Another Proud Moment

I had one of those days that solidified my decision to become a police officer. You know, the kind if prideful moments that define our character.

It all started when I chose keys for my daily patrol car only to find it dead in the parking lot with a drained battery. I charged it up from a portable terminal and headed towards a shoplifting call. When I was done with the call I returned to my car and found it dead again. A fellow officer came by to give me a jump start and I continued my shift.

We always carry two sets of keys so I decided to leave my car running at the next call. I got out, locked the door and handled a civil matter between a daughter and step father arguing.

I walked back to my running patrol car, inserted the key into the locked door, and was unable to move the key in either direction. I tried twisted, rotated, jiggled, and cranked the key in all directions using both soft and hard pressure. The door lock did not give. I tried the passenger door with equal disappointment. I realized my second key did not belong to this vehicle and the good key was in the ignition. I radiod my dispatcher to send a motorist-unit with a slim-jim but none was available.

I called my best friend who happened to live a few blocks away and asked him to bring wire coat hangers, pry bars, and screwdrivers. My friend arrived and started working on opening the passenger side door while I did my best on the driver's door. After a few minutes I was able to pull the door lever with my hanger and open the door. My friend and I then stood at back of my car and started chatting.

Out of nowhere, an undercover unit drove up. I thought he was stopping by to visit so I told him hello. He looked at me funny and said, "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, why?", I asked.
"Didn't you just hear the hot call on the radio for this location?"
"No" (getting alarmed) "What was it for?"
"Someone just called 911 about a guy in a red shirt breaking into a police car."
(My friend had a red shirt and was obviously the reason for the call)

Just then, another patrol car flew around the corner and raced over to where we were standing.
"What the hell's going on!?" he yelled.
"Just trying to get into my locked car", I replied.
"Don't you have you're radio on?"
"Yes, I just didn't hear the emergency call."
"Well, pay attention." he said and expressed his disgust by muttering a few obscenities as he drove off.

I then got on the radio and told my dispatcher everything was okay and it was only me breaking into my own car so no more units needed to come over.

For the rest of the night I had the pleasure of enduring the endless comments, jokes, and put-downs that flow so easily from the mouths of my fellow officers.






P.S. Tammy says, Hi: