“Everyone Speaks Tow Truck”

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Badge415

I shouldn’t be surprised at work anymore, but it still happens. Just when I think I’ve seen it all….

On Friday night I went to a call where an unlicensed driver made a left turn in front of another car and they crashed. There was nothing shocking about that because unlicensed drivers crash all the time where I work. It’s the norm rather than the exception.

I went to speak to the unlicensed driver and asked him what happened. He asked me if I spoke Spanish. I told him I didn’t. We weren’t able to communicate so I called for a Spanish speaking officer to respond to assist me.

I called for a tow truck because I was going to impound the unlicensed driver’s truck. I then went to interview the other driver. When I was done with that I stood by waiting for the tow truck and the Spanish speaking officer. That’s when the tow truck pulled up.

I pointed to the crashed truck and told the tow driver that I was impounding that vehicle. That’s when the unlicensed driver said in perfect English, “Why are you taking my truck?”

I actually stared at him for a second wondering how all of the sudden English words were coming out of his mouth. It was like a bolt of lightning struck and turned him into an English speaker. It was of Biblical proportions on Good Friday.

That’s when I said, “I thought you didn’t speak English.”
“I speak a little.”
“784, cancel the Spanish speaker. My driver started speaking English when he saw the tow truck.”
“10-4,” replied the dispatcher.

I was then able to conduct the interview with his English and the “car accident” Spanish that I know.

It was at that moment I was taken back to a saying a friend once said at work. It’s the type of saying that has stayed with me for years and I’ve tried to pass it on to other officers. Those particular words were perfect for this moment…..

“Everyone speaks tow truck.”

No matter what the situation, the sound of a tow truck can wake the heaviest of sleepers. Bring a tow truck into a neighborhood and people will pour out of their apartments.

There could be five police cars parked in a neighborhood and some people might watch. Have a tow truck drive in and doors will fly open. People can’t get out of their apartments fast enough. Even the stray dogs in the area come by to watch.

Up until last night, I had no idea a tow truck had the power to make a person speak English.

Like the saying goes……“Everyone speaks tow truck.”

You Gotta Have Heart

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Badge415

On Wednesday evening I was typing reports in Starbucks. There’s nothing better than having my paperwork spread out all over the table and a drink right next to me. A refill is just steps away.

Every once in a while someone will ask me a question about police work. I don’t mind answering their questions because they get to see me as a real person sitting in Starbucks just like them.

This young guy in his early twenties walked up to me and asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“What’s the difference between a reserve officer and a full time officer?”

I told him the difference and I asked him why he wanted to know.

“I was thinking about being a reserve officer. I figured it was a good way to get my foot in the door,” he said.
“Why don’t you put your foot all the way through the door and try to become a fulltime officer?”
“I was in the process with Anaheim and Costa Mesa, but I pulled out.”
“Why?”
“I got this real estate job and I wanted to try it out. Maybe I’ll do both.”

I got the impression his heart wasn’t into it. He said it like he was trying to decide if he should wear Nike or New Balance shoes. His answer was so casual it didn’t seem like he was that serious about it.

Anyone who has been through the hiring process, the academy, field officer training and then working the street, knows this isn’t the right frame of mind.

That’s when I said, “Either you want it or you don’t. This isn’t a job you try out to see if you like it.”

I wasn’t trying to be mean, but I think he needed to hear straight talk. I then went on.

“This is a rewarding job, but it has its moments. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. You need to take a look in the mirror and decide how bad you want it. This job isn’t for everyone. Your heart has to be into it.”

He told me he understood and said he had been on some ride alongs. I told him about the different types of situations an officers faces and stressed to him how much responsibility went with the job.

That’s when the radio came to life about an injury collision involving a bicyclist and a truck. I told him good luck and I cleaned up my stuff.

A few minutes later, I was standing over a dead body in the street. The victim’s brains were all over the place.

I then thought back to the guy at Starbucks. I wondered how he would’ve reacted to seeing this.

I could tell he was young and maybe this wasn’t the job for him right now. I’ve spoken to other people his age that were so much more focused about where they were going in life and what they wanted to do. Maybe I was the fork in the road of life for him right now. Only time will tell.

Like I told him, this job isn’t for everyone. It takes a certain type of person to do it. Some people are just made for the job. For some, it’s a calling. It requires sacrifice and determination. I could go on and on, but there’s one thing in the world that’s the most important.

You gotta have heart.

What is Bravery and Courage?

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Badge415

Look up the words Bravery and Courage and you’ll find the following:

Bravery is, “a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear.”

Courage is, “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty”

How many people know about the Doolittle Raid that took place on April 18, 1942? This month will be 73 years since the historic raid, but very few people will talk about it.

The raid was significant and amazing because of what the pilots and crews did. On that date, sixteen B-25 bombers with five-man crews launched from an aircraft carrier and headed toward their targets in Japan.

Launching a bomber off an aircraft carrier had never been done before by any of the pilots until that day. They had no fighter support and they weren’t coming back to the aircraft carrier either. This was a one-way trip. The plan was for them to land at bases in China.

While en route, the American task force of ships was spotted by a Japanese boat, which radioed an attack warning. That ship was sunk and it was decided by Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle to launch the mission early.

The mission was launched 10 hours earlier and 170 nautical miles farther away from Japan than was planned. The bombers arrived about six hours later and hit their targets.

After dropping their bombs on Japan, the planes headed for China. As they got closer they knew they weren’t going to make the landing strips because of low fuel levels.

One plane landed in the Soviet Union. The other fifteen planes either crash landed or were ditched when their fuel ran out thirteen hours after launching off the USS Hornet.

What happened to them after that?

One was killed during bail-out. Two drowned off the China coast, three were executed by Japanese firing squad and one died of sickness and malnutrition in captivity.

The survivors had to avoid Japanese detection and were helped to safety by the local Chinese.

The mission was seen as a morale booster to the country after the Pearl Harbor attack.

Before the mission, the Japanese didn’t think this type of attack was possible. The Doolittle Raid showed them different.

This story brings me back to the words Bravery and Courage. Everyone knows the words, but do we really understand what they mean?

Just look at what those eighty men did 73 years ago and you have the true meaning of the words.

They also showed all of us what guts and hard work are too.

So, when times get tough, we can all learn something from the Doolittle Raiders.

Stay safe.