Tonight, crossing a street,
clearing a wreck,
a black motorist anchored it
in the middle of the street
next to me.
clearing a wreck,
a black motorist anchored it
in the middle of the street
next to me.
"Officer!"
He has has my full attention.
His eyes widen.
He smiles,
"Do you have stickers?"
Of course.
He rolls down
all the windows
and introduces
his children to me.
We went to a community market up near Anacortes last summer, and the police had a D.A.R.E. table set up... Gayle was excited to see the "real life police officers!" and wanted to see what they were showing (it happened to be a cross section of a smoker's lung... ew...) She loved telling all her friends that she got her police badge sticker from a real life police officer - and then lecturing them on why you shouldn't smoke.
Posted by: Jade | May 31, 2009 at 12:52 PM
Now that is cool. Those kids are going to remember the one who took a few seconds out of his day to give them stickers. Not to mention have a positive attitude towards police officers.
Posted by: Easily Lost | May 31, 2009 at 06:37 PM
One of the more fun parts of policing, I think? It's a good idea to get the kids "on your side" from the beginning. We've been thinking of getting little ambulances for kids to "fold-and-colour".
Posted by: Cath | June 01, 2009 at 10:48 AM
we don't have stickers.
they haven't decided to spend money on them.
Posted by: deputydog | June 01, 2009 at 11:39 AM
To flesh the scene out a bit more, that wreck involved a fatality. It was one of those sad events that can't be prevented, they just happen.
Handing out the stickers wasn't just a positive interaction for the man and his children. It was a partial antidote for a depressing call. Having that man stop his vehicle and take the time to make contact changed the tempo of RD's night for the better. It was a win-win situation all the way around.
Posted by: h. | June 01, 2009 at 11:41 AM