Holiday Lull

There was a noticeable drop in the amount of criminal activity last week. I attributed it to the holiday spirit of cheer and goodwill. A squadmate said, "I've always believed the cockroaches scurry from the cold." Yes, winter has finally arrived in the city. Those of you in other parts of the country will relate when I tell you it is cold here at night. It was in the low 60's last week and in the upper 50's on at least one night. I'm still wearing my short-sleeve uniform and now covet my bullet-proof vest for the warmth it provides and forgive it for the torturous dicomfort it afforded all summer. I've even modified my icy Diet Coke regiment into one of coffee.

I arrived at my precinct the other day and could hear the wall pounding thuds of a prisoner inside one of the holding cells. I entered the building and approached the holding area to see what the fuss was about. A woman in her twenties was in the cell screaming profanities, vollying murderous threats, and kicking madly at the door. She was already handcuffed to the concrete bench and had shed the towel that was provided to her for clothing. She was arrested earlier in the day for driving naked through the city, driving to an affluent mountainside neighborhood, and ramming her car through the gates of a $10 million medieval style castle. She crashed through another wall and tried to flee. She then punched an officer in the face as he tried to take her into custody. She was apparently on a crystal meth binge and was out of her mind. To top it off we learned she was the wife of a police officer. She told us his name and one of my squadmates knew him as they went through the police academy together. The husband-officer was called and told us he was in the process of divorcing her (I wonder why??).

She calmed down and was happy and pleasant while being transported to the county jail. Once inside the giant steel entry doors, however, she realized she was not be driven to a friend's house and again went ballistic. Several officers and jail detention officers were needed to get her booked and placed in a cell.