Cops have gotten a bad rap lately. What with Ferguson and other, not so truthfully, but well publicized interactions with citizens that turned out badly.
One of the big groans we all hear all the time is…”The police need to improve their interactions with the community, blah, blah…”
Never mind the proliferation of all the gun violence, drug addiction, broken homes and broken families. Never mind the lack of mental health assistance, unemployment, morality or a sense of community. Improved community relations will fix all that. Sure it will.
Cops interact with citizens on a daily basis. It could be a shots fired call or a dispute between husband/wife, neighbors, baby mama/baby daddy. Cops make a difference because these people have absolutely, positively no place else to turn.
Cops also do things that are small and less discernible but none the less important. Calm a troubled neighborhood by merely driving down the street. Talking to a kid that could go either way. Stop and help a troubled soul with kind words and direction.
These seemingly insignificant interventions may feel forgettable in the grand scheme but in the lives that the cops touch they are not forgotten.
Do not be frugal with your kindness.
STAY SAFE, BUCKLE UP AND WEAR YOUR VEST!!
www.KenJDye.com
Teens are still impressionable and as young cop who then looked like “Muldoon” from the show “Car 54 where are you ?”, I gave away autographs of Muldoon (Fred Guinn) instead of letting the teasing bother me. Soon the practice almost got out of hand since I was rewarded with the little thieves dumping all their stolen cars in our parking spots around the police station just to annoy us . Their idea of fun was to steal cars we had recovered and parked behind the station house before we could get the car turned over to the owner. Not exactly harmless fun, but when something really bad happened, I was the first to hear who did what. In later years the cultivated trust paid specific dividends, but that’s a different story…in a few words; there’s nothing wrong with a little mutual respect since it builds trust that often wins over even the worst of our little juvenile delinquents.
Great stuff Bill. At least when something really big happened your stable of “informants” would contact you and give you the scoop.
Maybe a little moving the cars round was worth the end product. Hope so. Did you ever wonder how many lives you changed for the better. I’m sure it was more than a few.
Stay safe buddy…I did so enjoy our little get together and look forward to doing it again and sooner rather than later.
All the best:
Ken
” Calm a Neighborhood by just driving down the street.” Ken you have been off the street for a while. There are many neighborhoods in this community that the act of driving by draws a lot of negative action by Our youth. The obscene gestures you see in the rear view mirror,the stones thrown, the hiding their faces to ward off recognition not to mention dumping contraband. They find strength in their Mob status in the streets and very little interest receiving Officer Friendly in their company. They Show You the same respect they give their parent(s).
Yeah, I know. Written for the unknowledgeable. Got a lotta comments fron the “Hug a thug” group or the everybody needs a sympathetic ear or some other BS,
SUBJECT CHANGE:
Missed everybody at the breakfast. Got there a bit late and couldn’t find the retirees. Sat with a couple folks I didn’t know. New location so I stumbled around for a while and followed some cops to the shindig. As always a most moving service.
Hope all is well with you and your fine family.
Ken