Raindogblue

Faith

 

 

The folds a 'Jesus Lives' flyer

is not sufficient to secret

the brown paper towel bindle

for my pinch's rock cocaine. 

 

 

Operation in Progress.

 

Day One.

Shoulders relax.

Day Two.

Breathe.

Day Three.

Not as angry.

 

 

Vacation Time

 

Operation Learn to Be Human starts now. 

 

 

 

30

 

Traffic related deaths are up to 30 for the year. 

 

 

7/10/19

The AC stopped by roll call to share that by the end of August  2020, the department will be down 279-290 officers.

 

 

 

 

 

The Choice

 

Last Night, at a quarter to Five, the DA for today’s DA assault trial called me. Her office misplaced the video evidence. There are discovery issues, so the case was likely to be set over.

She offered me a choice. Come in on four hours of sleep and wait a couple hours or stay home and sleep. She’d text me if she needed me.

It’s a no brainer. I’ll lose out on four hours of OT, but I’d be able to sleep and have my regular gym day.

 

 

 

 

Morale

Yesterday, the roll call sergeant gave the shift a pep talk.

Instead of treating the job as a prison sentence, counting

down the years until we can retire, the sergeant said

we should be looking  at the job like it’s cancer.

Everyday you get to live is a gift.

 

 

Attrition

An officer mentioned to me, “I read your blog post.  If you didn’t know, back when RRT started in early 2000s, The department had 6 full squads (15-18 ofc s/squad).  With mutual aid, four sheriff’s offices and the state troopers each sent squads.

I talked to a current RRT member who said they can barely muster 3 squads now.  I think only the local SO still sends help.

If we still had outside agency help, our RDO wouldn’t have been cancelled.  But what else can brass do? They have to cancel days off to supplement RRT with precinct MFF."

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And for those of you playing at home.....

Translations:

RRT: Rapid Response Team. A hard geared riot squad trained for crowd control.

MFF: Mobile Field Force. When precinct officers equipped with helmets and batons are formed into temporary skirmish squads for crowd control.

RDO. Regular Days Off. An officer ‘s regularly scheduled days off.

 

 

Makeshift

 

On the corner of the precinct, between the sally port and the street, a young transient is sitting in the rain with his back against the building. I’ve talked to him before. He’s 1234. Every one is threatening to him, so he sits next to the precinct to feel safe. Walking over to my car, I greet him.

How ya doin’ tonight?

“Okay, Officer.”

People treatin’ ya okay?

He meekly says, “No.”

“Officer, do you know if it suppose to rain all night?”

Yup. All night.

"Oh."

He’s huddled down into track jacket. He’ll be soaked and cold by morning.

"I tell you what, I’m going to do you a favor."

I open the trunk and pull out a large evidence bag, the one designed to hold backpacks, and pull out.

I flip open my Benchmade and say, I am going to make slit on the seem, eight from end.

His eyes get big, “Oh, you’re going to make me a poncho!”

Yep.

I help it on him.

He says, “This is much better. This way, I am going to be dry.”

 

 

Due To Protests

 

To prepare for an upcoming protest, the department is cancelling Days Off for that date.