This was a short week for me. I had an in-service class one day and was off for my birthday later in the week.
The week started off with a car chase. Early in the shift, O and I heard over our radio that a car chase from another district was about to come into our area. We began heading towards the general area of our district that the chase would pass through. The chase came into our area on a freeway. They exited the freeway, drove around a little, and then got back onto the freeway heading in the opposite direction. It is a challenge to catch up to a chase. They change directions frequently, run lights, and when you think you are about to cut them off, they will turn . When we finally caught up to this one, they immediately turned south, and away from our area. We did not follow, but continued to listen to the chase over the radio. About 15 minutes later, after losing the rubber on both front tires, the car crashed and the driver got out and ran. He ran into a back yard and then started jumping fences. He was caught two blocks away from the crash and had jumped at least 10 fences.
A short time later we checked by with a unit on a traffic stop. The officer had stopped a car for making an illegal left turn. When she ran the plate on the vehicle, it came back stolen. We arrived quickly and got the driver and passenger into custody without incident. The driver said that his cousin had loaned him the vehicle. That is not what the stolen vehicle report in our system stated. The report said that the owner of the vehicle allowed two homeless people to come into his house. Generous, maybe, but definitely crazy. When the man woke up from a nap, the two people and his vehicle were gone. Shocker. The district attorney took unauthorized use of a motor vehicle charges on the driver. The passenger had just been released from county jail. When he came out of the jail, the driver, who had been sitting outside the jail, asked him if he needed a ride. They agreed on a price and left. The passenger was not involved in the auto theft, so he was released. The driver said that he was going to return the vehicle when he was finished with it. Unfortunately for him, that is not the way that the law works.
I left work on Tuesday morning and drove out to the academy for another in-service class. This class was the divisional update. A few divisions will come in and talk about what they do and how they can help us. The narcotics division occupied the first two hours. They discussed the Mexican drug cartels and how they affect our city. They went on to discuss interdiction, human trafficking, and asset forfeiture. They showed us some pictures from some very imaginative traffickers. It was amazing the places where they had hidden living people in vehicles. The spots included inside the dashboard, underneath the seats, and one was disguised as a seat.
After narcotics finished, the academy staff told us that they had a video to show us and that we were the first group to see it. The video began by showing a photo of each officer that has been killed in the line of duty in our department. Following the photos, the video switched to news coverage from various stations reporting about an officer that had been shot in the face while serving a warrant 18 months ago. The video then cut to interviews of that officer, R, and his wife, P. They each talked about the incident and how it had changed their lives. As a result of the shooting, R had a stroke and lost some of the function of the left side of his body. He has had numerous operations and medically retired from the department 6 months ago. P has quit her job and now takes care of R full time. They have two kids in college. It was a very moving and emotional interview. After the interviews, the video ended with various members of the community (the Mayor, NFL players and coaches, members of the media) thanking the department and it officers for the job that we do. Immediately following the video, the back door of the small auditorium opened, and R and his wife P were escorted in.
They were greeted with a standing ovation. One of three that they received that day. They each talked to us and answered questions. They really tried to emphasize to us to appreciate what you have, because you never know when it will be gone. R said that he had thought about dying in the line of duty, but had never thought about being disabled and the burden that it places on your family. R kept saying over and over again how awesome and amazing P has been throughout the ordeal. P talked about how little the family saw R while the kids were growing up. R was always at work. P raised the kids. Now P has given up everything to take care of R. Amazing. They did not sugar coat what they have been through and what they face in the coming years. But it was a great example of true love and what it means to be married. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, P is living out those vows. That was one in-service class that I will never forget.
I was by myself on Wednesday night. A few hours into the shift, I checked by on a weapons disturbance. A female called and said that her boyfriend had a knife and had slashed all of the tires of her vehicle. A few units arrived and remarkably the male was still on the scene. He was taken into custody, but was not in possession of a knife. We checked her vehicle and one tire had been punctured and was flat. She told us that he had called her and wanted her to come over. She came over and he freaked out and cut her tire. He is currently on probation for assaulting her a few months ago. We asked her why she keeps seeing him, and she said that she loves him and he loves her. He has an interesting way of showing his love. He went to jail, and we ended up changing her tire. To protect and serve.
At the end of the shift, I was dispatched to a burglar alarm at a sushi restaurant. When I arrived I found a shattered window and some chairs inside had been knocked over. After the owners arrived and unlocked the doors, we checked the business. The suspects were long gone, but they had not taken anything. There was cash still in the register and in the tip jars. They had been spooked by something, or they were after something besides cash.
I was off on Thursday for my birthday and I took off on Friday to take care of Jen and her injured foot.
That concludes another week on patrol.
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