Policing My Thoughts

Tonight I just want to finish up with this phase.  The reason that I wanted to blog about my Sheriff and my Deputies is because I wanted people to read and understand that these people are real.  They are human.  They laugh, they cry, they bleed.  Just like the rest of us.  They aren't some heartless bastard in a uniform just foaming at the mouth to shoot someone or something.  

Don't get me wrong.  I know there are bad cops out there.  A lot of them.  But for every bad cop there is, there is about twenty five good ones.  I haven't done any research on this but I would bet I am on the low end of that ratio.  

My dad always tried to do the right thing.  He was honest.  He had a heart.  He was a good guy.  Not everyone that met him would agree with all of that but it's true.  My dad sacrificed a lot of time with his family to do things for his county.  He missed ballgames.  He missed plays. He missed concerts.  He missed sleepovers.  He missed a hell of a lot of family time.  He didn't always like it but that goes with the job.  And it still goes with the job today.  An officer, whether they're a Sheriff, a Deputy, a Patrolman, a City Police Officer, Firefighters, EMS.  They ALL have to sacrifice THEIR time with THEIR families for the safety and well being of you.  

Take some time out and think about that.  And if you are one of these people, I thank you.  For all the time you take out of your personal life to make sure the crackheads, the assholes, those going out of their way to make life harder by doing illegal acts, are taken care of.  Even if they don't get put away, at least they are being held accountable.

I hear all the time, someone dogging on the cops because it takes longer than they want for an officer to arrive.  People need to stop and think about others.  Now, if you are involved in a robbery or a murder, by all means complain if the cops don't show up.  But if you have a noise complaint and the cops don't show up within an hour, I would bet my paycheck that there is SOMETHING going on that needs their immediate attention.  

Stop being so fucking vain and realize that in these small towns, there are times when we have only one cop on duty.  It may not be fair and it may not be right but it is how it is.  It's going to take time for ONE officer to comply with EVERYONE in the town or in the county.  Have a little respect people.  

I get so sick of hearing people make assumptions about what they think cops do.  If you really want to know what cops do, talk to your mayor or talk to your county supervisors and arrange for a ride-along so you can see for yourself that there are OTHERS that need that cops attention as well.  The world really doesn't revolve around you.

I was not intending on using this blog to chew anyone's ass.  It just kinda went where it went.  I had to follow my thoughts.  It happens.  

When I was growing up, I got to go with my dad many times when he would go to the cemetery and watch storm clouds.  I didn't learn one thing about the clouds during any of those times but I did learn that the weather itself electrified my body.  It made me want to get out and just wait for that weather to come to me.  To this very day, I want to witness a tornado.  From the inside out.  

Now I know that if any of you people out in "reader-land" have been through this, you would say that I would not want to be in that situation but I really want that experience.  It's a wonder I wasn't a storm chaser.  There's just something about a tornado.................It will be my luck though that when I AM finally in a position to have this experience, I will get hit in the head with a brick or something and die.  And then I won't be able to tell ANYONE on earth what that was like!  Oh well, if that's the way it has to be...........

One thing I always wanted to do but never got the opportunity was go to a scene of a crime and just look at the body parts strewn about.  Even to just take pictures of the crime scene or accident scene.  I wouldn't want to be an EMT though.  Then you have to learn how to start FIXING this stuff.  I don't want that.  I want them dismembered.  I know.....I'm a sick puppy.  Get over it.  I like being sick.  I love body parts.  Especially when they're not part of the body anymore.  Mmmmm makes me hungry for spaghetti.  I love gore.  No Mick, NOT AL GORE.

For a long time I wanted to be a mortician.  I would just about give my left leg to watch someone be embalmed.  Ooooo give them my left leg and watch them embalm it.  That would be a cool trade I think.  

Anyway, I said I would make this short and sweet.  I think the sweet leaked out (up there) a little ways back.  I will close this but I just want you to know that in my little world, we have NO bad cops.  I work with Andy Taylors.  It's not exactly Mayberry but it used to be.  And I will take as close to it as I can get.  

When you look at my cops, you probably just see men in a uniform with a badge and a gun.  When I look at my cops, I see middle aged policemen that look older than their years.  They look tired and perpetually sad.  Cops are those men and women that drive by the cross's on the side of the road ditches and they can still smell the gas, the hot engine and the blood.  They still hear the victims as they carry these people and their problems with them for the rest of their careers or even the rest of their days.  

I believe there's as much dignity and valor in being a cop as there is in being a veteran.  Valor - courage or courage in defense of a noble cause.  Dignity - pride, self-esteem.  How much of it does your career give you?

ALL the people THEY encounter make them the good cops they are and the old men and women, they feel like.  Have a little respect people.  To protect and serve.  Please don't judge MY book by it's cover.