Tree?!?! Are you kidding me?

For those of you who may not know, my 5 month reprieve from Blogging turned into a year and a half. This is mainly due to a torn disc in my back. It knocked me out of commission for a little bit. This entry has to deal with my new adventure.

I have been pretty active in physical activities for most of my life. Many sports, extra curriculars, etc. Through these activities I have had many opportunities that I would not have had without them. Through all of this though there has been one thing that has been a challenge. A little thing called FLEXIBILITY. I could not, and still can't, touch my toes (or come 6 inches from) if I bend over and try. This is one of the many areas in which I lack limberness. I was able to get away with this while I was a young lad and in my 20's. Now that I am (cough) 31 and have had a major back issue I need to change. This is important so that I am able to walk when I am 40. In order to do this I have had to take on the biggest challenge of my life: YOGA.

Most of the individuals in yoga, including my wife, are under 6 feet tall. I take classes on Tuesday and Thursday with 2 different teachers. Until last night I had only been able to get to the Tuesday session due to work. The Tuesday session is pretty nice. The instructor is a small woman. She does a pretty good job of easing the class (me) into positions and working gradually into flexibility. This is not to say that I am to a point where I need to be, but I can at least handle the pace. Thursdays I have learned are a completely different animal.

Before I progress into the events of last night, let me paint you a picture. All of you know how, for lack of a better word, large I am. Well if you have not had the good fortune of taking a yoga class I shall draw you a mental picture. There are mirrors at the front and sides of the classroom. They turn the lights down to a small glimmer and there is usually pan flute, or other wind instrument, music playing softly in the background. If it wasn't for the low tone and slow pace of the instructor's voice telling you poses, or "salutations", it would be a great way to take a nap. Now add me in the back of the class of about 10 to 15 people, all of whom come to my shoulders. This is a rather hilarious sight. Everyone looks in the mirrors to make sure that they are performing everything properly, hips in the right direction, straight core, head up, etc. I have to look at other people in the mirrors because if I look at myself it is hilarious and humiliating at the same time. As athletic as I am I look like a freaking sequoia tree trying to bend in all these crazy directions with my ginormous limbs flailing everywhere.

Last night I believe I became a distraction. As I have mentioned Tuesday's are laid back, gradual. Thursday's are a "hey, get into it!" It is still all of the same music, lighting, etc, but Thursday's instructor  is there to give you a work out. It started out with exercises that we usually end on on Tuesdays. 10 minutes into this class I was sweating like I had just run 2 miles. My body as I looked into the mirror was being contorted in ways that it has never been, and yet it did not look anything like what everyone else in the class was doing. About half way through we started doing planks. I could handle the push up plank, but then we started into the star planks, etc. I was all over the place. I was flopping around like a fish. I could not help but laugh at myself, which caused my wife to look at me and start to snicker as well. This would not be the worst part.

To give our arms a rest and stretch them out we were told to put our arms behind our backs, interlace our fingers, and push out. We were then told to bend at the waist and bring our hands, with arms out, above our heads. I paused at first thinking, "Is she out of her freaking mind?", my hands were not clasped behind my back, but at my ass. When I leaned forward my hands stayed glued to my ass as my body bent at a 90 degree angle (which is not good). I lifted my head and saw that everyone else had their head inverted close to their knees and arms straight up in the air. My pose was ridiculous. I moved my shoulders a little to see if trying to loosen them would help.  Alas, it was to no avail. At the time I did my "shimmy" of my shoulders my wife looked at me and started laughing. As she laughed I was trying to hold back my laughter. Both of us ended up snickering and turning red. Obviously it was not as quiet as we thought, but we had no other choice.

There were a few more incidents where I struggled mightily and was a comic presence, unwittingly of course, that became a distraction. I came to find out later that my wife was laughing so hard, because she thought I was stuck and could not move out of the position. I know I am completely inflexible, but that is a little ridiculous.

This yoga stuff is rough. I need it to help me survive. I do not see an end to my comedy performances in the near future. Unfortunately I must endure. To those of you that know yoga, or have been privy to a class or two, I hope you can appreciate the pain and discomfort that I am in currently. Any sympathies will be greatly appreciated.

Hello Boys....I'm Back!!!

I have decided to continue my blog. It has been about a year and a half since my last post. I will not be speaking on my current profession. I will however, be speaking about my personal experiences in South Dakota "dohn't yah Knohw". So that is just the precursor. I will try and write later, but am busy as of now.

Also if there are any readers still there, I have gotten my wife to start a blog. Her first post made me laugh as hard as I could.

Her blog is : acpettyjohn.blogspot.com

Short Timer

Since I am not technically a police officer as of December 5, 2009 I have changed my blog title. I will take suggestions on a better title, but as of now it is the best I could think of in 20 seconds.

My next item to speak of is my sabbatical I will be taking. I am venturing into a new career which means that I will not have access to this blog for pretty much half a year. Now I know you are saying "He hardly writes on here anyways!" So at least I have conditioned the 2 readers I have to long periods of waiting on my every word.

Seriously though, I am excited for the upcoming change. It will be tough and at times I am sure I will hate it, but it is for the betterment of my family and that is all I can ask out of life. I say farewell to the blog world for 6 months (or so) and look forward to seeing you on the flip side.

In case any one is wondering I start on December 6, 2009. I am leaving my current city of Indianapolis on 12.3 to go spend a few days with my wife in D.C.

Thank you for reading my "Cop's Perspective". Think of new titles and I will try and post when I can, and about things that are on my mind.

New Adventures

Tonight is my last day of work at the Louisville Metro Police Department. I am writing from my MDT while waiting for time to pass. I cannot believe how fast 4 years has gone by. It is amazing to think of the friends, stories, experiences, excitements, and craziness that I have seen in the short time I rode the street. I would like to think I am the same person, however I know this to be untrue. From changing my mentality and outlook on society in the academy, to change related to the real life that most of us (including myself)will, or would, never see.

I am still amazed at how some people live their lives. It is sad, angering, and unbelievable how people will treat each other, especially those that they are supposed to love and care for most. Life, from what I have learned with this "life style" (what a cop calls their career), is a precious gift that can be taken at any time. It amazes me that people feel they have no life or way out. It amazes me that people are so small minded and selfish. And it amazes me that people are really as stupid as they are. Police have become the scape goats for parents with their children. They have become social workers, parents, and crutches for people who, because of one reason or another, never learned to be an adult and are raising children who will never be adults. I do not know where society is going, and am not sure I would want to live in this society if the small percentage I deal with becomes bigger or more prominent.

That it is more negative than I expected. Though I have a skewed view on a portion of society, my experience has been great. I would not change the past 4 years of my life for anything. I would love to stay a cop for my whole 20 year career. My friends and peers are like family that I would do anything for. There is nothing that can compare to the excitement, fear, and experiences one shares as a police officer with another officer. The camaraderie of a platoon is second to none. You learn to trust your partner with your life. Both parties can tell what the other is thinking without saying a word. One look, or nothing at all, and both of you know what needs to be done. The jokes, the laughter, the humor at the expense of some citizens cannot be explained, and sometimes should not be explained. As negative as I made the profession sound in the last paragraph, words cannot explain the positive experience, fun, and enjoyment that I have had.

There is no other experience, or profession, that can claim to relate or give experience to what being a police officer is. It is more than a job, it is a "life style." Hoping for excitement and a chance to have some fun, all while hoping it is not going to cost you your life or safety. It is an extension of a family. Once you are a cop, you are always a cop. You stop being a regular individual in society. One acts and becomes a completely different. It is a necessity to deal, and survive, with the horrors and atrocities that are seen. It truly is a brotherhood that cannot be explained.

I will miss my fellow officers that I have come to respect and admire. I will miss the red and blue mixed with the sirens. Cussing people out as they become deers in headlights when I am trying to get to an emergency run. The thrill of hammering the throttle and driving the crap out of an "old man" car. Nothing I do will ever be the same as a police officer riding the street. I am looking forward, and cannot wait, for my new career to start. But a piece of me will always remember and yearn for the excitement of a first responder.

I know none of them will read this, but; To all the officers I have worked with I wish you health and luck. Thank you for letting me share in a part of the most wonderful experience and profession of being a police officer. I hope that I have made your lives easier and little bit more enjoyable. Be safe, and remember the most important thing is to go home safe and in one piece every night. It truly was an honor to know and work with all of you.

Fear

First of all, for those wondering, my car was in the shop because it is a piece of shit. It has 77000 miles on it. Which, to be fair, is like 150000 citizen miles. But my car has been through 4 transmissions, 3 catalytic converters, and some other crap. Most of the problems I inherited from the officer who had it before me, who decided it was a good idea to drive the car through a flash flood and didn't make it. So long answer for a short question, it was having another transmission put it as well as fixing some other minor problems, which still are not fixed.

As far as the scariest moment. This is a tie amongst all the times that I have had to pull my gun out on someone. It is not that I am afraid to fire, or take a life. The fear comes from knowing what it means, or what the gun can do. I say fear, but what I mean is awe of the power that really cannot be controlled. I am in control of the weapon, in control of my actions, but I can not predict what the individual or individuals that I have to pull it on are going to do. There are so many unknowns, and that is scary.

Case in point. The most recent, was a home invasion I had to go on. My self and 3 other officers got a call from an 8 year old girl hiding in a closet, because masked men came into her house and took her mom, brother, and sister hostage. Quick story. The 8 year old called the police from the closet. We responded, saw the two men with guns pointed at the heads of the family members. We later found out that the individuals were about to duct tape their mouths and kill them (according to the family, which I believe could of happened). We had to breach the door. I already had my gun out, obviously, but for a split second after you unholster, you can not help but think "Is this really happening?" "What is coming next?" Then something triggers your instinct and training. In this case it was "drop the gun, drop the gun!!!!!!" from a fellow officer (to suspect 1). We got both of them without incident, like most cases.

What usually occurs is training and action without thinking of what is occurring. It just seems to trigger what you are to do next and progress through the motions. After the incident is when you reflect on what just occurred and what it truly means. Usually everyone sits around and talks about what happened. That is when the adrenaline is still flowing and it sinks in, a few small changes in the event and life would be a whole lot different. The fear I feel is not debilitating fear, but conscious respect of the power of what I might have to do and what a weapon is used for. As stated before, I have no problem with profession and what I am called upon to do. That being said it is still one thing to be prepared for what you have to do, and when it actually happens. I pray I never have to use my weapon on another human being, but I am prepared to do so. There is no greater exhiliaration and no greater fear in the same moment than when an officer unholsters their weapon and their senses hit super drive.

WOW

First of all I cannot believe that it has been 6 months, practically 7 since I have written on here. Mainly because work picked up over the summer months. I have been trying to get a new job, and both of them required me to travel extensively on my off days. And one final excuse was that my car has been in the shop for 2 months and I have not had my computer to write on when I get bored working.

So I will try and think of some of the good stories that we have had over the summer. And on top of that I was wondering if any of my loyal 3 fans have any questions or stories they would like to hear? Ask me something you have always wanted to ask a cop, I will do my best to answer it, and do so truthfully.

By A Nose!!!!

With Derby around the corner and the latest incident I had the privilege to make I thought the title was appropriate. There is a run of an injury accident two males down from a single motorcycle incident. Obviously we think "this might be pretty good", yes we are just that sick. We get in the area and come to find out the motorcycle is in a 7 foot ditch next to the road. One guy is sitting next to the bike, the other guy crawled out and was sitting next to the road. I looked at the guy in the ditch as EMS was trying to get down to him and saw blood all over him and something flapping near his mouth, but it wasn't his mouth. He was conscious and alert but extremely drunk. Apparently he and his buddy had been drinking at the bar down the road. They got on the bike and were too ignorant and drunk to realize a train was going across the tracks and cars were stopped in front of them. I would of loved to have seen what happened next. The driver just veers left and goes straight into the ditch. The passenger, not as drunk as the driver,sees what is coming and jumps off the back of the bike. He still winds up in the ditch, but with only a leg injury. THe driver however, holds onto the bike and face plants into the visor of the bike. What looked like a flap from far away was his nose.

Take a horizontal piece of plastic and slam it into the bridge of your nose. Make it go all the way to your skull (we could see bone) and there you have it to mouths. He and his buddy kept asking how he looked, to which we replied "you look "phucked" up". We had a good ol time with these dumbasses. Learn from this that drunks are like cockroaches, you can never kill them and they keep coming back. Another item to point out is that it was like a train wreck. It was gross but we kept having to take another look.

I LOVE THIS JOB!!!! FOR REAL!!!!