Posted by: Blue
Three nights ago I had an impaired driving arrest. He blew 230 mg% (.230 for the Americans). He was around three times the legal limit when we arrested him.
On the way to jail, he told us that we had ruined his life and that his marriage was over.
I looked him in the eye and told him I hoped his marriage was strong enough to weather the trouble he had got himself into. Then I told him that he had no one to blame but himself if it wasn't.
He hung his head and started to cry.
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Monday, March 23, 2015
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Traffic Court
Posted by: Blue
I had three tickets on the docket today.
Three convictions. Two of note:
1. A guy who drove by us close enough to brush us with his mirror, while we were on a traffic stop and yelled out the window about where we had pulled the person over (she had pulled to the left of the street rather than to the right - not our decision). He received a ticket for failing to pull to the right. The original traffic stop driver received a warning. About three hours later, he was involved in a smash-up with a cabbie, fleeing the scene before exchanging particulars. He pled to both charges. Full fine.
2. In our city, there is a private contractor who runs photo-enforced speed traps in addition to officers running radar. The tickets are given without discretion or bias. I witnessed one run a stop sign at an intersection I was monitoring. When I pulled her over, she asked for a break. I asked if she had given any breaks that day. She said no, so I wrote her a tag. She fought it. The judge convicted. Full fine.
I had three tickets on the docket today.
Three convictions. Two of note:
1. A guy who drove by us close enough to brush us with his mirror, while we were on a traffic stop and yelled out the window about where we had pulled the person over (she had pulled to the left of the street rather than to the right - not our decision). He received a ticket for failing to pull to the right. The original traffic stop driver received a warning. About three hours later, he was involved in a smash-up with a cabbie, fleeing the scene before exchanging particulars. He pled to both charges. Full fine.
2. In our city, there is a private contractor who runs photo-enforced speed traps in addition to officers running radar. The tickets are given without discretion or bias. I witnessed one run a stop sign at an intersection I was monitoring. When I pulled her over, she asked for a break. I asked if she had given any breaks that day. She said no, so I wrote her a tag. She fought it. The judge convicted. Full fine.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
On the Wrong Track
Posted by: Blue
Yesterday, a lady drove the family van 100 yards down the train tracks, believing she was in a back lane.
Somehow I managed to refrain from laughing as I gathered the story upon our arrival.
Her husband took the sight remarkably well, though he couldn't completely hide the look of disbelief when he walked over from the nearest railway crossing.
He was a bus driver, so I think he had seen a similar range of interesting things happen on the roads as we had.
Yesterday, a lady drove the family van 100 yards down the train tracks, believing she was in a back lane.
Somehow I managed to refrain from laughing as I gathered the story upon our arrival.
Her husband took the sight remarkably well, though he couldn't completely hide the look of disbelief when he walked over from the nearest railway crossing.
He was a bus driver, so I think he had seen a similar range of interesting things happen on the roads as we had.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Pursuit
Posted by: Blue
On Christmas Day I was the prime unit for a traffic pursuit which began on the same block that I live on.
We spotted two males running through the field near my house where the power lines run through that part of the city. I thought it was odd to see 2 males dressed in baggy black clothing jogging late on a Christmas night, especially in my neighbourhood.
We turned around to check them out. They hopped into a grey Chevy Cavalier. I hit the cherries and pulled up parallel with their front bumper (approaching from the front of their car so our front bumpers were facing one another, but I was still in the traffic lane).
The driver didn't look at me. He immediately started shimmying his car, trying to get it out of the parallel parking spot I had wedged him into. He reversed. I went forward and put the front driver's side bumper of the unmarked cruiser we were in at his driver's side door so he couldn't jump out.
"Get us another unit here now!" I told my partner.
The car slammed into our bumper, pushed us out of the way and took-off W/B. I revved the engine, spinning the rear-wheel drive Crown Vic into a 180 on the icy road. We gave chase.
He stopped at the first stop sign, and then went through every other stop sign and red light.
My partner started calmly calling the pursuit over the air, asking to be patched into the other districts.
It was quiet. Every available unit volunteered and was assigned. By the time we were 1000 yards away, the suspects ran-over a well-placed Stop-Stick, taking-out their front passenger-side tire.
The pursuit continued with the suspects on three tires and one rim. A Downtown unit came up behind us to take-over as prime unit because they were a marked unit.
They hit another Stop-Stick around 1000 yards further up. Two more tires blown. They only had 1 intact now - the driver's side rear tire.
The downtown unit got out in front of the suspects and tried to slow them down. They took a left. We were prime again.
They made it another block and we saw the driver's door crack open as the vehicle slowed to a stop. "He's running!", I yelled. My partner voiced it over the air.
The passenger was slower to get out of the car (we found-out later it was because he was holding a safe on his lap and had to wait until the driver bailed so he had a place to ditch it). He opened the door to come nose to nose with my partner's Glock. He gave up and hit the ground on his belly, hands outstretched.
I gave chase to the driver down the back lane of the street we had just come down, along with one of the guys from the downtown car. Units were flooding the area.
I got hung-up with my duty rig on a chain-link fence when the suspect headed for the front street again, tearing the sleeve off of my shirt and cutting my shoulder. The downtown guy kept going. When I managed to free myself, they were about 75 yards ahead of me and the driver was cutting back into the back lane. I cut back, hoping to intercept.
I gunned it, scanning for a figure emerging from a back yard. The downtown guy came across the air "I've got him in the side yard of 29!"
I could see the reflection of the flashlight against the snow and darted over there, drawing-out my Taser as I ran. I showed-up and found the suspect proned-out. "Contact," said the downtown guy. "Cover," I replied. He moved-in to cuff him while I kept the red laser of the Taser in the centre of his back. "Don't don anything dumb or you're gonna get lit-up," I said.
He was cuffed and brought to one of the cruisers.
The driver was on a warrant plus numerous breaches. The passenger had breaches, not to mention the Flight charge, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of Break-in Instruments for both of them. The safe belonged to a drug dealer who wasn't cooperating, so we couldn't get the Break and Enter or Possession of Goods Obtained by Crime.
During the Duty Inspector's briefing, she told us the only reason she didn't abort the pursuit on the icy winter roads was that my partner was extremely calm and reassuringly in control of the situation while he was voicing over the radio.
On Christmas Day I was the prime unit for a traffic pursuit which began on the same block that I live on.
We spotted two males running through the field near my house where the power lines run through that part of the city. I thought it was odd to see 2 males dressed in baggy black clothing jogging late on a Christmas night, especially in my neighbourhood.
We turned around to check them out. They hopped into a grey Chevy Cavalier. I hit the cherries and pulled up parallel with their front bumper (approaching from the front of their car so our front bumpers were facing one another, but I was still in the traffic lane).
The driver didn't look at me. He immediately started shimmying his car, trying to get it out of the parallel parking spot I had wedged him into. He reversed. I went forward and put the front driver's side bumper of the unmarked cruiser we were in at his driver's side door so he couldn't jump out.
"Get us another unit here now!" I told my partner.
The car slammed into our bumper, pushed us out of the way and took-off W/B. I revved the engine, spinning the rear-wheel drive Crown Vic into a 180 on the icy road. We gave chase.
He stopped at the first stop sign, and then went through every other stop sign and red light.
My partner started calmly calling the pursuit over the air, asking to be patched into the other districts.
It was quiet. Every available unit volunteered and was assigned. By the time we were 1000 yards away, the suspects ran-over a well-placed Stop-Stick, taking-out their front passenger-side tire.
The pursuit continued with the suspects on three tires and one rim. A Downtown unit came up behind us to take-over as prime unit because they were a marked unit.
They hit another Stop-Stick around 1000 yards further up. Two more tires blown. They only had 1 intact now - the driver's side rear tire.
The downtown unit got out in front of the suspects and tried to slow them down. They took a left. We were prime again.
They made it another block and we saw the driver's door crack open as the vehicle slowed to a stop. "He's running!", I yelled. My partner voiced it over the air.
The passenger was slower to get out of the car (we found-out later it was because he was holding a safe on his lap and had to wait until the driver bailed so he had a place to ditch it). He opened the door to come nose to nose with my partner's Glock. He gave up and hit the ground on his belly, hands outstretched.
I gave chase to the driver down the back lane of the street we had just come down, along with one of the guys from the downtown car. Units were flooding the area.
I got hung-up with my duty rig on a chain-link fence when the suspect headed for the front street again, tearing the sleeve off of my shirt and cutting my shoulder. The downtown guy kept going. When I managed to free myself, they were about 75 yards ahead of me and the driver was cutting back into the back lane. I cut back, hoping to intercept.
I gunned it, scanning for a figure emerging from a back yard. The downtown guy came across the air "I've got him in the side yard of 29!"
I could see the reflection of the flashlight against the snow and darted over there, drawing-out my Taser as I ran. I showed-up and found the suspect proned-out. "Contact," said the downtown guy. "Cover," I replied. He moved-in to cuff him while I kept the red laser of the Taser in the centre of his back. "Don't don anything dumb or you're gonna get lit-up," I said.
He was cuffed and brought to one of the cruisers.
The driver was on a warrant plus numerous breaches. The passenger had breaches, not to mention the Flight charge, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of Break-in Instruments for both of them. The safe belonged to a drug dealer who wasn't cooperating, so we couldn't get the Break and Enter or Possession of Goods Obtained by Crime.
During the Duty Inspector's briefing, she told us the only reason she didn't abort the pursuit on the icy winter roads was that my partner was extremely calm and reassuringly in control of the situation while he was voicing over the radio.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Check Stop
Posted by: Blue
This year for Christmas, I'm T/A'd to traffic for the Check Stop Program. We're hunting out impaired drivers.
Last night we had two ASD passes and a fail, along with quite a number of traffic stops.
The fail was arrested for Drive Impaired and Drive Over 80 mg%. By the time he provided a breath sample on the full sized Breathalyzer, his BAC was down to 70 mg% and 60 mg% for the two tests respectively. He was released with no criminal charges and his license was suspended for 24 hours.
While driving him home, he said "You know? I'm glad that happened. It was a real wake-up call. I know I never want my kids driving drunk. I don't want to set a different example."
I believed him.
He shook my hand and told me "Merry Christmas" when I dropped him off at home.
This year for Christmas, I'm T/A'd to traffic for the Check Stop Program. We're hunting out impaired drivers.
Last night we had two ASD passes and a fail, along with quite a number of traffic stops.
The fail was arrested for Drive Impaired and Drive Over 80 mg%. By the time he provided a breath sample on the full sized Breathalyzer, his BAC was down to 70 mg% and 60 mg% for the two tests respectively. He was released with no criminal charges and his license was suspended for 24 hours.
While driving him home, he said "You know? I'm glad that happened. It was a real wake-up call. I know I never want my kids driving drunk. I don't want to set a different example."
I believed him.
He shook my hand and told me "Merry Christmas" when I dropped him off at home.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
0-1
Posted by: Blue
I testified in Traffic Court for the first time today.
It was a cell phone tag. He said he was adjusting his seat belt. He wasn't. He was holding his cell phone to his left ear with his right hand.
The Judge believed the accused and commented that he didn't believe that I could have seen whether or not he was holding a cell phone to his ear from 60' away.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Court and Re-cert
Posted by: Blue
Today I was originally subpoenaed for court. I was cancelled Friday.
Recertification for Police Vehicles Operation was cancelled for tomorrow because the track is snowed-under.
Two extra days off.
Today I was originally subpoenaed for court. I was cancelled Friday.
Recertification for Police Vehicles Operation was cancelled for tomorrow because the track is snowed-under.
Two extra days off.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Hit & Run
Posted by: Blue
Today, we were dispatched to a call for a hit and run collision with a semi trailer hitting a light standard and knocking it down.
Four witnesses phoned-in with the same description and information. We headed to the shipping yard to locate our truck. When we got there, we asked the receptionist if she could call one of her drivers to meet with us. She was very helpful, but she said it might take a while.
"Why?"
"It might be hard to find the driver."
"Can't you just ask dispatch to raise him?"
She laughed. "We have more than 1000 rigs. Each of them has 2 trailers. We can track him down, but it might take a few."
"I see."
1000 tractors is a lot of tractors.
Today, we were dispatched to a call for a hit and run collision with a semi trailer hitting a light standard and knocking it down.
Four witnesses phoned-in with the same description and information. We headed to the shipping yard to locate our truck. When we got there, we asked the receptionist if she could call one of her drivers to meet with us. She was very helpful, but she said it might take a while.
"Why?"
"It might be hard to find the driver."
"Can't you just ask dispatch to raise him?"
She laughed. "We have more than 1000 rigs. Each of them has 2 trailers. We can track him down, but it might take a few."
"I see."
1000 tractors is a lot of tractors.
Friday, February 15, 2013
JT's Favourite Story
Posted by: Blue
There are two different tellings of this story. The real story, and JT's version. He has told his version of the tale to everyone on every shift... multiple times... often by special request. I just let him. It's way funnier than the truth, even if the truth alone was already quite hilarious.
DISCLAIMER: The facts as presented by JT were accurate to his standards at the time of posting. It should be noted that the story becomes more and more elaborate and ridiculous with each re-telling.
It was the beginning of a day shift. We were just signing on. I was driving and headed for the coffee shop to pick up our regular morning java to kick-start the day.
It was the beginning of a day shift. We were just signing on. I was driving and jumping and telling JT to run plates the entire time he was trying to log onto the computer and he was becoming more and more agitated because he couldn't sign on but I kept bothering him with plate numbers. He kept telling me to shut up and just focus on heading for the coffee shop to pick up our regular morning java to kick-start the day.
I saw a vehicle pass-by, going the opposite direction, without a front plate (mandatory in our province). I waited until the traffic cleared, pulled a u-ball and then caught up with the car. It stood-out to me because it looked like it had the dark tinted windows and shiny rims of a typical dial-a-dealer drug-mobile.
JT was still fighting with the computer and looking forward to getting a coffee to calm him down when suddenly he was thrown sideways as I careened through a u-turn which took me over the 8" high centre median and then all hell broke loose as I accelerated after some unknown target, all the while cutting-off a number of shocked citizens who were just trying to get to work safely. JT kept asking me "What's wrong!? What did you see!?" but I refused to answer and I had the look of a determined mad man in my eyes.
We caught up with the vehicle and I turned my overhead lights on. The car didn't slow down, so I chirped the siren a little. The car still didn't slow or pull over, so I let the yelpers wail.
I almost rear-ended the vehicle, coming up on it hard. Then I proceeded to roll down my window and hang halfway out the door, yelling at the person who was driving and wildly flailing my arms. When that didn't work, I grabbed the PA system and started hollering at the driver that if they didn't stop their tires would be shot out. A number of PITT manoeuvre attempts proved fruitless. JT began voicing a slow pursuit over the radio.
At this point, I began to suspect one of two things; either this was a gang member attempting to make a very slow get-away, or it was a very elderly person who was oblivious to my presence.
I told JT to let dispatch know that the helicopter would be required for our pursuit.
The suspect finally pulled over and stopped, but on the left side of the street instead of the right. I stopped the car behind them and got out to approach the driver's side door.
The vehicle in question remained in motion but the pursuit was so slow that I decided to get out on foot and give chase.
Just as I got to the driver's door, the vehicle began pulling into a left hand turn, across the intersection and headed for a side street. I began running alongside, knocking on the window with my flash-light to alert the driver, who I could now see was indeed a frail old grandmotherly type, of my presence.
As I approached, the vehicle accelerated away from me. Not to be left empty-handed, I jumped onto the trunk of the car, holding onto the antenna for support, and made my way over the roof of the car as it sped away to peer into the car through the windshield. I held my Glock and pointed it at the feeble old lady in the driver's seat, threatening to send her straight to Jesus if she didn't stop the vehicle.
Just as we crossed through the intersection, our tactical team happened to be driving by. They saw me running alongside the vehicle and decided to lend a hand if they could. Meanwhile, JT still sat in the car in the middle of the road, with the driver's side door wide open and the lights still flashing, shaking his head and wishing he was drinking a coffee. The driver finally noticed me and pulled to the side of the road. The boys in the tactical car jumped out to help but I sheepishly waved them off. They waved and drove away.
Just as we crossed through the intersection, our Tactical team happened to be driving by. They saw me running alongside the vehicle and immediately assumed I was chasing down a murderer who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. They finished the pursuit by ramming the suspect car into a tree. The driver was unceremoniously pulled out of the vehicle through the smashed window and held at the point of two assault rifles while I begged them not to shoot and tried to quickly explain myself.
I explained my presence to the sweet old gal and asked why she hadn't stopped and if she hadn't seen the lights. She replied "Oh sure I saw you there. I just didn't think you were after me!" I told her that she was missing her front plate. "Oh my goodness! It must have fallen off! Thank you officer!" "You're welcome ma'am. Just make sure to pull to the right and stop next time... even if you don't think I'm after you. Have a nice day."
It was eventually discovered that I had scared the old lady so much that she had soiled herself. In the end, she ended-up being the great-aunt of the mayor and I had to talk to the Chief and explain why I had been so rough on the woman. I kept my badge but just barely because as it turned out, the mayor didn't really even like his great-aunt.
There are two different tellings of this story. The real story, and JT's version. He has told his version of the tale to everyone on every shift... multiple times... often by special request. I just let him. It's way funnier than the truth, even if the truth alone was already quite hilarious.
DISCLAIMER: The facts as presented by JT were accurate to his standards at the time of posting. It should be noted that the story becomes more and more elaborate and ridiculous with each re-telling.
It was the beginning of a day shift. We were just signing on. I was driving and headed for the coffee shop to pick up our regular morning java to kick-start the day.
It was the beginning of a day shift. We were just signing on. I was driving and jumping and telling JT to run plates the entire time he was trying to log onto the computer and he was becoming more and more agitated because he couldn't sign on but I kept bothering him with plate numbers. He kept telling me to shut up and just focus on heading for the coffee shop to pick up our regular morning java to kick-start the day.
I saw a vehicle pass-by, going the opposite direction, without a front plate (mandatory in our province). I waited until the traffic cleared, pulled a u-ball and then caught up with the car. It stood-out to me because it looked like it had the dark tinted windows and shiny rims of a typical dial-a-dealer drug-mobile.
JT was still fighting with the computer and looking forward to getting a coffee to calm him down when suddenly he was thrown sideways as I careened through a u-turn which took me over the 8" high centre median and then all hell broke loose as I accelerated after some unknown target, all the while cutting-off a number of shocked citizens who were just trying to get to work safely. JT kept asking me "What's wrong!? What did you see!?" but I refused to answer and I had the look of a determined mad man in my eyes.
We caught up with the vehicle and I turned my overhead lights on. The car didn't slow down, so I chirped the siren a little. The car still didn't slow or pull over, so I let the yelpers wail.
I almost rear-ended the vehicle, coming up on it hard. Then I proceeded to roll down my window and hang halfway out the door, yelling at the person who was driving and wildly flailing my arms. When that didn't work, I grabbed the PA system and started hollering at the driver that if they didn't stop their tires would be shot out. A number of PITT manoeuvre attempts proved fruitless. JT began voicing a slow pursuit over the radio.
At this point, I began to suspect one of two things; either this was a gang member attempting to make a very slow get-away, or it was a very elderly person who was oblivious to my presence.
I told JT to let dispatch know that the helicopter would be required for our pursuit.
The suspect finally pulled over and stopped, but on the left side of the street instead of the right. I stopped the car behind them and got out to approach the driver's side door.
The vehicle in question remained in motion but the pursuit was so slow that I decided to get out on foot and give chase.
Just as I got to the driver's door, the vehicle began pulling into a left hand turn, across the intersection and headed for a side street. I began running alongside, knocking on the window with my flash-light to alert the driver, who I could now see was indeed a frail old grandmotherly type, of my presence.
As I approached, the vehicle accelerated away from me. Not to be left empty-handed, I jumped onto the trunk of the car, holding onto the antenna for support, and made my way over the roof of the car as it sped away to peer into the car through the windshield. I held my Glock and pointed it at the feeble old lady in the driver's seat, threatening to send her straight to Jesus if she didn't stop the vehicle.
Just as we crossed through the intersection, our tactical team happened to be driving by. They saw me running alongside the vehicle and decided to lend a hand if they could. Meanwhile, JT still sat in the car in the middle of the road, with the driver's side door wide open and the lights still flashing, shaking his head and wishing he was drinking a coffee. The driver finally noticed me and pulled to the side of the road. The boys in the tactical car jumped out to help but I sheepishly waved them off. They waved and drove away.
Just as we crossed through the intersection, our Tactical team happened to be driving by. They saw me running alongside the vehicle and immediately assumed I was chasing down a murderer who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. They finished the pursuit by ramming the suspect car into a tree. The driver was unceremoniously pulled out of the vehicle through the smashed window and held at the point of two assault rifles while I begged them not to shoot and tried to quickly explain myself.
I explained my presence to the sweet old gal and asked why she hadn't stopped and if she hadn't seen the lights. She replied "Oh sure I saw you there. I just didn't think you were after me!" I told her that she was missing her front plate. "Oh my goodness! It must have fallen off! Thank you officer!" "You're welcome ma'am. Just make sure to pull to the right and stop next time... even if you don't think I'm after you. Have a nice day."
It was eventually discovered that I had scared the old lady so much that she had soiled herself. In the end, she ended-up being the great-aunt of the mayor and I had to talk to the Chief and explain why I had been so rough on the woman. I kept my badge but just barely because as it turned out, the mayor didn't really even like his great-aunt.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Complaints
Posted by: Blue
Today, my Sergeant sent me a message in the car; "There's an envelope for you in the shift bunk".
It is a formal complaint which has been lodged with the police "watchdog" agency over the conduct of myself and a couple other officers on my shift.
The complainant was arrested for driving impaired and had to be handcuffed and shackled and at times held down to keep her from smashing her head on the cement floor of the cell.
Her children were put into temporary foster care while she was in jail awaiting bail approval.
I try not to take it personally, but every time I think of her, I think of the state that I found those children in; sleeping in a room full of dog shit all over the floor, nothing but rotten food in the fridge and empty cereal boxes on the shelves, dirty, un-bathed and no proper winter clothing to be found.
Her 7 year old girl was in the vehicle with her as she sped drunk and high through residential areas. The poor sweetheart wasn't buckled in and kept rattling around in the trunk area of the van along with all of the empty liquor containers. My Sergeant and I gave her chips and soda while she played games on my iPhone and her mother screamed away in the cell on the floor above us.
I hope she goes to jail for a long time.
At the same time, I hope she doesn't, so her kids never have to enter the foster system permanently. It's worse than all of that because they will likely never have each other again and each other is their only salvation from their mother.
Some people must be stopped from having children. But personal "rights" take priority, even if they infringe on other good and innocent people's rights and freedoms.
Today, my Sergeant sent me a message in the car; "There's an envelope for you in the shift bunk".
It is a formal complaint which has been lodged with the police "watchdog" agency over the conduct of myself and a couple other officers on my shift.
The complainant was arrested for driving impaired and had to be handcuffed and shackled and at times held down to keep her from smashing her head on the cement floor of the cell.
Her children were put into temporary foster care while she was in jail awaiting bail approval.
I try not to take it personally, but every time I think of her, I think of the state that I found those children in; sleeping in a room full of dog shit all over the floor, nothing but rotten food in the fridge and empty cereal boxes on the shelves, dirty, un-bathed and no proper winter clothing to be found.
Her 7 year old girl was in the vehicle with her as she sped drunk and high through residential areas. The poor sweetheart wasn't buckled in and kept rattling around in the trunk area of the van along with all of the empty liquor containers. My Sergeant and I gave her chips and soda while she played games on my iPhone and her mother screamed away in the cell on the floor above us.
I hope she goes to jail for a long time.
At the same time, I hope she doesn't, so her kids never have to enter the foster system permanently. It's worse than all of that because they will likely never have each other again and each other is their only salvation from their mother.
Some people must be stopped from having children. But personal "rights" take priority, even if they infringe on other good and innocent people's rights and freedoms.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Impaired
Posted by: Blue
Last night, on an Impaired Driving arrest (the worst possible type of call and arrest in terms of paperwork and B.S.), our guy tried to sprint when we opened the cruiser car door at the station. We watched him take 2 steps and then bail in the gravel, likely because he only had one shoe on (he had lost the other trying to jump a fence running from K9). The turf surf was pretty harsh, 'cause he was cuffed behind the back per policy.
Nothing to break his fall but his face.
Sometimes, Karma does the ass-kicking for us.
Last night, on an Impaired Driving arrest (the worst possible type of call and arrest in terms of paperwork and B.S.), our guy tried to sprint when we opened the cruiser car door at the station. We watched him take 2 steps and then bail in the gravel, likely because he only had one shoe on (he had lost the other trying to jump a fence running from K9). The turf surf was pretty harsh, 'cause he was cuffed behind the back per policy.
Nothing to break his fall but his face.
Sometimes, Karma does the ass-kicking for us.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Answers I
Posted by: Blue
Courtesy of Raindog:
1) What is your primary sidearm?
2) What is the patrol car you drive every day?
3) Have you been in a good fight?
1) My primary sidearm is a M22 Glock .40 calibre, drawn right-handed from a Level 3 Blackhawk holster. We are not permitted secondary firearms and the Glock is standard issue with no other options unless you are small-handed, in which case you are issued the Springfield XD40. Given a choice, I'd be sticking with my Glock. We also have Police Model Remington 870 Shotguns in the cars with 5 rounds of 00 buckshot. I am told the service is looking into a carbine program which would introduce a .223 C7 Colt into the cruisers as well.
2) We drive the Crown Vics and nothing else in General Patrol. The service put in a huge order for extras when it was announced that they would be discontinued. I have heard a number of rumours about the possible replacements, including the Holden Caprice out of Australia, however the other day I was at the garage and they were setting-up two trial cars; the Dodge Charger and the Ford Taurus 4WD. I don't like either as much as the Crown Victoria as I am already too tall for the Vic and there is even less room in the two new ones.
3) I have not as of yet been in a good fight. I suspect that my size, my partner's size, and our ability to glare like a pair of cobras has taken the fight out of any of the would-be fighters thus far. There have been some struggles, but nothing "knock-down, drag-out".
Courtesy of Raindog:
1) What is your primary sidearm?
2) What is the patrol car you drive every day?
3) Have you been in a good fight?
1) My primary sidearm is a M22 Glock .40 calibre, drawn right-handed from a Level 3 Blackhawk holster. We are not permitted secondary firearms and the Glock is standard issue with no other options unless you are small-handed, in which case you are issued the Springfield XD40. Given a choice, I'd be sticking with my Glock. We also have Police Model Remington 870 Shotguns in the cars with 5 rounds of 00 buckshot. I am told the service is looking into a carbine program which would introduce a .223 C7 Colt into the cruisers as well.
2) We drive the Crown Vics and nothing else in General Patrol. The service put in a huge order for extras when it was announced that they would be discontinued. I have heard a number of rumours about the possible replacements, including the Holden Caprice out of Australia, however the other day I was at the garage and they were setting-up two trial cars; the Dodge Charger and the Ford Taurus 4WD. I don't like either as much as the Crown Victoria as I am already too tall for the Vic and there is even less room in the two new ones.
3) I have not as of yet been in a good fight. I suspect that my size, my partner's size, and our ability to glare like a pair of cobras has taken the fight out of any of the would-be fighters thus far. There have been some struggles, but nothing "knock-down, drag-out".
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Directing Traffic
Posted by: Blue
When a 6'5", 230lb police officer wearing a gun and a bright neon green yellow reflective, full length raincoat that says "POLICE" in bright blue reflective material is standing in the middle of an intersection in the pouring rain with a partner who is similarly clad with a brilliant white and black police car blocking two lanes, LED light bar flashing blue and red with alternating wig-wags (definition courtesy of Wikipedia) and that police officer is pointing directly at you and making eye contact, telling you to turn left or right, do not ask if you can go straight with some kind of Neanderthal/ape hand gestures while idling your car in the intersection, blocking any other people with even half a brain in their heads from actually getting where they need to go.
The aforementioned officer may just not be in the mood for you to totally ignore him and try to mime out an argument.
Other things not to do:
When a 6'5", 230lb police officer wearing a gun and a bright neon green yellow reflective, full length raincoat that says "POLICE" in bright blue reflective material is standing in the middle of an intersection in the pouring rain with a partner who is similarly clad with a brilliant white and black police car blocking two lanes, LED light bar flashing blue and red with alternating wig-wags (definition courtesy of Wikipedia) and that police officer is pointing directly at you and making eye contact, telling you to turn left or right, do not ask if you can go straight with some kind of Neanderthal/ape hand gestures while idling your car in the intersection, blocking any other people with even half a brain in their heads from actually getting where they need to go.
The aforementioned officer may just not be in the mood for you to totally ignore him and try to mime out an argument.
Other things not to do:
- Roll down your window and ask what is going on
- Roll down your window and ask if we are busy or if we have time to listen to your problem with how your neighbour mows his lawn
- Roll down your window and ask anything else
- Swerve back and forth between lanes in an erratic manner
- Give the officer the finger
- Talk on your cell phone while driving past (at least pretend to have some respect for the fact that I'm right friggin there)
- Honk
- Flash your lights at me
- Play your stereo at such an ungodly high volume that there is no way you can tell when I am hollering at you
- Slow down and gawk while veering into the next lane because you're not focused on where you are driving
Monday, July 30, 2012
Don't Even Think It
Posted by: Blue
Further to "Magnetic Personalities"...
We have a rule in our car: if you don't want it to happen, don't say it.
It's akin to the "knock on wood" rule. It seems as though if an idea is said aloud, the universe will bring it into fruition.
Whatever we talk about in the car, tends to happen. If one of us needs to get out on time and says "don't get stuck on a last minute domestic arrest", dollars to donuts we get an arrest 45 minutes before quitting time.
We have taken to jokingly knocking on the wooden shotgun stock which sits between the front seats of the cruiser every time something like that gets said.
Three days ago, I had been cleaning out some old papers and receipts from my wallet when I came across a business card for Canadian Border Services. We had been at a seminar about immigration warrants and deportation protocol. I clearly remember thinking "I'll probably never use this number. I should just toss this card to get some more room..."
The next evening, on the way home to the barn, a cyclist crossing the street slammed into the centre median which he hadn't seen due to his level of intoxication. He vaulted over the handlebars, but didn't let go of the bike. He ended up in a tangled mess of flesh and steel on the road directly in front of our cruiser which I was slamming to a halt. He almost literally dropped from the sky into our laps.
We radioed it in. He was none the worse for wear, apart from a few sore limbs.
As we ran him, his name returned on a DNA warrant and an immigration warrant. I looked at my partner and just started laughing. I guess we can't even think things without them happening.
Turns out the warrant was not for him, but for another male from Quebec with exactly the same name and a very close DOB.
It was, however, his DNA warrant, so we pinched him and brought him in for processing.
Further to "Magnetic Personalities"...
We have a rule in our car: if you don't want it to happen, don't say it.
It's akin to the "knock on wood" rule. It seems as though if an idea is said aloud, the universe will bring it into fruition.
Whatever we talk about in the car, tends to happen. If one of us needs to get out on time and says "don't get stuck on a last minute domestic arrest", dollars to donuts we get an arrest 45 minutes before quitting time.
We have taken to jokingly knocking on the wooden shotgun stock which sits between the front seats of the cruiser every time something like that gets said.
Three days ago, I had been cleaning out some old papers and receipts from my wallet when I came across a business card for Canadian Border Services. We had been at a seminar about immigration warrants and deportation protocol. I clearly remember thinking "I'll probably never use this number. I should just toss this card to get some more room..."
The next evening, on the way home to the barn, a cyclist crossing the street slammed into the centre median which he hadn't seen due to his level of intoxication. He vaulted over the handlebars, but didn't let go of the bike. He ended up in a tangled mess of flesh and steel on the road directly in front of our cruiser which I was slamming to a halt. He almost literally dropped from the sky into our laps.
We radioed it in. He was none the worse for wear, apart from a few sore limbs.
As we ran him, his name returned on a DNA warrant and an immigration warrant. I looked at my partner and just started laughing. I guess we can't even think things without them happening.
Turns out the warrant was not for him, but for another male from Quebec with exactly the same name and a very close DOB.
It was, however, his DNA warrant, so we pinched him and brought him in for processing.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Force of Habit
Posted by: Blue
Today, while driving home in my personal vehicle, someone cut me off while changing lanes in an intersection, speeding, and talking on her cell phone.
I reached for the Federal System switch out of instinct.
Alas, my truck does not have lights or sirens.
Today, while driving home in my personal vehicle, someone cut me off while changing lanes in an intersection, speeding, and talking on her cell phone.
I reached for the Federal System switch out of instinct.
Alas, my truck does not have lights or sirens.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Mental Health
Posted by: Blue
The cruiser car fishtailed around a slick corner slightly as I accelerated out of a turn. The night was lit up in all directions with the reflections of red white and blue lights. The siren wailed, then yelped, then wailed again as I went through red lights on the way to our call.
Dispatch came over the radio again: "For the information of all units on the priority two weapons call: the female is now stating that the male with the gun has it against her head and he is going to kill her unless police came right away."
The rpm's climbed. The brake fade started to become evident as we neared our call location.
One after another, within about 30 seconds, the five crews sounded-off that they were arriving. We were third on scene after our supervisor and a downtown car.
None of us were in our home district. We had come flying in from all different corners of the city. The South cars were all tied-up.
We ran up to the door, myself and another guy from downtown standing on opposite sides of the door, the other cops covering the back exits and windows. The house was in darkness.
I knocked. There was a delay, then a rustling heard inside. I waited. My earpiece chirped "For the information of all units on the gun call, the female is now giving a different address across the street from the original address she gave.
The front step light came on. A sleepy middle-aged male came to the door in his underwear. "Can I help you?" he asked groggily...
My radio chirped again "Dispatch, that second address doesn't exist. Can you confirm please?"
"Sir, we've had a 911 call to this address regarding guns. I'm going to need to come inside and check the well-being of everyone here."
Eight officers pushed past the male as he stammered "okay... but I don't have any guns!"
The house was cleared and as we were apologizing to the homeowner, dispatch came on again; "The female is now stating that she isn't sure of the address, but she is demanding that police come soon before she's dead. Cell triangulation shows she is somewhere over in the East Division."
"Dispatch from street supervisor, I'm just looking at historic calls from this female... it seems she frequents an address over in the East Division. We'll head down there."
Again the cruisers jumped to life and roared across the city. We were there in four minutes.
The address had a suite in the basement. We went around back and knocked on the door, only to find it was ajar. We slowly descended the stairs, turning on the light as we went. There was a female figure hunched-over on her phone in the dark, whispering into the microphone.
We approached her carefully. My partner softly said "Ainsley?"
She spun around, a fearful, confused look in her eyes. I spotted the meth pipe next to her on the arm of the couch. I grabbed it as she tried to swat it away.
We calmed her down and brought her to the hospital. She begged us not to. She said she had Schizophrenia, anxiety and she was bi-polar. She said she was just having a bad night. Her boyfriend usually calmed her down and helped her with the voices in her head, but she didn't know where he was. Hadn't seen him in a few days. Hadn't been on her meds in a week.
We sat with her at the hospital until the psych doctor could see her. She had a conversation with people we couldn't see the entire time we were there.
The doc said it had been more like a month that she had been off her meds. And they took a full week to begin to work. They were going to release her until my partner requested the doctor speak to her a little more in depth. The doc reluctantly agreed.
Ten minutes later, he came out of the room and said "Yeah... we'll be keeping her."
She was 29 years old and she must have been beautiful before the meth took control of her.
The cruiser car fishtailed around a slick corner slightly as I accelerated out of a turn. The night was lit up in all directions with the reflections of red white and blue lights. The siren wailed, then yelped, then wailed again as I went through red lights on the way to our call.
Dispatch came over the radio again: "For the information of all units on the priority two weapons call: the female is now stating that the male with the gun has it against her head and he is going to kill her unless police came right away."
The rpm's climbed. The brake fade started to become evident as we neared our call location.
One after another, within about 30 seconds, the five crews sounded-off that they were arriving. We were third on scene after our supervisor and a downtown car.
None of us were in our home district. We had come flying in from all different corners of the city. The South cars were all tied-up.
We ran up to the door, myself and another guy from downtown standing on opposite sides of the door, the other cops covering the back exits and windows. The house was in darkness.
I knocked. There was a delay, then a rustling heard inside. I waited. My earpiece chirped "For the information of all units on the gun call, the female is now giving a different address across the street from the original address she gave.
The front step light came on. A sleepy middle-aged male came to the door in his underwear. "Can I help you?" he asked groggily...
My radio chirped again "Dispatch, that second address doesn't exist. Can you confirm please?"
"Sir, we've had a 911 call to this address regarding guns. I'm going to need to come inside and check the well-being of everyone here."
Eight officers pushed past the male as he stammered "okay... but I don't have any guns!"
The house was cleared and as we were apologizing to the homeowner, dispatch came on again; "The female is now stating that she isn't sure of the address, but she is demanding that police come soon before she's dead. Cell triangulation shows she is somewhere over in the East Division."
"Dispatch from street supervisor, I'm just looking at historic calls from this female... it seems she frequents an address over in the East Division. We'll head down there."
Again the cruisers jumped to life and roared across the city. We were there in four minutes.
The address had a suite in the basement. We went around back and knocked on the door, only to find it was ajar. We slowly descended the stairs, turning on the light as we went. There was a female figure hunched-over on her phone in the dark, whispering into the microphone.
We approached her carefully. My partner softly said "Ainsley?"
She spun around, a fearful, confused look in her eyes. I spotted the meth pipe next to her on the arm of the couch. I grabbed it as she tried to swat it away.
We calmed her down and brought her to the hospital. She begged us not to. She said she had Schizophrenia, anxiety and she was bi-polar. She said she was just having a bad night. Her boyfriend usually calmed her down and helped her with the voices in her head, but she didn't know where he was. Hadn't seen him in a few days. Hadn't been on her meds in a week.
We sat with her at the hospital until the psych doctor could see her. She had a conversation with people we couldn't see the entire time we were there.
The doc said it had been more like a month that she had been off her meds. And they took a full week to begin to work. They were going to release her until my partner requested the doctor speak to her a little more in depth. The doc reluctantly agreed.
Ten minutes later, he came out of the room and said "Yeah... we'll be keeping her."
She was 29 years old and she must have been beautiful before the meth took control of her.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
First Call
Posted By: Blue
Today, during a vehicle stopping training exercise, my training partner and I were in our cruiser in a large grocery store parking lot, when we noticed someone waving us over. Our driving instructor said "Well boys, although you're still in training, you're still cops." We drove over to the citizen and rolled down our windows. It was a hit and run. There was an elderly woman who backed up into him a short time ago, flipped him the bird, and told him to "fuck off". We parked the cruiser and our instructor got out. Just then another cruiser that had been dispatched rolled up. The two officers took over. We cleared on a deuce (no report), and sluffed the call (left it for another crew). If we had been on duty, it would have been a terrible way to deal with a call. Under our circumstances, it couldn't have gone smoother.
Although there was nothing that came of our encounter, and our instructor actually did most of the talking, it sure didn't stop us bragging to our classmates that we were the first crew to respond to an actual live encounter. We are officially the two most experienced officers in the recruit class.
Today, during a vehicle stopping training exercise, my training partner and I were in our cruiser in a large grocery store parking lot, when we noticed someone waving us over. Our driving instructor said "Well boys, although you're still in training, you're still cops." We drove over to the citizen and rolled down our windows. It was a hit and run. There was an elderly woman who backed up into him a short time ago, flipped him the bird, and told him to "fuck off". We parked the cruiser and our instructor got out. Just then another cruiser that had been dispatched rolled up. The two officers took over. We cleared on a deuce (no report), and sluffed the call (left it for another crew). If we had been on duty, it would have been a terrible way to deal with a call. Under our circumstances, it couldn't have gone smoother.
Although there was nothing that came of our encounter, and our instructor actually did most of the talking, it sure didn't stop us bragging to our classmates that we were the first crew to respond to an actual live encounter. We are officially the two most experienced officers in the recruit class.
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