Mikey,

I was being sarcastic. I don’t have any experience at all with LAPD cops, but I seriously doubt that all of them are the way you described them. And when did I call all cops heroes? If you’re suggesting I did that, then you obviously haven’t read much of my writing.

I don’t delete comments from people who honestly say they don’t like the police, or who legitimately criticize police actions. I don’t agree with your comments in general, but I have no problem with you speaking here. As long as it stays respectful on both sides, I’m good. We don’t have to agree.

I’m sorry, I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic or if you are truly shocked when you say – “some people really don’t like cops!” I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here. I live in Southern California and given how the LAPD treats the citizens here and the LAPD’s ongoing ‘above-the-law’ behavior, I am not shocked to say that when people here cheered Christopher Dorner, I totally got it. The LAPD and it’s officers are universally loathed. They take one little step forward with the public’s trust, then several giant steps back with their actions. Don’t give me any grief or that we shouldn’t judge the entire department based on the actions of a few – this is a situation they created and earned. I will be honest, I never want to see any person, including a police officer, hurt – but sadly, and God help me, I am not sympathetic when something bad happens to a police officer in this city. So yes, some people really don’t like cops. You may delete this post, and frankly I don’t care, but I can’t take people blindly calling cops heroes. Being a cop is a choice, a “profession” oftentimes chosen by a person who I feel don’t have the brains or class to do much more in life. Being a cop makes them feel powerful.

Thanks, that makes sense.

Semper Fi

s

Steve,

I think fights are only fun when you know for certain you’re going to win. Having said that, I don’t remember a fight where I knew I was going to win.

I had a fun Waffle House experience in the military. I was in Little Rock for a school, and we had a young and very small black infantryman in class with us. He looked like he was about 15 years old. We went out on a Saturday night, and the grunt got totally smashed drunk. I was the DD, driving another guy’s suburban. The grunt had been laid all the way in the back and had puked all over himself. Of course everyone wants to eat at the end of the night, so we went to the Waffle House. I parked with the rear end directly facing the big plate glass window.

We got out and opened the rear door. The grunt fell out and almost hit the pavement, but we caught him just in time. His pants had fallen down and he was just short of being delirious. We threw him back into the cargo area, positioned him to make sure he wouldn’t choke if he puked again, and promised we’d be back after we ate. I slammed the rear door, and when we turned around almost everyone in the restaurant was staring out the window at us, apparently wondering if we had just kidnapped a black child. There were several cops there too, but they were seated away from the window and didn’t see us.

Nobody in the Waffle House said anything to us. Maybe that sort of thing wasn’t all that unusual in that city.

Thanks Djach. After that incident I wasn’t too impressed with the justice system either.

I appreciate that, guys. I think this was one of those situations where I can say all day long that my decision was right based on what I knew at the time, but it still feels crappy in hindsight.

Stuart,

I think the reaction in small towns would be different than in big cities. In small towns I was assisted twice during arrests. One was by an old farmer who saw a suspect struggling with me, so he stopped and stood outside his car until the guy gave up (and the guy gave up pretty much as soon as he saw the farmer). The other guy came out of his house while I was wrestling with a large woman, “Linda”‘s sister from my story The Crack Ho-Dini. He yelled, “Do you need assistance?” and then came running when I said yes. He wound up not having to help, but I still thanked him profusely and included his info in my report. And then I found out he was a convicted child molester. Go figure.

In that town one of our officers was getting beaten by a group of teenagers and one of them was trying to take his weapon. A husband and wife jumped in. The husband started flinging teenagers through the air while the wife got on the radio. Another officer was fighting a big guy and a cowboy jumped wrestled the guy down. Both those officers were pretty damn grateful.

In big cities, on the other hand, most officers get used to having backup available, so they don’t view helpful citizens the same way. I was raised with the small town cop mentality, so I probably look at things differently than most other city guys.

If you’re ever around when I’m getting my ass handed to me, please feel free to jump in. I swear I won’t get mad. 🙂

Semper Fi,

Chris

I agree with Sally. It may feel wrong now, but you made the right decision. That guy could’ve mended his ways and gone on to be a preacher or some such. The fact that he didn’t, and instead chose to continue on as a douchebag, isn’t your responsibility. It’s his fault, and his alone.

Speaking of skinny: When I started out as a LEO, my buddies double wrapped me with extra 2nd Chance BA, so I wouldn’t look like a scarecrow in the class picture.

Keep up the great writing.