A typical morning routine is to sip coffee while consuming some self-preservation materials. One of the selected sites I subscribe to is called Personal Growth, providing abbreviated points of interest emphasizing a balanced body/mind. Their latest bowl of nuggets served this morning had a bullet-point pertaining to media and negativity. Specifically, it read: “The news focuses on negative events, because negative events are more rare than positive events… Most of what the news informs you about are things you don’t need to know and much of it is biased and inaccurate.” The Contributors writing for OpsLens are carefully vetted and selected to counter what mainstream media plunges in our faces. It is one of the many reasons I am elated to be a component among a team of “experience-driven” commentators bringing its readers reality-based information from authentic voices.
Pondering the “negative events” and how social media is adept at propelling such things was, ironically, a conversation I had with a neighbor yesterday. She vexed over how emotional and sad she has been, especially lately. To get a finger on the pulse and figure out how to assist, I asked about her general daily routine. “Well, I probably shouldn’t be sitting on the couch and watching news all the time,” she professed. I asked about social media. She smirked, looked away, then replied “Gosh, yes! There’s so much going on. It just keeps coming.”
There is no doubt tons of things are transpiring; some good, some not so pleasant. Thus it becomes a matter of choice.
My choice is to seek out subject matter pertinent to me, my loved ones, my lifestyle, my experiences in life. Other than fathering beautiful children, being a law enforcement officer was a pinnacle for me. As a newly-sworn rookie, my very first call on midnight shift was to investigate the death of a toddler. I agonized at his lifeless body in front of me while his parents sobbed behind me. It was a sobering experience, one which I used as a litmus test, a reminder defining/re-defining the intestinal fortitude of which our species is capable. Among other brothers/sisters, all my colleagues making up the thin blue line, we set out to cater what we could to those in need with what we had. It needn’t be a “police matter” but was always certainly a human matter.
That brings me to myriad unsung heroes who recognize the pertinence of police as it relates to law and order in communities all across our beloved landscape. Subscribing to police sites and forums and chat rooms takes me away from all the dastardly deeds Hillary Clinton perpetrated; not forgetting, just not swigging from that poisonous cup every waking minute of every dawning day.
I came across a huge gesture by some public utility workers employed by the city of Walpole, Massachusetts whose modest police department received a Thin Blue Line crosswalk painted directly in from of their HQ, as portrayed in this story’s feature photo.
This compelled me to reminisce about the many unsung heroes in my jurisdiction where I served my community as a policeman. The city’s transportation department had a sign shop whose fabricators often inquired where signs were needing attention, and if police personnel had any ideas as to placement of newer signs so that requisite traffic studies mandated by the state DOT could be achieved. Reaching out enabled cops to work with city employees who had the responsibility to ensure proper order (directions/instructions) among motorists and pedestrians. Such measures go a long way to getting public safety objectives fulfilled, thereby reducing the need for police interventions (investigations/reports) by eliminating dangers or correcting unsafe conditions. Separate city departments communicating and endeavoring towards one goal is paramount for the public good.
Before I became a cop, I never gave much thought (actually, none) to the fact that the U.S. Department of Transportation stipulates specifications for street signs. Exact measures entailing a street sign’s size, shape, height above ground, depth in-ground, inches from curbed roadway, the pole’s circumference, coloration for universal recognition, and a bevy of other details are all endorsed by a unique serialized number branded on the rear of official street signage, making them government property and fully enforceable. For comparison, an example I see from time to time is an imposter Stop sign emplaced by an overzealous citizen who opts to enforce laws on his/her own. They either find a novelty store selling unofficial Stop signs or get their hands dirty fashioning their own in the garage.
The experience of my jurisdiction’s sign-makers taught me far more about traffic signage than I ever could have imagined, including make-shift Disabled Parking signs posted by shop owners and not official government authorities. As a cop, that knowledge-base helped me to discern whether traffic enforcement would hold-up in a court of law or if a chat about sign legalities was best for the merchant to make it right. The DOT specs the sign’s exact language, including the current fine, the width/depth of an authorized Disabled parking space, the painted parking-stop block, and the loading/unloading striping allocated for assistive device space/maneuvering.
Similarly, the city landscaper crews routinely asked where the police had “problem spots” with overgrowth obscuring speed-limit signs and the like. That gesture goes a long way. One of my Field Training Officers (FTO) had it right when he taught me that using police discretion comes in various forms. He had me patrol our beat looking for traffic-control signs which may have been partially covered by Mother Nature’s beards (overhanging trees, burgeoning shrubs) and asked me if I would write someone a ticket based on the shrouded sign. I knew it was rhetorical; his point was made. That circles back to the city’s crews who trimmed back the public-domain greens so that everyone was playing on the field fairly. No one wants a traffic ticket, yet some motorists seem to rocket through life without a care in the world. Certainly not much consideration for others using the same roadways.
In traffic court, police officers get to see/hear some of the most bizarre stories. Whether a rookie or a seasoned veteran, cops continue to learn about details so as to use that wisdom for the good of all. The proof is in the pudding is definitely an invaluable credo when it comes to covering one’s bases. One particular traffic court case I had involved issuing a ticket for driving “Too fast for conditions” after observing an aggressive driver needling through other moving cars during a heavy downpour (the reason for those overnight Mother Nature beards). She took it to court. She argued it wasn’t raining. I testified it was. It boiled down to he said/she said, and the judge pensively tapped his pen while mulling a decision. The judge asked me if I had any footage recorded by my police cruiser’s video-camera system. Great question, as most police cars do. Unfortunately, my answer was negative—my in-car unit was inoperative at that particular time, so there would be no movie-time that day. Minus concrete evidence, the judge sliced the pie down the middle; he withheld adjudication while also ordering her to pay court costs. Oh well. He gave her a nudge and thanked me for attending, like granting me a hand-shake for being a contestant on The Price Is Right. All eyes on me, I felt half-assed departing the courtroom.
That was early in my career. On duty that same night, I shared that experience with my patrol supervisor, a police leader whose analytic skills always impressed me. Geeky, but really on his game. The candid sergeant asked with a mundane tone: “Did you check the Doppler report for that particular date and time? Check to see if it was raining…all the rain-bands in full-color? Print that out as admissible evidence? You know judges like proof and pictures, right Owsinski?” I recall looking at him and guffawing. That was a boo-boo. His expression indicated insult. I hadn’t taken him seriously when he was in fact dead-serious and trying to help me be a more-equipped, better-prepared law enforcement officer. I learned.
The next traffic court subpoena mandating my presence before a judge was the second time I had instance to testify why I issued a motorist a citation for operating “Too fast for conditions.” What did I do first and foremost? I researched Doppler’s site and found the kaleidoscope of beautiful rain-bands that were present before, during, and after the traffic stop. The judge heard the defendant testify that it wasn’t really raining or even slick on the roadway. I testified the opposite and produced my proof from the Doppler bag of goodies. The judge scanned the evidence then quietly handed it the court officer to hand to the defendant. Everyone remained silent for a bit, no one spoke. Sometimes silence is truly deafening. The judge vocalized his findings of guilt and directed the defendant to arrange payment of fines and court costs while also explaining how traffic school could remove the points on his license (moving violation).
Later in my cop career, I would have the responsibility and privilege of becoming a Field Training Officer. Of the myriad lessons a newly-hired cop receives, Doppler experience was one I employed…thanks to a street sergeant who took duty quite seriously when I thought the notion (Doppler and National Weather Service resources) was all just a prank.
Incidentally, in a previous article I wrote about some cities’ residents getting their ire up over public works personnel painting a thin blue line down the middle of this or that public street. The painters were not necessarily the issue, the police-related support was the beef. In short, folks felt it was unfair to paint the thin blue line icon while not honoring other societal demographics. They also barked that “police are implicitly biased.” Much of the noise wafted as a bark and bellow from BLM activists un-keen on giving cops honor and recognition despite their unfailing life-saving measures and self-sacrifice resulting in the fight against foes. That would categorically be in the negative news we referenced earlier. Let’s just go forward.
In the positive-news class, Walpole, Massachusetts Department of Public Works (DPW) employees Drew Hand, Matt Cox, and Dave Sotile generated a revised crosswalk incorporating the Thin Blue Line icon symbolizing pride in the police profession.
Derived from the Walpole Police Department (WPD) Facebook account, a police member wrote the following acknowledgement: “On 09/06/2018, the Walpole DPW came by the PD to give a special touch to the crosswalk located in front of the station. The crosswalk was modified to represent law enforcement’s ‘Thin Blue Line,’ which I’m sure you are all familiar with.
“Although the ‘Thin Blue Line’ image is prevalent in today’s society, not many understand what it truly means to us other than its connection to law enforcement. The ideals behind the Thin Blue Line represent the line that police hold between order and chaos and our citizens and criminals. It is also a symbol of solidarity and support for police officers and their families as they go out every day and perform their duty under difficult and dangerous conditions.
“We at the Walpole Police Department greatly appreciate the support that our community provides to us, and we strive every day to provide you with the best service we can.”
On that note, community is really most robust when they do for each other. Everyone’s experience, specialties, fortes, and even general interests congeal to fortify a shared geographic compass point of the American map. The dividends follow organically from which even more exponential growth evolves.
Reading through the WPD Facebook comments pertaining to the Thin Blue Line crosswalk, the flow of positive vibes is palpable. One commenter said “There should be a statewide proclamation to address this worthwhile endeavor for our police officers and firefighters. It’s a nice way to publicly honor our heroes that protect us every day.”
There is more than one meaning to It takes a village…and that is always good news.
