Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Foot Post

Part of the concept behind "IMPACT" is the idea that if you saturate a particular neighborhood with cops, well...you begin to impact that area. It's supposed to begin small, with little changes causing bigger changes as time goes on, as police presence becomes commonplace.
Therefore Roc and all the new cops in his precinct were assigned to foot posts. No car, no van, no nothing initially. And that meant no warmth.
Keep in mind that Roc graduated the Academy in December. Which meant that he was outside in January and February; freezing his ass off while trying to patrol a falling-down neighborhood.
Let's face it: even the perps don't like it when it's ten degrees outside.
It was slow. He was new. He was assigned to partner with a guy he went through the academy with, and they had two other guys that usually took the opposite corner. They would take turns going to get hot Wonton soup, and sometimes do vertical patrols in the buildings just to warm up.
I can remember him coming home and even after sitting in a heated car for the entire ride back, feeling a deep-down chill as he gave me a hug.
"You sure you want to do this?" I would ask as he dialed up the heat.
"I just think I need more thermal underwear." Was his usual response.
"You think?"

2 comments:

  1. Ah, but that's real police work, too, where it's just you and some other guys, boots on the ground. I'd be willing to bet those cold nights are warm memories now, when the right moment hits him.

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  2. It's funny...he still hates the cold, but sometimes likes a foot post (they still throw them out there occasionally) because it gives him a break from all the radio runs.
    I think it's safe to say the grass is always greener...!
    :) SCW Stella

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