America 2018.....

God help us all!!!!

As a patrol sergeant, a common event in my day is going by with a unit because someone wants to "Speak with a supervisor..." Hey, I got the stripes, it comes with the job, got it.

But you know it's gonna be a headache when I speak with the man on the scene by phone, and he says, "Sarge, we arrested this dude for criminal trespass, and his mother wants to talk to you...." I know I'm going to regret this, but, I'll ask, "How old is the suspect?"

My officer responds, with a slight tone of amusement in his voice, "The dude's forty...."

After arriving and seeing the suspect in the back seat, I explain to Mom that it's not up to her, or him, or the man who called on his. The district attorney's office has accepted charges and we have to book him. She seems to understand, and I keep my comments to myself about a forty year told needing mom to handle his business.

Well, after he started screaming, "I'm mental, I gotta go to the hospital! I've not taken my meds! I'm bi-polar, schizophrenic, I'm ready to kill myself!," and starts to slam his head against the divider in the patrol SUV. I notice he likely doesn't know how to balance a checkbook, but he knows the right words to trigger a mental health evaluation before he goes to jail. And as much as I really don't care if his overacting will result in his splitting headache or other injury to himself, he might damage the vehicle, and that we can't afford right now. Also, if he bust his head, not much will flow out, but I will likely be writing a lot of paperwork.

So the officers and I have to pull him out, he keeps kicking and screaming, and after his next piece of Shatner like overacting, he screams at the top of his lungs, "I can't breath!" He ain't that bright, because if he had any knowledge of the human body, he would know you can't scream when you can't breath. After reminding him that the act has already been done by Eric Gardner, and I then mentioned (screamed actually) he was on camera. I find that calms a lot of suspects down, knowing they can't lie about what's happening.

After the medics check him out, he goes to get evaluated at the psych center, and I get to write another report because of an idiot. If he had just cooperated he would be out in a day, now he's gotta sit in a hospital for a day or two, then get goes to jail for trial, etc.

I am annoyed at this stupidity, but I remind myself. If it wasn't for stupid people, I would be out of a job!

Here's to a better week!