Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 408 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: JANUARY 2017 We should never forget where we came from Sergeants and Captains don’t grow on trees. They came from patrol like the rest of us by Kevin Stuckey M y locker holds my pictures and magnets that show my personality. I look at my family pictures and give my- self a moment to smile and reflect on my family before I open my locker to get ready for my shift. I log on as soon as roll call is over. As I load my car and do the mic check, a hot call comes out. I rush through my log in process so that I can re- spond. I get to the call and do everything I can to assist the primary officer. My squad only has three people today so I don’t make it very far. I am called to back anoth- er officer in a district on the other side of the precinct. And so it goes for the next four hours, from call to call in adjoining districts. I don’t make it to my own district until halfway through my shift. I miss meeting up with the shop owners that I have worked so hard to create a relationship with – the peo- ple that have been asking for more police presence. The car prowl hot spot has gone unattended because I have been running from call to call. It becomes painfully obvious that we need more people in patrol. My squadmate and I are dispatched to a violent DV call. We get there and handle it. We make an arrest and head to the precinct to write the report and process the prisoner. We made a righ- teous and necessary arrest, but it quickly becomes a detriment as our remaining squadmate has to cover our entire district alone. Finally, the end of shift has arrived. My squadmates and I head to the precinct to prepare for the end of shift. We gather at the precinct and prepare the last of our paperwork. This is the time that we unwind from the stress, when we talk shit and make light of the mess that we waded through that day. The drive home is when I hold on to the light points and laughter that I had that day. I work to put the events of my day into the mental lockboxes that I have cre- ated. I do this so that when I arrive home my family sees me. They see me and nothing else. I love my fam- ily and I refuse to bring the negativity home to them. Officers in general see people and assist them on the worst day of their lives. They call police to help them deal with it. I swore an oath to the citizens of Seattle and I am willing to do whatever I must to fulfill that oath. Come hell or high water I will do everything within the letter of the law to do what is needed to make every situation right. I know some will not like me for it, but I will do what I am able to do to help. That’s the secret of the police. We know we won’t always be popular, but we do what is right regardless. The moment we pin on the badge we change. We all take on the warrior spirit and aim to protect our districts, our people, our commu- nity. There is a reason that pa- trol is called the backbone of the department. We stand firm against the wind of change that rages all around us and stand fast in our need to do what is right and just. Patrol is where every single one of us started, and where we all fall back to when faced with darkness. We should never forget where we started. Never forget who we are as people. Never forget to look out for each other. Never forget. Kevin Stuckey is the president of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild. Dog is stuck, cops to the rescue In Concord, California recently, a dog that got stuck between two fences was rescued by Concord police officers. Cops received a call about a dog in distress but the caller could only hear the animal. When they arrived on scene, they quickly deter- mined the pooch’s location and figured the animal had been stuck for a couple of hours. The adorable white and gray pit bull was scared, but the cops had treats. After some chillin’ with the fuzz, the dog was turned over to animal control. The pit bull was micro- chipped and Animal Con- trol immediately began to try and return the dog to his owner. The officers had no way of knowing at the time but they likely saved the dog’s life. The dog’s name is Kimbo and was reported missing by his owner. The owner also said that Kimbo has a tumor on his neck and needed medica- tion. Officer Patel knows a thing or two about how to handle K-9s. Dogs, like people, are usually a lot easier to deal with if you give them treats. Officers brainstorm about how to free the animal. Kimbo, no longer trapped, scared and potentially dan- gerous, smiles as he checks out the cruiser. The look on that face says: “Thanks guys! I thought I was gonna be there forever.” “Just give me a comfortable couch, a dog, a good book, and a woman. Then if you can get the dog to go somewhere and read the book, I might have a little fun.” – Groucho Marx