Ben

Ben was a smart dude. Father was a Lawyer and expected him to do likewise. Ben went the other way. Jesuit University where he did the Pre-Law, Poly Sci gig and did fairly well. Ben became a cop. Did the local gig and then moved up to the State Police. Ben had the creds to be one of the Fed Alphabet agencies but Ben Wanted to be a Cop. Real Law Enforcement not Dept of Aggie chasing ladies trading in illegal roses. So Ben went through the Academy, Did his penance and did the three years away from home and then came back to his home troop. I worked the Patrol Side as a Supervisor and Ben did a tour there then moved back to the Crime Room. Ben was good, he was very Good. He has a visage like a Catholic Priest and all sorts of Bad Guys and Gals wanted to confess their sins to Ben. Remember Jesuit Uni?

One day we had a burglary. It occured at a halfway house in the county and the rock heads broke INTO the halfway house. Minor Point, usually the rock heads want to get out, it this case they wanted in, go figure. Forget who had the case but they stole Drugs (Halfway House?) and the house van. The van was recovered in Dover, DE and we figured the rock heads had wanted to go to the races. We banged on a lot of doors for that one and we got info a former guest ofthe halfway house was a part of the caper. We tracked his sister down in the city and talked to her. Didn't get a lot of info but we put the word out we wanted him. He and his one partner from the job show up at our door one night and said they wanted to give themselves up. Problem, the lead investigator was gone for some thing or another and we can't find the case file. Ben's the duty crime guy and I the night shift supervisor. I look at him and said "How do you want to play this?" Ben says let play dumb and see what these goofs give up. OK, I can do dumb. We bring the two knuckleheads back and rockhead #1 says "We want to give ourselves up." Ok, What to you want to give yourself up for? We really had nothing on them other then some street talk. We want to confess to the Halfway house Burglary. Goody, Great, Ben takes the one, I take the other and we get written statements from the both detailing how they got there, what they took and the name of the other guy(s) who were involved. Once we were done, We brought them both out in the patrol room and sit them on the bench. At this time they were advised they were under arrest and they were no longer free to go. The one guy piped up and asked "How did you know it was us?" The other one looked at him and said they didn't. Yup, Pretty much. But now we do. Charge sheet, Affadavit and both go the the Judge and get remanded. Dwight comes back on Monday and we had the statements, Charge sheet and a Supplemental for the interviews on his desk along with the Prints and Photos for booking. He said how'd you find them? I told him we didn't, they came and turned themselves in. You can go find the third guy. Here's his info. Ben said later he loved his job. Bad guys just want to get caught. Can't argue. Ben's a Crime Supervisor now. Probably make LT before he gets done. Good guy, Good Cop.

Keith

When I was just starting out in this gig, I could run. Now a 6 minute mile ain't all that great but when your 6' 2" 245 right out of the shower, it ain't bad. Wrestled, Football and Rugby when I got to college. I'm not a track guy. But when you're the new kid out of the academy and the two old guys have between them over 60 years on the road, you're the designeated runner. Oh, yeah their office was the designated smoking area.
So Ralph and Claude got a Warrent. Not just any warrent, but an Agg. Assault on a Police Officer. Tom was a trooper before I got to Little House on the Praire. He transferred downstate to Troop headquarters but would make a special guest appearence when we were short as he know the county. Tom went and assisted Local PD with a domestic. The Domestic involved Keith and a generic female. Keith was a frequent flier and we'd had numerous dealings with Keith. When Tom went in with the locals he and Keith rodoed right off the front porch. Tom got a little messd up and Keith took a ride to the locla crowbar cafe'. Come Prelimanary hearing Keith had bonded out and had escambayed. So the Magistrate issues a Failure to Appear Warrent. Keith's hiding out at his folks place out in the woods. Place is up a quarter mile drive way and I'm riding with Ralph and Claude. Oh Yeah, Unmarked Police car. This particullar one was an all black Dodge Diplomat. Steel Rims, Small hubcaps, All black. Obvious as a drunk on his wedding day. OK, we pull up to the house and I head around back. Designated runner remember. I see this pair of blue jeans and a Levi jacket heading out through the back yard. Keith ain't small, I guess he goes 200 normally but he can scoot. And he's running. I start to shift up through the gears and I see a knife scabbard on his belt. Back in the old days we carried 12 rounds of .357 in speedloaders and a pair of handcuffs. That's it, no radio, No baton, no pepper spray, Taser, ETC. We went to fists quite often. I carried a C Cell Mag light from when I was a Paramedic. Had a Baton Ring and it fit quite nicely. Didn't have it that day. So here we go. I yell at Keith to stand and deliver. He just puts his head down and starts to motor. Claude sees me pull the revolver and yells at me to put the gun away. I yelled back Keith had a knife. So Off we go. Keith has a bit of a head start on me and it's an uphill chase. At some point I'm thinking I'm gonna have to shoot this bastard or he gonna get away from me. Then Keith Stops, I catch up and yell at him to get on the ground. He told me to go pound sand. Ok, Skippy. Remember, No Intermediate tools. I kicked his leg out from under him and down he goes on his face. His hands are up under him and I see the knife scabbard is empty. "Put your hands out to the side!" "Go Fuck youself." At which point I proceed to put the boot in. Tell Him again to put his hands out to the side. He's a little bit more amenable at this point and I cuff him up. Claude and Ralph come chuggin up sounding like two steam locomotives. Two old guys remember, probably smoke a carton of cigs between them a day. Ralph starts to read the Warrent and then says "Fuck it, John just grab him. Let's go"

I field Strip Keith looking for the knife, seems he dropped it when his Mom yelled that the Gendamerie' were here and he ran out of the bedroom. I was all for crating Mom but Ralph and Claude said not too. Keith got 3-5 years in State for that one. Side note Keith saved the life of a Prison Guard while in the joint. Keith was a jerk but he never bitched about getting thumped. Dealt with him on later occasions but you always know were you stood with him. He always knew when we came for him there would be no quarter but when it was over it was done. Damn few bad guys like that anymore.

New truck

1970 Seagrave Tiller.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ty0wOXq3Ig

Getting Body work done, Not bad for a 40 year old truck. :D

Magazines

Couple of thoughts. Most failures with a bottom feeder can be directly traced to the ammo dispenser. Goes back to proof of concept and test your equipment. Couple of things go with that.


1. Mark your mags. This goes a long way to identifying them that can be a source of trouble.

2. Two is one, one is none. Get more mags. Absolute minimum is three and then multiplied, 6 then 9 etc. Reason LEO types rotate their ammo at least twice a year and more if the Dept is progressive. Using the same mags all the time I feel they tend to get tired and I like to rotate them through. I keep at least three mags loaded for social work. the rest are in the range bag and are for competition.

3. Buy a mag pouch. I can't tell you how many folks with drop coin on a holster and then not obtain a BELT and Mag pouch to go with it. Again with proof of concept. Shoot a course of fire. Under time and stress and find out what works. We don't buy those fancy rigs for nothing. You ain't gonna do well in competition diggin in your pants for mags, what makes you think it will work on the street.

4. Carry a reload. Sounds simple really, but why do we? Are you expecting the Zombie Apocalypse with a plethora of targets or the Invasion through Baja? Again where do most failures derive from, The source of ammo. Get it gone, Rinse, Lather, Repeat. Get back in the game.

Thanks for listening. Now go shoot.

Comfort Zone

I shoot Stock Service Revolver. Like Avis We try Harder. When I shoot SSP or CDP I tend to Run one or two in that division. Shooting a wheelie makes you work to do as well. Do your Kata, practice your presentation and do your speed loads. A Martial Arts type told me it takes 3000 reps of a movement to make it second nature. Breath... BEEP!


An aside, Make sure you clear any and all live rounds when ya do this. Embarrassing when you plug the den wall.