The Few and Far Between

The Worst Words

the author — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:13:53 +0000

….that you can hear on duty, “Officer down.”

http://www.odmp.org/officer/20633-police-officer-jillian-michelle-smith

2010 has seen a 37% increase in line-of-duty deaths, and the year is not over. This is one list that Texas should be ashamed to lead.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/12/28/2731349/in-2010-texas-leads-nation-in.html

The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in America

the author — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:25:30 +0000

According to the staff of WalletPop:

“For the second year in a row, using exclusive data developed by Dr. Andrew Schiller’s team at NeighborhoodScout.com, and based on FBI data from all 17,000 local law enforcement agencies, WalletPop reveals the top 25 most dangerous neighborhoods with the highest predicted rates of violent crime in America.”

The Butler Housing/Homeless Shelter area in Ft Worth comes in at #15, and a neighborhood in Galveston comes in at #21, but there are no other Texas cities on the list.

End of Watch

the author — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:31:13 +0000

How Chicago honors their Fallen.

Risks and Rewards

the author — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:24:53 +0000

Sometimes there are days when being a police officer is just boring.

Don’t get me wrong, boring is good. Boring means that no one is being hurt or robbed or stolen from. Boring means that the criminals are laying low.

But, boring is boring.

When the action picks up, it makes the job more exciting but its tempered by the realities of crime and criminals. Someone did get hurt. Something did get stolen.

The reward comes in the chase, the pursuit of those who prey upon the weak, who deprive others for their own selfish desires.

Some days it all comes together and you have the opportunity to catch a couple of home invaders as they flee the scene of their latest offense. And in this case, the victim was not physically harmed and the criminals are in jail.

There are few greater satisfactions in this line of work.

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck….

the author — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:04:25 +0000

me: “You need to stop working and get off the street or you’re going to jail”

her: “I’m not a prostitute.”

me: “Oh, my mistake. One quick question, have you ever been arrested?”

her: “Yeah.”

me: “For what?”

her: “Prostitution.”

Brief Update

the author — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:02:34 +0000

I’ve stayed busy these past few months. Some good arrests, some clusters, some run-of-the-mill days. My efforts to document that which is notable, memorable, or otherwise interesting, becomes difficult when it all eventually starts running together. Or even when they don’t run together, as was the case for a recent foot chase, an unrelated aggravated robbery arrest, and a decent drug bust, I’ve told the stories quite a few times and they have subsequently become old news before I think to jot them down here.

If you had told me when I first started that these many adventures would become (for lack of a better word) typical, I don’t know that I would have believed you.

My wife called me the other day to tell me that one of my friends had been shot at. Fortunately he was not hurt.

“That’s funny,” I replied, thinking it was interesting that I had heard about an officer involved shooting when I showed up at roll call that day, but didn’t know who until just then. My wife felt differently. In retrospect, I could have picked my words more carefully.

Life is funny that way.

Best Call I was Dispatched on this Week

the author — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:04:25 +0000

Call Details:

Complainant says that an Asian male is walking around with a tray carrying a dead bird and a dead squirrel. Suspect says he’s either going to bury them, cremate them, or just keep them as pets. Suspect seems confused. Complainant concerned.

Roman Polanski Raped a Child

the author — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:38:12 +0000

Ah Hollywood! Woody Allen, Martin Scorcese, and others are “demanding” the release of Roman Polanski. When they’re not busy condemning the actions of rich white men, they’re busy promoting the virtues of convicted rapist rich white men.

Kate Harding’s article at Salon.com has it right – Roman Polanski Raped a Child

*In reality, its not that shocking that Woody Allen would support Polanski. He’s a child molester too. Those bastards have to stick together. Solidarity and whatnot.

The Politics of Rehabilitation

the author — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:45:42 +0000

“Here we have a guy who is essentially under every kind of supervision we allow. Law enforcement had every tool available to them, and [the tools] failed,” said Robert Coombs, spokesman for the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

Coombs is speaking of Phillip Garrido, who was recently arrested for the kidnapping, sexual assault, and imprisonment of 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard for the last 18 years.

The more important question is why a convicted sex-offender was not under the most important type of supervision our judicial system has: prison. Garrido was released after only serving 10 years of a 50 year sentence. That previous conviction was for…..wait for it….kidnapping and rape!

Jaycee Dugard was imprisoned for almost two decades, twice as long as the punishment of her captor’s first, and what should have been sole, offense.

Yesterday a couple of officers on my shift picked up a repeat offender. The call details stated that he was threatening someone with a weapon. Upon the arrival of our city’s finest, he fled on foot but was subsequently chased down and taken into custody. He too has multiple convictions for various offenses including attempted murder, weapons charges, and evading arrest, yet he is still out on the streets.

Men like this are not reformed. They do not change. They are not rehabilitated.

Yes our prisons are crowded, but I’m going to offend the more ACLU-oriented types when I say it doesn’t matter. Its prison, and I have zero sympathy for rapists, murderers, robbers, child molesters. I don’t care about their comfort. I don’t care about their well-being.

Jaycee was 11 years old when she was snatched from her family, raped, and subjected to a life of unspeakable horror at the hands of a predator. I can only imagine what her rehabilitation will entail.

Not Only the Ale but the Man

the author — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:02:07 +0000

If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.

-Samuel Adams-