The little Christmas tree

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Badge415

A few weeks ago, I was working overtime in patrol when I was dispatched to a disturbance call at a run down motel. The tenant in one of the rooms was drunk and causing problems. When we arrived, Tom was sleeping, so our problem was solved. Why wake him up? He was having sleepy time.

A few hours later, Sleeping Beauty was up again. He was still drunk and wanted to fight with the motel owner. This generated another call for service and I was back for part two.

When I arrived, he was buying more beer at the liquor store next door. I went over there and waited for him to come outside. He was eventually arrested and the motel owner said he was going to kick Tom out.

After Tom was handcuffed he was told about getting kicked out. That’s when a friend walked by and said he’d help. The friend agreed to clear the room out and hold onto the stuff until he got out of jail.

After he was taken to jail I went back to the motel room to drop off the beer he just bought.

When I drove up, I saw the friend already hard at work getting Tom’s stuff packed up. That’s when a bare Christmas tree got moved to the front door. It reminded me of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree when I saw it.

This guy was an alcoholic and according to him, living in a bedbug infested motel room. I didn’t know anything about him, but seeing that little Christmas tree made me feel bad for him because he was probably going to be alone during the holidays.

Tom might’ve wanted to fight the motel owner, but he still had a little Christmas spirit left in him.

Jingle the Elf

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Badge415

The Elf holding court with the little people

It’s 11:48PM and another Christmas Eve is about to be in the history books. In a few short minutes the clock will strike midnight and the Elf on the Shelf will go back in hiding for another year.

He captured a UCLA Bruin bear

Jingle is our Elf on the Shelf. This year Jingle appeared and performed various mischievous acts, but didn’t get too crazy like other elves. He didn’t rearrange furniture or make a Barbie do something unnatural. He mostly jumped from spot to spot and at times picked on my daughter’s stuffed animals.

New and never performed acrobats

I like Jingle’s style because he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and shake things up. I bet he’s a carpe diem type of Elf.

Merry Christmas from Badge415.

It’s not a Christmas party anymore

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Badge415

Tonight’s my wife’s annual Christmas party. Oh, wait. I just found out the title was changed to “Holiday Party.” I always thought it was a Christmas party or an Xmas Party for short.

Since it’s now a “Holiday Party” does that mean they have to get rid of the Christmas trees that are at the hotel where it’s being held? Does this also mean I can shorten Holiday Party to Ho Party if I send a text message or email?

Just a little something I thought about when I found out it wasn’t a Christmas party anymore.

Say A Prayer For Our Fallen Officers

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Badge415

It is Christmas night and all of the chaos is over. All of the presents have been handed out and all of the relatives have gone home. Now there is peace. 365 more days and we get to do it all over again.

Christmas is about tradition. We all have our Christmas routines that we follow every year. Having brunch at my grandparent’s house is one of my Christmas traditions. We have been going there since I was in elementary school.

Today, I told my daughter we have been doing brunch since I was her age. She gave me a shocked look and said, “Wow.” I guess that means I’m getting old in her eyes.

My wife and I started our own Christmas tradition by accident. Many years ago it was dinner time and we were getting hungry. My wife suggested we go to a restaurant.

You don’t have many options on Christmas night, but we were lucky enough to find an El Torito restaurant that was still open. We walked in and were surprised to see that it was packed. I guess everyone else had the same idea too.

Ever since that night we make sure to have our Christmas dinner at El Torito.

I hope one day my kids will tell the story about how mom and dad used to drag them to a Mexican restaurant on Christmas night. Who knows, maybe they’ll keep the tradition alive.

I’m lucky to still have those traditions after all these years, but there are others who were not so lucky.

I’m talking about those killed in the line of duty this year.

There is one important thing to remember at this time of the year. We have to make sure we don’t forget about those law enforcement families who lost loved ones in 2014.

There were over one hundred police families who lost someone to an on-duty death this year. Some were killed in traffic collisions. Some were killed by suspects. Either way, their deaths left broken hearts. The on-duty death of an officer leaves a hole in all of us.

Their deaths left family traditions that will never be the same again.

These officers gave the ultimate sacrifice and we need to keep their memory alive. More than ever, it’s important to support those who wear the badge and protect us.

Say a prayer for those fallen officers and their families. We owe that to our brothers and sisters, who died while on-duty.

As the saying goes, “Blue Lives Matter.”

Be safe

A Christmas Trip to Payless

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Badge415

One night, I responded to a collision involving two cars. One car made a left turn in front of another and they crashed at the driveway of the Goodwill store. The male who made the left turn was at fault and had a suspended license. I impounded his vehicle and took the report. It was a week before Christmas, about six or seven years ago.

The male told me he was going to the Goodwill store to buy shoes for his three kids when he crashed. From our conversation I found out he was no stranger to spending time in custody. He was very respectful and never asked for a chance about the car.

His three kids were passengers in the car at the time. I can’t remember their exact ages, but they were between ten and six years old. The youngest was a girl. My children were about the same age at the time.

I compared the Christmas my children were about to have to these three young passengers. My children’s lives were of comfort. These other children lived in a world where their father was in and out of jail. I knew they probably would never have a Christmas like my kids.

The next day I spoke to my wife and told her about the children. We agreed we were going to buy them shoes for Christmas.

A few days later, I went to the driver’s apartment after going 10-8. He wasn’t home, but a relative was. I told her the reason I was there and she said she would pass on the message.

A little while later, I spoke with the father on the phone. I told him we wanted to get his children shoes for Christmas. He was very thankful and accepted our offer . The next day I met him at Payless after coming on-duty.

The clerk had a confused look when we walked in. The parents helped their kids with sizes while I waited.

The boys got tennis shoes and the little girl put on black dress shoes. They were not exactly what I was thinking. I had a more practical shoe in mind, but the smile on her face was awesome. When we were done, I paid for the shoes and we walked out together.

The man and his wife thanked me and we parted ways, wishing each other a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas and be safe.

Avoid being a victim during the holiday shopping season

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Badge415

The holiday season is a time for giving, right? Unfortunately, it is also the season for taking and stealing.

It sounds bad, but it’s true. There are predators that prey on people during the holiday season.

Here are six tips to think about.

LOCK your car
Sounds easy, but it still needs to be said.

People forget to lock their doors all the time. How easy is it for a thief to try door handles while walking around a crowded parking lot? It’s very easy and that is why they do it.

Don’t leave your purse open in the shopping cart
I’m amazed how often I see this. How long does it take you to reach into your purse to get something out? Now think how fast a thief can do it when you’re not looking.

Don’t get distracted by a stranger
A stranger might distract you with questions. If that happens, there might be a partner lurking close by. They will seize the opportunity to steal something from you when you’re distracted.

Certain groups work in teams that are made up men, women and children. They’re good at what they do. They are betting you won’t suspect them and you’ll be ripped off before you know it.

Pay attention.

Don’t text in the parking lot
You can’t see the bad guy if your head is looking down while you text. You need to pay attention in the parking lot when you walk to your car.

Don’t make it easy for someone to rip you off because you weren’t paying attention. They’ll be gone before you know it.

There’s no LOL here. Only a 😦

UPS/Fed Ex boxes
Don’t forget the packages that were delivered to your porch. A thief could follow the UPS or Fed Ex truck and make their own pick up after the delivery is made.

Don’t leave boxes on the porch any longer than you have to. Have a neighbor, who is home during the day, get the boxes for you.

Hide your things
Common sense says don’t leave valuables in plain sight in the car. The problem is people continue to do it. Afterward, they wonder why the car window was smashed and their valuables were stolen.
Just a few things to think about. Don’t be a victim this holiday season.