Thursday, August 6, 2009

What is a Policeman?


What is a policeman?

A policeman is a composite of what all men are… a mingling of saint and sinners…dust and deity. Cold statistics wave the fan over the stinkers… underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are news.

What that REALLY means is they are exceptional, unusual – conty commonplace. Buried under the froth is the fact that less than one half of one percent of policemen misfit that uniform. And that’s a better average than among clergymen.

What is a policeman made of He of all men is at one the most needed and most unwanted… a strangely nameless creature who is “sir” to his face…and “pig” to his back.

He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals…. So that each will think he won… But if the policeman is neat, he’s a flirt. If he’s not, he’s a grouch.

In an instant he must make decisions which require months for a lawyer. But if he hurries, he’s careless. If he’s deliberate, he’s lazy. He must be first to an accident… infallible with diagnosis…he must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints and above all be sure the victim goes home without a limp, or expect to be sued.

The police officer must know every gun…draw on the run….and hit where it doesn’t hurt. He must be able to whip two men his size and half his age…without damaging his uniform and without being brutal. If you hit him, he’s a coward. If he hits you, he’s a bully.

A policeman must know everything and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake.

The policeman must, from a single human hair, be able to describe the crime, the weapon and the criminal …and tell you where the criminal is hiding. But if he catches the criminal he’s lucky… if he doesn’t he’s a dunce. If he gets promoted he has political pull. If he doesn’t he’s a dullard.

The policeman must chase bum leads to a dead end and stake out ten nights to tag one witness who saw it happen, but refused to remember.

He runs files and writes reports until his eyes ache to build a case against some felon who will get dealed out by a shameless shamus or an honorable who isn’t.

A policeman must be a minister… social worker… a diplomat… a though guy… and a gentleman.

An of course he will have to be a genius… for he will have to feed a family on a policeman’s salary.
-Author Unknown

5 comments:

Jim & Emily said...

Perfect Example

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705321660/Officer-shoots-kills-man-in-chase.html
The comments after make me laugh. Cops can't ever make the right decision... apparently.

Lyenna Kemp said...

That was good Kel. No doubt you have to love it, or you won't be good at it. YOU are definitely good at it!

Angela said...

No pressure! :)
Someone needs to send this to Obama, apparently he doesn't get it.

Rachel said...

Kind-of sounds like being a teacher, with just a few minor differences.

Missy said...

Wow, I'm sending that to my friend and her husband. Hes a police officer too. You know they're not allowed to swear at the inmates?! Mandatory "pearls before swine." Its ridiculous.