I walk her into the ER. She says she can feel the eyes of all on her...."look at that lady with the cop" she says.
-you aren't here in cuffs and you need someone to talk to, what's wrong with that?-

I walk her to the PCU. She goes into one of the observation rooms. I explain to the nurses. They leave her in the room. I talk with her until the nurse arrives, 15 minutes. I give her my card, she apologizes for wasting my time. Call your husband when you know what is going on. Call me if you need anything, it's no bother and take care.

I call the husband and the mother and let them know she is okay.

I think that is going to be my excitement for the shift. I am used to the slow days and I am no longer working on the slow days.

Domestic Call.
Male vs. Female, verbal. male is on drugs and female won't back down, I don't wait for my 2nd, he is 10 minutes out. I creep up and I can see the two facing off through the front window. I can hear the yelling and arguing. The male is the son who is on probation. I separate the two. Male is not himself. I can feel it coming off of him. His normal shaggy type of person is now vibrating, rattling and grinding. He can't sit still. He's mad and wants to leave.

"She called me a loser and doesn't want me here so I'll leave. Step dad is a shit head"
-so what are you on?-
"nothing"
-wrong, you're all geeked up-
"i took some meth yesterday, but i slept, so i am good. she is all made at me...frack her"
-okay, no violence just yelling tonight, right?-
"yeah, i just get down the road"
-not until I talk with everyone. SIT..STAY-
his pupils are dilated, his finger move as if they all the knuckles need to be cracked, again and again. he speaks and jams jaw from left to right. repeatedly.

I talk to mom. he came home at 1:30 tweakin. she don't tolerate that, not in her house. he is seeing things, talking to people who aren't there. she left a message with his PO, no response.

I have the PO notified of the state which the male is under and he asks for the arrest. no problem. I load him up into my car. He thinks he is being fracked with for no reason, he isn't high. He is mad the family is using flash photography to take pictures of him from inside the house into the backseat of the car. They are out to get me!

I can see into the house. There is no one around. No cameras. No camera flashs. No one taking pictures of him (i am in the car between him and the house).

He gets lodged and walks past another inmate. "whoa look at his eyes!" says inmate #1
the inmate #1 hears me say that my guy "might be tweaking"
and says "You think!?"

Three More

The concert series in historic ponds are almost done. Last night was 4 hours of too much talking and not enough singing. If you pay good money to see a show, I would at least not want to hear your opinions. Two shows of nobody and the last is the Black Crowes, which should be crazy times.

Famous people in their opinions. I am all for a good opinion, but just because you are an actor, athlete, make music or for some other stupid reason your famous, doesn't mean I want to hear how you feel about this or that.
I have never gone to a movie thinking " I hate this movie, but I love her opinion on walrus shooting!" Of course in a country that pays more attention to idiots and what they wear, rather than people who serve others, I shouldn't be shocked.

The most important factor.....IT IS FOOTBALL TIME