The first vehicle pursuit that I got into I remember thinking, wow this is cool, this is the reason I signed on to be a Police Officer. The lights flashing, the blaring of the radio, the engine noise coming through into the interior because of it's near red-lining, brakes squealing and coming home after that shift with stiff and sore calves because of the continuous *stomp* on the gas followed by *stomp* on the brakes followed by *stomp* on the gas...well you get the idea. Oh and we got him too.
The last one that I got into recently, my feelings were quite different. The thoughts that were going through my mind this time was not about how cool this was, but rather it was *stomp* on the gas, “I am going to get sued and loose my house”, *stomp* “some little kid is going to run in front of me”, *stomp* “if I ding up my car its going to be three weeks of paperwork”, and so on. Oh and he got away.
I always marveled when I first came on the job about how all the veteran Officers seemed so embittered toward Law Enforcement. They would pine over their future retirement at every roll call.
I understand them a little better know that I am half way through. It slowly kills the enjoyment of this job when you begin to focus not on the task at hand or the people you help but rather on the consequences that would happen should it suddenly go all wrong.
Its best summarized this way: in the beginning it was, "Yeah! We got him! Can you believe...(insert story of incident that just happened)", and now its, "Wow sure glad nothing happened! Can you believe what would have happened had...(insert analysis of worst case scenario)...I knew a cop that...(insert story of Officer that got in trouble or lost his job through no fault of his/her own under similar circumstances)".
The first part makes you look forward to going to work, the second part makes you look forward to going home.
Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. 5/04/2011 1:33am
1. 5/04/2011 1:33am
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