4th of July and Pets

Pet peeves associated with law enforcement type work in the field:

  *   If you call law enforcement/police/sheriff for help make sure you have the following:
  *   Exact address where you want LE to respond
  *   Detailed comments about what help you need/they need/what action you desire
  *   Your information!!!!  For fuck's sake people, calling anonymously for most things is not helpful to LE at all.  They do not share your information with the suspects, unless you sign a citation against them.  And if the defendants harass you for being cited, then that is witness intimidation and taken very seriously.

If you wish to be anonymous AND not give an exact address, please rethink calling in the first place.  LE personnel are very busy people.  They, in many cases, do not have time to look for where the problem you claim is located, not to mention they cannot call you to clarify the details of what is going on or what they are looking for.

STOP BEING ANONYMOUS!!!  ARGH!!!

Oh, and if for whatever reason you no longer need LE to respond, call back!  Let them know!  Update them!  Because sometimes, some of the LEOs may have been called off the only break/lunch/chance to eat all day to go handle your call.  And if they arrive and realise you no longer need them and they wasted those precious moments to eat for your carelessness, that just may be super very rude.

And really, if you feel the need to give LE the one finger salute, congrats.  You are an idiot.  Really?  Does it hurt their feelings?  Do you feel better for it?  Yeah.  Idiot.  Maybe consider that some LE personnel may consider that a source of pride.  That you gave them the finger.  You took time and effort out of your day to wave at them.  Yup.  :-P

Also, being nice.  Or at least courteous and respectful will get you a whole lot farther than being a dick.  Just sayin'.  Keep in mind LE personnel are doing their job.  They care about the community in which they work.  They are not the creators of the laws they enforce.  So ranting, bitching, degrading them is useless.  If you genuinely feel passionately against a certain law, become a lobbyist.  Gather signatures.  Brainstorm alternatives.  Work on getting the law changed rather than making someone who potentially puts their life on the line every day and simply wants to get home at the end of their work day, life more difficult.  Chill out.  And hating LE simply for being LE make you no better than a racist.  You hate a group of people based on a commonality they have.  That makes you a hater of one of the worst and greatest degrees.

Even if you disagree for the basis of the contact LE has with you.  You can still be respectful.  It is a two way street.  You can agree to disagree.  Be polite and move on with your day.  There is a thing called the judicial system.  LE personnel do not control this either.  IF you feel you have been wronged in a citation you have received, then fight it.  Receipt of a citation is not an admission of guilt.  You do have the right to say your side of the story in a court of law.  But keep in mind, your treatment and interactions with LE personnel will be included in their report.  Your behavior and demeanor may be taken into account by the Prosecutors and judges.  So be nice.  Be the better person.  It is easy to be a good person.  It takes work to be a dick.

The film End of Watch describes this very well in their (non-tactical) intro:

"Brian Taylor: [voice over] I’m the police. And I’m here to arrest you. You’ve broken the law. I did not write the law. I may even disagree with the law. But I will enforce it. No matter how you plead, cajole, beg or attempt to stir my sympathies, nothing you do will stop me from placing you in a steel cage with grey bars. If you run away, I will chase you. If you fight me, I will fight back. If you shoot at me, I will shoot back. By law, I am unable to walk away. I’m a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. I am fate with a badge and a gun. Behind my badge is a heart like yours. I bleed. I think. I love. And yes, I can be killed. And although I’m but one man, I have thousands of brothers and sisters who are the same as me. They will lay down their lives for me. And I them. We stand watch together. A thin blue line. Protecting the prey from the predators. The good from the bad. We are the police."

And on another note, if you are a pet owner, the 4th of July is soon approaching.  Be aware of what that entails.  Check the following:

  *   Microchip your pet.  Make sure the contact infomation is current (phone number, address, owner name, etc.).  I know spending $20 is a PITA for many people to update this.  But it sure beats paying the bill at the shelter where your pet was taken.  Or worse, a citation for your animal being out.
  *   DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS OUTSIDE!!!!!!!!!  Seriously people.  Dogs/pets get creative when loud noises like fireworks go off.  They go crazy.  They think the world is ending.  Crate your pet inside your home.
  *   Close and lock all your windows.  Panicked pets can go through windows and screens in their panic.
  *   Put a collar and tags on your pet.  Many run so far from home in their panic that they become lost.  If someone ends up catching your pet, they can contact you (rather than the police/animal control...which may result in a shelter bill and/or citation).
  *   Padlock your gate.  Repair all the loose and/or missing boards.  Fill all those holes along the fence line.  Even if you think the hole is too small, it is not.  Fix all that shit.
  *   If your vet has given you any medication to help relax your pet, use it (following the vet's guidelines).  If you have thunder vests and other placebo type implements that seem to work for your pet, use them.  Make them feel safe and comfortable.
  *   Get to know your neighbors.  They are a great first line of defense for you if your pet ever escapes.  Share phone numbers.  Share cookies.  Do BBQs.  Or at the very least, introduce your pet to them so they know what she/he looks like and, if by chance your pet does get out, they can either call you or catch your pet.
  *   In summary, please be a responsible pet owner.  Be aware things may scare your animal.  Shit may happen that you did not plan on.  Take precautionary measures to prevent shit hitting the fan as much as possible!

As for me. I will be camping on the 4th. I want to get far away from humanity. From all the loud noises. Drunkenness and stupidity. I am worried since it is a holiday, I may not be successful in this endeavor. Ugh. *fingers crossed*  I am bringing someone to my favourite spot in Idaho. I am excited to share it. I have not been there in almost 2 years. It is time for a return trip. :-)