Raindogblue

Stalled and Blocking

It's rush hour. The south highway
out of the city is packed with workers
fleeing the city for their suburban refuges.
The stalled pickup pulling a trailer
blocking the fast lane has brought traffic to a stutter:
stop, go, slow, roll, stop, slow, stop.

I find the truck with the hood up.

I block the lane with my prowler,
turn all the emergency lights on,
and find the driver.

What's your plan?

"I'm waiting for the mechanic.
He's on the way."

That's not going to work.

The nearest exit is four blocks away.

I put the hood down.

Put the car in neutral.
Take your foot off the brake.
I'm going to push the truck.
At the next light, we'll wait to the red,
and push the truck to safety.

"But senor, the truck is too heavy,
and the trailer......"

I'm big. I'll manage.
Take you foot off the brake.

The truck is slow to roll, but once
in motion it remains in motion
without much effort.

Stop at the light.

I wait till we have the red,
block cross traffic, and push again.

The slight downward grade
onto Breaker Blvd. makes it easy.
The pick up rolls itself into a parking lot.

The Cracked Tail Light Theory

When on the hunt, crime blinders off,
looking for a stop, hoping for a pinch or hook,
I employ the cracked tail light theory.

If somebody does not maintain their car,
they have a tendency to not take care of their license,
miss court, forget to pay fines, and fail to renew their insurance.
If their are on paper, they miss appointments,
fail to pay court fees, and fulfill community service.

Its all a fishing expedition.

Sometimes I catch nothing.
Sometimes I issue a lot of warnings,
but I catch enough here and there
to keep my belief in the theory.

Reflection

Lights and Siren

What to do if you are stopped by a police officer.

You're driving down the street,
you think you're obeying every traffic law.
and then, the red and blue lights of a patrol car are behind you.

What do you do?

1) Signal that you're pulling the curb.

Stop at the nearest parking spot or shoulder.
On a busy road, slow dow, and turn into the nearest side street or parking lot.

2) Turn on your interior dome light.

Police officers like to be able to see in the car.
It sets a tone saying, "I am trying to be helpful."

3) Turn off your radio. Get off the cell phone. Put out your cigarette.

Show the officer you are giving him your full attention. It shows respect and sets the tone.

4) Put your hands on top of the steering wheel.

An officer wants to see your hands: to make sure you have no weapons,
contraband, or will, suddenly, drive away.

5) When the officer approaches, roll down the window.

Allow for clear communication.

6) Turn to face the officer.

Officers can read the best poker faces. They can see your character when you face them. They can see if you are clueless, sheepish, hiding something, or are going to be froggy.

7) Greet the officer.

"Good evening officer, I am not sure why I was pulled over. Could you please tell me?"

The request is respectful, not demanding, and should produce a direct reply.

8) If the officers tells you made an traffic offense, you believe you did not commit, don't argue. That's what traffic court is for.

9) Don't lie.

Police officers hate lies. They hear them all day long. Lying makes you one of "them."
Either tell the truth, or decline to comment.

Example:

The offcers says "Sir, you were driving 35 piles per hour in 20 mile per hour zone."

Truthful answer: "I'm sorry officer. I did not realize the speed zone was a 20 mile per hour."

The non-incriminating answer: "I see. Thank you."

If the officer presses you for more information, smile, and state you did not know you had commited any offense.

You may get a ticket. You may not, but the stop will go smoothly.

Night, Rain, Lights

Touching the Dead

Dispatch called my number to leave the Villages
to drive to the edge of the Hole for a welfare check.

An eighty year old man isn't answering his door.
A friend is standing by.

When I arrive, she greets me with a smile
thinly hiding her worry.

Her friend is sick, has cancer, and a bad heart.

She makes him dinner every night.
He's expecting her,
but the lights are off,
the doors are locked,
and the car is in the garage.

She's knocked, called,
and peeked in the windows without response.
She's seen nothing.

Now, it's my turn to play peeping tom.

I work the windows.

Peering in between the blinds,
mag-lite providing light in a dark house,
I start with the living room.

The overstuffed chair is empty.
A blanket is on the floor nearby.
His shoes wait next to the chair.

I can't force the slider open.

I grab a bucket to look through the kitchen window.
There's an explosion of blood
in the sink and on the counter top

Through the dining room window,
I see the man on the floor
lying in his own blood,

I call for medical, fire, and boot the door.

The friend agrees to stay outside.

Inside, in the kitchen, I avoid the blood,
reach down and touch the man.

He's dead, cold to the touch.

I take a breath, stain the image in my mind,
and get on with the job.

I stop the world,
cancel fire, send away the sergeant,
slow medical, alert the M.E, ask for a chaplain,
and hand over the call when the district officer arrives.

Voice Mail

En route to work, I checked my voice mail.
The ADA, the baby DA, left a message.

We won.

My rebuttal put the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

He thanked me for coming in without notice,
and for being flexible with my time.

I grinned.

He's new.
He broke the DA rules.

Never call.
Never let an officer know the outcome of a case.
Never be thankful.
Never appreciate an officer's time.

It was a good way to start my work day

Alley Light

Police Only