Raindogblue

All Ribbing Aside

 

City U's sole working night officer

is following a mope for Public Indecency.

He comes on our air to ask for cover.

As our officers roll to assist our

the senior sergeant reminds us,

"To think long and hard

why we are chasing this guy?"

 

 

Spiraling

 

Mia says, “I don’t want

to be a shoplifting piece of crap.”

She tells me, “I used to be a real person.

I had a job, two cars,

and a savings account.

Addiction took that all away. “

Mia is homeless, pregnant,

and hooked in the back

of the prowler on theft charges.

She’s shy of $800 in cosmetics

from a high end store.

Mia says she steals 1–2 times a week.

Her on again, off again, boyfriend gives her a list.

She says, “I don’t want to steal,

but my ex will hurt me: bruise my eyes, face.”

She doesn't like getting her "ass beat."

Mia says she uses everyday.

It helps her keep awake, so no one

will attack her or steal

from her when asleep on the street.

She says, “I don’t want to feel high,

feel out of control. I'm tired of being

a victim of my situation."

 

 

Breaking A Beef

 

 

It’s dry. It’s dark. I’m on 5th out with a down drunk as a beef breaks around me.

I know the parties, a family of panhandlers and their extended entourage. I’ve checked on them regularly for the last three years.

I calm the chaos, separate the male half, and walk him back from the rest.

Goon slides in as cover.

He says, “He’s suppose to have a gun. “

I focus the man’s face and hands.

You have a gun?

“No. I normally carry it here. “

He pats a padlocked, empty, pouch I. The front of the shoulder bag slung across his chest.

Can I pat you down and check?

He says, “Yes.”

It’s in his right front pocket, a loaded Beretta nine.

When I take him to jail, he says, “At least it’s you arresting me.”

 

 

Refusal

 

At jail, the nurse refused

my custody. The pinch was three

months pregnant and had yet

to see a doctor.

 

Instead of booking her,

I had to write a cite,

call an ambulance

to the sally port,

and send the woman away.

 

 

Second Shelter Stop

 

 

I’m back at the shelter.

It’s closing for the night.

All day guests need to leave.

 

Lanna's got to go. She’s willing,

but her power chair is busted.

One wheel won’t turn.

They weigh six hundred pounds.

Lanna’s another three and

can’t walk on her own.

 

I grab a chair and help her sit.

Then, I push the power-chair

across the floor and up the switch

back disability ramp outside.

 

A staff member watches the power-chair

as I help Lanna into a wheeled, office chair.

 

This is a ride you cannot pay for at Disneyland,

I say as I roll the chair across the floor.

 

As I swing her into the switch backs, I say,

People pay extra for Gs on the turns.

 

She laughs.

 

I place her eight feet from the front door.

 

Staff gives her a blanket

and tells her to talk

to the director in the morning.

 

 

 

No Beds and No Space

 

 

It’s 1630. Mary’s an hour out of the mental hospital,

looking for an emergency shelter bed.

All standard spaces are full for the night

 

I have some sway at the Salvation Army shelter.

 

Mary’s not banned, but they have no beds.

Both their police mats are occupied.

 

I tell her to wait while I check the other place.

 

That shelter is full, too.

 

I apologize and hand her my card.

 

Check in at the Salvation Army

shelter tomorrow morning.

Ask for advocate. If there’s no beds,

call 211, and see if they can place you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attempting to Locate

 

 

There’s a Vehicle Stolen call holding

at the 3rd Avenue Cafe.

 

The vehicle is plated in Germany.

There are passports inside. Tomorrow,

the owner is due to fly internationally.

 

I check. The vehicle hasn’t been towed.

 

The owner insists she parked

\in the flat lot across the street.

 

She doesn’t have the reg.

I don’t have access to Germany DMV.

 

Vanagans are rarely stolen.

Give me fifteens minutes.

While you try to find paperwork,

 I’ll look for your car.

 

I find it in five.

It’s in a flat lot a block

and half up the street.

 

The woman says she is

so happy she could hug me.

 

 

 

The Dirty

 

I snagged a tweaker on a want.

Cuffing him up I ask, Any points?

"Yeah, I got a dirty in my hair."

I search right.

NG searches left. 

I find a pipe, but no points.

I say to NG, You find the rig?

"He's clean."

I switch off, search the other side.

I see the needle in the custody's hair, tucked behind his ear. 

What about that?

I point with nose and eyes.

"Huh?"

He has a rig in his hair.

"Ugh....."

The tweaker exclaims, "Hey, I told you about that! I'm cool."

You did.

He never looked.

NG says, "I'll never make that mistake again."

I make sure he won't.

 

 

 

The Difference

 

At jail, my second pinch of the night screamed, "I'm insane, not crazy!" 

 

 

Off Beggar's Bridge

 

 

A transient tweaker called dispatch

to complain another

called her a "demon."

 

She wanted to press charges.

"He's no angel himself!"