I received a call from a police investigators that one of my "clients" had been arrested for forged prescriptions. This caught me by surprise since the man had been doing so well. After getting the details of the new arrest, I went to the county jail to interview the offender.
Once inside the cell, after giving him his Miranda rights, he agreed to talk to me. His story was simple, he didn't do it, someone else did. This individual had been charged with altering a prescription, the number 30 had been changed to 80. He was very nonchalent and serious in his explanation.
His statement was, "I had picked up the prescription and went home to change clothes after work before I took it to the pharmacy. I left it in the seat of my truck with my wallet when I went in to change clothes. Somebody got into my truck and changed the numbers and I didn't know it. When I went to get it filled, I got arrested."
It was difficult to control my laughter. I looked at him and asked, "Why didn't they just steal your prescription and wallet. That way they would have your driver's license as identification and get your pills too?" He looked at me for just a short moment, dropped his head and replied, "That was pretty stupid to say wasn't it". I had to agree with him.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The New And Improved Brand
A young African-American probationer came in for his monthly meeting; quite cheerful and nonchalent. We went through the routine proceedures and just before receiving his next appointment date, he was told that he would need to provide a urine sample for drug analysis. From there, things went downhill.
First, he said he couldn't go - then he had to be at work. He was told that he would be required to provide the sample before leaving the office and if he failed to comply within a designated period of time, it was a mandatory probation violation.
At last he agreed to comply, and not to any surprise, failed for THC marijuana. When questioned about the sample he stated firmly that he had not been smoking and had a "justifyable reason as to why it was in his system.
His words were, " It's the stuff they put in my suntan lotion".
First, he said he couldn't go - then he had to be at work. He was told that he would be required to provide the sample before leaving the office and if he failed to comply within a designated period of time, it was a mandatory probation violation.
At last he agreed to comply, and not to any surprise, failed for THC marijuana. When questioned about the sample he stated firmly that he had not been smoking and had a "justifyable reason as to why it was in his system.
His words were, " It's the stuff they put in my suntan lotion".
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Roadblock Ahead
It was a relatively slow 11-7 shift and two of our reserve officers came out to get in some street time and lend a helping hand. Sgt. Edwards had been with the reserve unit for several years; dedicated and professional, he would be an excellent full time officer.
One of the regular duties was to conduct building checks at all of the area pharmacies, physician offices, schools and a large number of other areas and this is where the reserve units really helped a great deal. It gave the full time officers more freedom to watch of other criminal activity.
Edwards and partner were just finishing a building check just off the main drag when one of the units requested assistance with a traffic stop. The reserve officers scrambled to their unit and started to respond. The plan was to take a shortcut through one of the parking lots which would enable them to avoid a lenthy red light. The problem was, they were not aware that the business owner was in the process of installing a chain link fence - the rails were the only thing in place at the time.
With Edwards behind the wheel, the cruiser missed the upright but came to a screeching halt when the horizontal 2 inch bar chewed up the hood from front to back and created a maze of spider web cracks across the windshield.
One of the regular duties was to conduct building checks at all of the area pharmacies, physician offices, schools and a large number of other areas and this is where the reserve units really helped a great deal. It gave the full time officers more freedom to watch of other criminal activity.
Edwards and partner were just finishing a building check just off the main drag when one of the units requested assistance with a traffic stop. The reserve officers scrambled to their unit and started to respond. The plan was to take a shortcut through one of the parking lots which would enable them to avoid a lenthy red light. The problem was, they were not aware that the business owner was in the process of installing a chain link fence - the rails were the only thing in place at the time.
With Edwards behind the wheel, the cruiser missed the upright but came to a screeching halt when the horizontal 2 inch bar chewed up the hood from front to back and created a maze of spider web cracks across the windshield.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Here, Have Another Drink
Deputy Dunn had started with one of the city departments and soon took a new assignment and promotion with an area sheriff department. Skilled in dealing with people, laid back, happy-go-lucky, he was an ideal officer. He was also one of the few who chewed tobacco while on patrol and kept his "bottle" handy in the console.
He was backup officer on a DUI traffic stop. When he arrived, the operator was already in custody and the arresting officer asked Dunn to complete the vehicle inventory for towing and then give the passenger a ride home. The passenger had been drinking but was not overly intoxicated and caused no problem. Dunn, was more than happy to oblige.
Dunn had the passenger sit in his cruiser while the tow driver hooked up the offender's car. When he pulled out, Dunn returned to his unit only to find that the passenger had regurgitated all over the front seat, the door, the floor, the dash - about everywhere in sight. Shocked, Dunn said, "Man what's with you; I thought you wasn't that bad?" The passenger replied, "Dude, I wanted a drink of your Pepsi; I didn't know what it was!"
He was backup officer on a DUI traffic stop. When he arrived, the operator was already in custody and the arresting officer asked Dunn to complete the vehicle inventory for towing and then give the passenger a ride home. The passenger had been drinking but was not overly intoxicated and caused no problem. Dunn, was more than happy to oblige.
Dunn had the passenger sit in his cruiser while the tow driver hooked up the offender's car. When he pulled out, Dunn returned to his unit only to find that the passenger had regurgitated all over the front seat, the door, the floor, the dash - about everywhere in sight. Shocked, Dunn said, "Man what's with you; I thought you wasn't that bad?" The passenger replied, "Dude, I wanted a drink of your Pepsi; I didn't know what it was!"
Sunday, April 3, 2011
I Cannot Tell A Lie
It was a busy day in court and the room was packed to standing room only. The variety of cases was normal and the judge fully expected it to be a long and illustrious day.
One young man appeared before the already tired and frustrated judge to plead his case. He was in for a violation of probation hearing, not his first time. And like before, this was in regards to his continual use of illegal drugs, in short, marijuana.
He stood confident before the judge, standing tall and proud. When the charge was presented, the young man stated without hesitation, "Judge, I haven't been smoking marijuana". The judge, with a copy of the confirmed drug screen in hand asked, "Then how did you get it in your system"? Without hesitation the offender replied, " I was having sex with my girlfriend and she passed it to me".
One young man appeared before the already tired and frustrated judge to plead his case. He was in for a violation of probation hearing, not his first time. And like before, this was in regards to his continual use of illegal drugs, in short, marijuana.
He stood confident before the judge, standing tall and proud. When the charge was presented, the young man stated without hesitation, "Judge, I haven't been smoking marijuana". The judge, with a copy of the confirmed drug screen in hand asked, "Then how did you get it in your system"? Without hesitation the offender replied, " I was having sex with my girlfriend and she passed it to me".
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Duck Hunting In The Squad Room
Shift change was always a busy time. Incoming and outgoing gathered to pass information and brief on problem areas and BOLO's (Be On LookOut). And during that time, officers would check their vehicles to make certain everything was in working order, including the shotgun that was carried in the vehicle.
Officer Bayfield, was no rookie; seasoned and well disciplined, highly trained in martial arts and basically an easy going guy, but not always thinking clearly when it came to multi-tasking.
As required, he had removed the shotgun and was checking it while we were having our briefing. He opened the chamber and systematically removed the 00 buckshot from the magazine loading port. He looked through the chamber properly, closed the cylinder, held the weapon skyward and pulled the trigger.
The small room rocked with the resulting explosion - he had overlooked the cartridge that was channeled into the chamber when he first opened it. Men were crawling under tables, behind lockers, inside of lockers, anywhere they could find cover. With weapons drawn we slowly began to look around to see what had happend, was anyone injured, where the shot came from.
Standing in the middle of the room was Bayfield, covered in dust and debris from the ceiling tile that was now in shreds above his head. Slowly those going on call, went to their vehicle for patrol and those now off duty silently headed home. As the shift supervisor made his call to the patrol commander, Bayfield sat down and began to write his incident report and waited for the commanders unpleasant arrival.
Officer Bayfield, was no rookie; seasoned and well disciplined, highly trained in martial arts and basically an easy going guy, but not always thinking clearly when it came to multi-tasking.
As required, he had removed the shotgun and was checking it while we were having our briefing. He opened the chamber and systematically removed the 00 buckshot from the magazine loading port. He looked through the chamber properly, closed the cylinder, held the weapon skyward and pulled the trigger.
The small room rocked with the resulting explosion - he had overlooked the cartridge that was channeled into the chamber when he first opened it. Men were crawling under tables, behind lockers, inside of lockers, anywhere they could find cover. With weapons drawn we slowly began to look around to see what had happend, was anyone injured, where the shot came from.
Standing in the middle of the room was Bayfield, covered in dust and debris from the ceiling tile that was now in shreds above his head. Slowly those going on call, went to their vehicle for patrol and those now off duty silently headed home. As the shift supervisor made his call to the patrol commander, Bayfield sat down and began to write his incident report and waited for the commanders unpleasant arrival.
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