A Cop’s Day – It’s Not All Car Chases and Shootouts
Police officers have a dangerous job, no doubt about it. They drive fast, dodge bullets, wrestle bad guys, and take knives away from rowdy drunks. But, if you take the time to look closely you’ll see that they’re just people, like you and me. They just happen to wear a uniform and carry a gun.
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Not even close, Peg.
What do you mean you didn’t use one of your big hair pictures, Lee? What was the black and white photo?
😉 Peg H
You opened up my eyes to the many facets of being a cop. Thank you!
No, no. Got to have some secrets!
LOL Oh come on, Lee! Post those big-hair pics.
Well, I didn’t use my big-hair photos.
I guess it wouldn’t be fair to use the Glamour Shots portrait from the 80s with the big hair and the hoop earrings.
Joyce – We have to have a photo of you!
Vicki – Thanks. I hope you stop by often.
mrssharron – Thanks for stopping by.
Wonderful pictures. Your stories are great, too.
Thank you, Lee, for this very interesting and useful blog. You’re in my bookmarks!
I guess I’d better break out the camera. As long as I don’t have to include one of me–I don’t want to scare anyone away!
Dave – Similar story. The guy who taught me defensive tactics in the academy (Okay, that was back when we carried rocks for weapons and drove Flintstone cars) chased a guy into a house. The bad guy climbed into the attic, and when the sergeant stuck his head through the opening the crook shot him in the face with a sawed-off shotgun.
Back up arrived and after a couple more shots had been fired by the thug, the officers filled the ceiling beneath him full of bullet holes. After several minutes of silence they finally shoved a German Shepherd up there to get the guy. No need.
Becky – Some of these photos would be perfect in our book, but I guess we’ll have to settle for whatever the illustrator decides to do. The good news is that all those folks in the pictures are the people who’ve been providing the current information for the book. So, I guess we could use today’s post as our acknowledgments page.
Joyce – I’m anxious to see the photos you include on the day that you’re on as guest blogger. That’s April 15th, right?
Great pictures–and stories too!
Wish the format of our book took photos–the kids would love these!
Lee, your story of chasing the escapee reminded me of a story I have to share.
I had warrants for a burglar and was watching for him near an apartment that I had received a tip he was staying at with a girl. We spotted each other about the same time and he disappeared between some houses, but I knew where he had gone. I called for assistance and several officers showed up, including a fairly new officer – who is now a Captain.
Fast forward to the officer going into the attic to look for the suspect when suddenly, we heard a crash and a gun shot. Looking up, we saw the officer’s feet sticking through the ceiling – one leg on each side of a ceiling joist. YOUCH!
No wonder his gun went off!
End of story? The burglar went to prison, and the officer, amazingly, went on to get married and father two children.
Hey, you’re right, Dave. I can’t use the word old because we’re the same age.
Not old, Lee. Just crusty!!
I thought you guys might enjoy some of these photos. It’s a side of things the public doesn’t normally see.
Can’t sneak a thing by a crusty, old ex-cop, can I?
You should recognize that location. After all, you worked next door for thirty years.
Yep, that’s me in the black and white shot. The guy in cuffs was a prisoner who’d escaped from a state prison and had been on the run for a couple of hours. I was on my way to court and saw him walking along the railroad tracks. I got out of my car and chased him on foot until he ran inside a house. I found him hiding in a closet, and after a very brief struggle (not sure how his head hit that doorjamb), I handcuffed him and took him to the state corrections officers who’d lost him in the first place. Funny how they tend to misplace those guys from time-to-time.
I think you’re right D. Swords!!! I thought so too.
Lee, these pics are great. They remind me of why we should always thank the police, not cuss them out.
Love the pics, Lee! They give us great insight into the job. Thanks!
Hi, Lee.
I believe I recognize the location of the pic with you and the S.O. cruiser.
The B&W photo of the plainclothesman with the handcuffed prisoner – is that who I think it is?
Terry – There was nothing I could have said that the pictures themselves don’t describe. As they say in a place where I used to live, “Them’s good people.”
The picture you mentioned is of a sheriff’s deputy who works in the courts transporting prisoners to and from jail and the courtroom. He’s also one of the deputies in charge of courtroom security. You can see by the number of restraints he’s carrying that there are quite a few prisoners inside that courthouse holding cell he’s unlocking. It was time to transport the inmates back to jail.
Okay, here’s some jail trivia for you. The key he’s using to unlock the door is a Folger-Adams key (brand name) and it’s made from solid brass.
Elena – It was difficult enough to come up with the opening paragraph, but 29,000 words, geez…
Terry,
I’m one of those people who automatically count things – LOL
Lee would have had to come up with 29,000 words to match this 🙂
It’s a wonderful collection of photos that remind me of some of the greatest people I have ever known.
If a picture is worth 1000 words, then someone who counted all the great shots here can let us know how long this would have been had Lee chosen to write it instead.
(love the second to the last shot)