New Year's Day

I came in tired. Fireworks didn't stop popping until about 3am. I start my patrol with a couple of traffic stops. Nothing worth writing tickets over, plus, it is New Year's Day so I'm in a lenient mood. Then, a man pulls up next to me and tells me he was threatened by a panhandler in the parking lot of a Walgreens. He then says "I think you should do something about it!" I really didn't like the way he said it. So, I give the woman I had stopped on traffic her license back and tell her Happy New Year and tell the old man he needs to lead me back to the store and show me the guy. He does. I see a scraggly looking man walking around the parking lot. He sees me and starts to walk towards a parked bicycle. I get out and stop him. I determine it's him. I put him in handcuffs and stuff him in my car. Well, come to find out, this guy is an 'ex-con.' I love the term 'ex-con' because that usually comes before the description of the triple homicide he just committed. Many people say "once a convict, always a convict." I believe that is true although not in the way you may think. Once you've been convicted and served time in a prison, nothing will ever change that. Now, can someone who served prison time lead a useful, productive life? Sure they can. Not often though. Anyway, we end up arresting him for terroristic threat. He gives me the old "ahhh just because I was in prison you take his word.....this ain't right....you're making a mistake....yada yada yada." I guess I am an a-hole. Then I find out later he has a habit of doing this. He'll confront customers coming out of a restaurant nearby and if they don't give him money he threatens them. Ahhh so there! I did do good by approaching him, slapping the cuffs on him and showing him who really is boss.

The rest of the day is slow. I eat dinner then go search for coffee. As I'm walking out I hear sirens coming down the street. I get in the car and see one of our units behind a Nissan with the lights on. I think he is pulling it over here. The vehicles turn down the street. I drive behind the stores thinking they will be stopped there and I'd just be secondary on a traffic stop. Well, by the time I get around I see the vehicles going down another street. Oh hell, this isn't a traffic stop, it's a damn pursuit! I floor the pedal trying to catch up as they turn onto another street, a major thoroughfare. I make it to that street and again put the pedal to the metal! I'm flying up the street slowly gaining, 70, 80, 90, 98. We cross over an interstate highway when for whatever reason the Nissan starts slowing down. He finally comes to a stop. Well, good for all of us because there are people just trying to get to their destinations without this piece of crap endangering us all. I exit the car with my pistol covering the Nissan. I then spot the other officer already at the driver's window struggling to get the driver out of the vehicle. Well, bad officer safety because we don't know who this guy is or why he is running. I stay back not knowing if there are any passengers and if bullets come from the vehicle I'm in an excellent position to return fire. I shout "**** is there anyone else in the vehicle?" I had to ask twice over his siren. When he says no, I holster my pistol and run to help him. Well, the driver forgot to put the vehicle in park because it is still moving. On top of that, his arm is caught in the seat belt and is being drug up the street! This is the second time in my career I've had to jump in a moving vehicle to get it to stop, and after a pursuit! Well I get the Nissan parked and we get the driver in custody. Turns out he's a twice convicted drunk driver and guess what? Yep! He's drunk again! While we're inventorying the vehicle and someone says "oh my check this out quick!" Everyone is racing to the back of the car. I'm thinking they've found drugs, guns, or maybe even a human head. So, I get back there and what do I see? About 20 damn porno DVDs! One officer says "damn his collection is better than mine!" I can only sigh and shake my head. Damn juveniles. I find the brand new guy and tell him he had to put each and every porno title on the tow slip. I'd like to know if he really did. When his supervisor reads it, he will have a baby. Oh well, I'll find out if he did, and have a good laugh about it. That was my excitement for New Year's Day. I hope you all had a good day.