We’ve all seen it - and most of us have probably done it.  The traffic signal is displaying a yellow light and you speed up to “make the light.”  Unfortunately, you caught the light at the end of its phase, and when you finally get into the intersection, the light is r-e-d…red.

            As you safely make it across the junction to the other side, you glance hurriedly in the rear-view mirror hoping with all your might you don’t see a police officer.  You breathe a sign of relief when there isn’t one back there.   Mentally, you vow that the next time you approach an intersection you’ll slow down at the yellow light and stop at the red.  But guess what?  The next yellow light you see, you blast right through it, and the red light that follows.  You make your mental vow…again, and you do mean it - until the next time.

            Now, let me tell you about the person in the car on the other side of that intersection approaching you perpendicular.  They’ve had a horrible day.  They fought with their spouse in the morning, and in the afternoon, got called by the school regarding their son’s bad behavior.  After their computer at work froze and deleted the project they’d worked on all afternoon, they’re on their way home to diminish their troubles in a glass of wine.  As they approach the intersection (the same one you’re approaching) they see a red light facing them, but…miraculously the light changes to green.  They think to themselves, “Finally!  Something has gone right in this awful day,” and they press the accelerator a little harder to get home that much sooner.

            Here you come, sprinting to and through the yellow light that turns to r-e-d…red.  Can you guess the outcome of this story?  That’s right, disaster.  A traffic collision.  If everyone is very lucky, they’ll be battered and bruised, but no one will be seriously hurt.  If things go the worst way they can, one or more people will be dead.

            I made up this story to, hopefully, get you to re-think the way you drive.  When I’m on patrol in my black and white police car, most people are very aware of my presence, and drive like model citizens.  However, when I’m in my personal vehicle going home, it’s a whole different story.  People drive like they’re training for the Indy 500, changing lanes without signaling, but worse yet, they’re cutting off the driver behind them.  Then there are the folks who cruise through the stop signs in their residential neighborhoods because, “no one is ever coming the other way.”  Do I even need to bring up the cell phone issues?  I doubt it.  Even Oprah has started a “No Phone Zone” campaign to discourage people from using their phones while driving.  I’m sure you know what I mean because you’re out there with all the negligent drivers as well.

            As a police officer, and someone who spends the majority of my time at work driving the streets of Los Angeles, I see all kinds of traffic violations.  Most of the time, those violations don’t result in anyone getting hurt - most likely because other drivers have seen me in my black and white and drive defensively near the one person who hasn’t seen me.  But I’d like you to honestly think about the way you drive…the slips you make and the rules you break.  I’d like you to resolve to do better as a driver.  Otherwise, when we do get the opportunity to meet, you’ll be saying, “But officer, the light was yellow!”          

It’s a long story that I won’t go into, but I found myself on vacation about a month earlier than I intended. 

I didn’t have time prepare for being out of the office for an extended period, so there were a lot of loose ends to finish up.  So, the first day of vacation I worked a full shift, and tried to tie up some of those loose ends.  Then, the second day, I got a text from my boss saying an additional report was due.  I spent a couple of hours and finished up that report.  The next day, guess what?  Something else came up and I worked for about three hours that day. 

Then, I had two glorious days where I didn’t have to do anything for work…but I worried about a meeting I was going to attend the next day.  The meeting had been scheduled before I knew I was going to be on vacation.  It was like orchestrating an eclipse to get all the people scheduled for the meeting, so there was no way I was going to cancel.    The meeting was quick, but once in my office, a series of other work-related issues needed attention too.  I worked about four hours that day.  

Today, I had to go in to the office because a report that someone sent me was in some foreign computer program, and I’d taken my portion of the report home to complete, and I needed their report too.  I go to work, and guess what?  The e-mail system at work wasn’t working, so I do some other stuff while I wait for the system to come back up.  Finally, I’m able to get my co-worker’s report - and he’d attached the wrong file!  Anyway, I worked for over seven hours today. 

I think I’m done for the remainder of my vacation with the exception of the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting I host later in the month.  That will be another 4-5 hours (preparation and then the actual meeting).

Don’t think that I’m not being compensated for this time I’m working.  Basically, I’m “saving” the vacation hours I’m not using now for use at a later date.  Now here’s the question…

Am I dedicated or dumb?  Yes, I know I’m taking a risk asking the question that way. 

The fact is, that every month there are certain reports or duties that I know need to be done.  Because my job is so geared to a particular area of the city, an area that I’m supposed be the subject matter expert, it’s not like anyone else could just whip out these reports or audits.  Had I known I was going to be on vacation now, I could have been better prepared and gotten at least some of this stuff done early.

So go ahead and weigh in.  Am I dedicated or dumb?  And you can be honest…because I think it’s a little of both!

Until next time…

KMA367

You and your family are sharing a quiet night at home watching television and listening to Simon Cowell tell some American Idol hopeful they were, “simply dreadful…sorry.”   From somewhere outside your home, someone suddenly screams, “Help!  Call the police!”

You and your spouse exchange worried glances as your children leap up and run toward the window.  You yell at your kids to come back and sit down.   You go to the window and peer out from behind the plaid curtains. 

 
You see several adult males milling about in the street and yelling obscenities at each other.  One of them has a metal baseball bat and the man holding the bat seems the most agitated of all the men in the street.  Another man is sitting on the curb holding his head.  You can see this man has blood running down his face and dripping onto his white T-shirt. 

You tell your wife what you see and she says, “You’d better call the police.”  So you dial 9-1-1. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1?

Your call will be received by a dispatcher/operator who is trained to screen calls quickly and efficiently.  The dispatcher has to get information quickly in order to get police unit en route to the location.

Tell the 9-1-1 operator what you need, ambulance, fire truck, or police.  Be calm.  When you are upset, it’s hard for the dispatcher to understand what you’re saying or to get vital information quickly.  Stay on the phone.  Do not hang up.

The operator will be asking you questions.  Be prepared to give your name and address.  If your address is different from the location of the crime, be sure to let the operator know that.  The dispatcher will be asking you questions about what you’ve seen, what you’re currently seeing, and descriptions of people and vehicles involved. 

    Scenario:
    Dispatcher:  “Operator 911.  What are you reporting?”
    Citizen: “There’s four guys outside my house creating a disturbance.”
    Dispatcher:  “What are they doing?”  (WHAT)
    Citizen: “They’re yelling at each other and one of them has a bat.  He may have hit one of the guys, because one of them is bleeding from the head.”  (HOW)
    Dispatcher:  “I’ll send an ambulance.”
    Dispatcher:  “Is the problem happening right now?  If not, how long ago?”  (WHEN)
    Citizen:  “They’re standing out their yelling right now.”  
    Dispatcher: “Where is this problem happening?”  (WHERE) 
    Citizen: “Right outside my house at 4321 Maple Lane.  
    Dispatcher:  “Okay, I’ve got the police and an ambulance en route.”
    Dispatcher:  “What does the guy with bat look like?”  (WHO)  Male or female, descent, hair color, eye color, height, weight, age, clothing, unusual features (tattoo’s, scars, physical defect etc)
    Citizen: Gives description of people involved. “Wait! Some of them are running away!”
    Dispatcher:  “Is there a vehicle involved?”  Vehicle: (if involved) – Year, Make, Model, 2-door or 4-door, Color, License Plate Number, Unusual features (Traffic collision damage, tinted windows, wing on the rear, chrome rims etc)
     Citizen:  “No, I don’t see anyone getting into a car.”
     Dispatcher:  “Which way did the suspects go?”
     Citizen: “They went southbound toward Main Street.  They’re on foot – not in a car.”

    Obviously, you may not be able to answer all of these questions.  Just do the best you can.  Sometimes it may seem the questions are unnecessary, or may not make sense to you, but there are good reasons why they are asked.  You can help by providing brief accurate answers. 

    Patience will help us to process your call and get help to you as quickly as possible.  After all, you have to get back to watching the singing contest and Simon’s critiques.