Catching Up

What a week it has been. I ended up in the hospital while at work for an unrelated episode. Thankfully it was nothing serious.

Early in the week, I got a chance to drop in and show some presence at a basketball camp run by Dwight Howard. It's always good to see stars give back to the communities and less fortunate kids to make something better of themselves.

The next day I went to a house for a 13 year old feeling suicidal. A partnered team of child suicide crisis specialists were already on scene and had worked out a short stay at a mental health facility for this teen. She had already tried cutting herself earlier in the day and I could still see the cuts on her wrists when I got there. It's sad to see a teen that young want to end life before it has truly began. Her mother and brother also have mental issues but nothing to the point of suicidal thoughts. I always say the two systems that need help in every state are mental health and child protective services. It really is a shame that those two agencies (which are extremely important) are often the most neglected and in shambles...

The next day I responded to an audible alarm at a house. I arrived and checked the back door of the house and found it unlocked and partially open. The house was undergoing renovation and that made me suspect someone possibly went inside to steal copper or other construction materials. I called for another unit and we searched the house room by room clearing as went. The alarm tripped again while we were inside and this house had the loudest alarm I or the other officer had ever experienced in our careers. The house was very extensive, having been built around the turn of the last century. I would love to have a house like that one day I could renovate.

I received another call about our good old friend Sarge. He was hanging around the liquor store where he typically always does. When I found him, he was asleep out front with a hat over his head like the stereotypical image of the Mexican taking his siesta. I woke up Sarge and had him walk across the street with the help of a citizen to avoid locking him up (which I hope I never have to do again).

The week ended off for me with a child locked in the car at the mall. I've dealt with a bunch of these which happen maliciously but this happened on accident. Mom was loading her 2 year old in the car while the keys were on the seat. As she prepared to load the stroller in the trunk, the doors (which were locked) closed locking the poor girl inside. While we stood by for the Fire Rescue to open the vehicle, the poor girl wanted nothing more but to be in mom's arms. She clearly knew something wasn't right.

We'll see how this week goes!