Raindogblue

75

 

With a shooting last night, the climbing homicide trend has dropped from 101 last year and 92 the year before, but is far greater the average of 29 homicides a year from 2016 to 2019. 

 

 

New Record

 

 

Yesterday, the pond has hit an all time records for traffic deaths. There have been 65. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why I Became an Officer

 

On Christmas Eve, after illness brought by age, John passed in sleep. Officers investigated the death and found the death to be from natural causes. A report was written. The deceased was taken to the mortuary home. Everything was by the numbers. 

But tonight, his son called dispatch trying to find out what happened to his father's keys. He has conflicting stories from the building and his father's care-taker and his is flying in tomorrow. 

We are down six.  We should be only taking priority calls, but officers are pecking away at the calls Dayshift did not have the man power to take. 

The Assist calls sits in an empty district. It a call that can hold and hold and hold.

I logon at 1615 and began shagging holding since 1038. It's juggle. While waiting for a call back on Follow-Up, I look up the Assist. The report is not in, but I take the call anyways. I feel for the son.

Stormy, and other dinosaur like me,  messages my box stating Records is transcribing the report.He's watching the call, too. 

When the report is up, I phone the son.  Dayshift wrote the report. Afternoons waited for the mortuary team. There's no sign of the keys and both officers on their weekends. 

We talk. I walk him through the wrinkles. He hasn't been in the city. so I warn him of the warts, applaud the choice hotel, tell him not to be out downtown after 2200, and recommend a restaurant close to his hotel. 

And he thanks me for my time. 

It's not enough. After the call, I take a risk, as I rotate between call backs for Follow-Ups, I break a rule. I  call Ferb on his day off and  leave a voicemail. 

He calls backs. I apologize, explain it's Christmas.

The keys and wallet went with the mortuary team. 

I call back the son. He thanks me for the time I have saved him. 

 

 

 

 

Homicides

 

Today, we hit 73 Homicides. 

We won't beat last year's record of  101, or the previous record set in 2021 of 88, but compared to most of career, it is a bad year. 

 

 

The Next Priorirty

 

A pup tagged me to cover him on body. Due to a homicide, we're on Priorities: 1-3. He's on a 4, but he's there and wading in. 

The elevator is down, so we walk up the six flights. 

It's a natural. The man died next to his bed. Discoloration had set in. Insect infestation is manifesting, and of course, no pulse.

I remind him of the basics,, point out he doesn't need to stay in the studio with the body as he waits for the M.E, and head out for the next priority. 

 

 

 

In the Dark

 

I cut a man down from tree. He'd hung himself.

The body was still warm and his face

had not lost color, but he was dead. I waited in the rain

on the side of the highway until the M.E. could collect him. 

 

 

Ray Ray

 

Ray Ray, known by some as Record Ray, overdosed and died. He shifted from meth to fetty and was found dead decomposing in his apartment. 

 

 

 

 

Outrage

 

On 3rd on the edge of the fentanyl zone,

an addict rages. He was blue, breathing,

chest compressions applied

until the Narcan kicked in.

"Why would anybody do that?

He would rather be dead than lose his high. 

 

 

What Feeds Under the Bridge

 

Under the Serenity Bridge, off Harbor, I've climbed down a ladder to circumvent an iron wrought fence to confirm a man down is dead.

In a tent, ice pipes at hand, he likely died of an OD. Less than a day down, the rats have gnawed off the flesh from his right foot, nibbled on his left, started on his nose and chewed off a chunk of his thumb.  

As the sun sets, as Conquistador, Till, and I wait for the M.E, the rats emerge, circle, watch, and wait. 

 

 

Traffic Fatalities for 2022

 

In the Pond, for 2022, there were 63 Traffic Fatalities matching the record high from the year before.