a message from your so much to be thankful for. … · so much to be thankful for november 2012 a...
TRANSCRIPT
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SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR
November
2012
A Message From Your
Sheriff
2012 has been a tough year for
the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s
Office due to budget cuts which led
to forced lay-offs involving
dedicated deputies and civilian
employees.
During this time, we are thankful
for their years of service to the
agency and our community, and to
those here who continue our daily
mission to protect and serve.
We are thankful to live in a
county blessed by scenic beauty, a
family-friendly atmosphere, and a
strong military presence.
We also want to express gratitude
to those many citizens who
continually provide support and
encouragement to the OCSO.
Happy Thanksgiving!
.
This Thanksgiving, we want to share an article by
Timothy Roufa from About.com
Please take time to read:
A Day in the Life of a Police Officer -
From Heartwarming to Hardship,
Learn What It’s Like to Work as Police Officer.
Working as a police officer brings on a range of
emotions. It can leave you feeling satisfied, rewarded,
sad, disgruntled, lonely and fulfilled, all in the same
shift. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work
in law enforcement, take a look at a day in the life of
a police officer.
(Continued on Next Page )
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POLICE OFFICER
BY TIMOTHY ROUFA
Time to Make the Doughnuts…
The alarm wakes you up from your long sleep or your nap, depending on what shift you’re on. You grab a
quick shower to get the sleep out and give yourself a thorough shave so your Sergeant doesn’t ding you on
your inspection.
As you get dressed, your whole demeanor changes. You become quiet, stern, and thoughtful as you prepare
yourself mentally for whatever the day is going to bring. You stop being “you”. Slowly, as you strap on your
ballistic vest, tie your boots and zip up your uniform shirt, you become “officer you.” As you wrap your
utility belt around your waist, the transformation is complete.
10-8, In Service and Ready for Duty
You kiss your kids and your husband or wife goodbye or goodnight, again depending on what shift you’re
on, and step outside and into just another day on the job. You sit down in your patrol car, turn the ignition, and
reach for your police radio. You key the microphone and advise your dispatcher that you're “10-8,” in
service and ready for duty.
Traffic Stop
As you pull out of your driveway and onto the main road, you spot a car with a headlight missing. You pull
the vehicle over, get out of your car and cautiously approach. You wonder whether this will be your last
traffic stop ever as you get closer to the violator’s car.
You introduce yourself and inform the driver that you pulled him over because his headlight is out. You let
him know that it’s a potential safety hazard because it affects not only his ability to see, but other drivers’
ability to see his car. You issue him a warning or faulty equipment notice to remind him to get it fixed and
wish him a safe day.
Crash with Injuries
Back in your patrol car, your dispatcher advises you that there’s a serious traffic crash with injuries and
entrapment near your location. You inform him that you’re “10-51, 10-18,” en route with lights and sirens.
When you arrive on the scene, you see chaos. Two vehicles appear to be welded together. The coolant and
oil that was spilled in the crash is burning and boiling off of the still-hot engines, transforming what was once
two distinct vehicles into one massive, steaming pile of twisted metal.
Though you’re trained to give first aid and basic life support, you are silently thankful that an ambulance is already on scene. You see paramedics talking to a bloodied driver in one of the vehicles while
firefighters work fervently to cut a way into the vehicle to get her out. There’s a driver in the other car as well,
but he’s not moving. No one’s trying to help him either.
A crowd is gathering as you talk to one of the paramedics and confirm what you already knew, that the
crash involved a fatality. You call for a traffic homicide investigator and begin to cordon off the scene with
crime scene tape. Out of respect for the deceased, you grab a fire blanket out of your first aid bag and drape it
over the dead person’s car.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POLICE OFFICER
Page Two
You gather witnesses, take statements, and work to identify the drivers. When the traffic homicide
investigator arrives, you brief her and provide the information you’ve obtained so far. She takes over the
investigation and you offer to provide whatever assistance she needs.
Notifying Next of Kin
Relieved of investigative responsibilities, the task falls to you to inform the deceased’s next of kin. In this
case, it’s a wife who stays home to care for two small children. You show up at her door and ring the doorbell.
She answers the door and stares at you as you stand there with your hat in the your hand. She knows why
you’re there and you know she knows. There’s no easy way o tell her, so you rip the band aid off.
“Ma’am, I’m very sorry to tell you that your husband has been killed in a car crash.” Naturally she cries,
while you do your best not to. You offer to make phone calls for her and to stay with her until a family
member, minister, or friend can get there.
Back on Patrol
After you’ve made sure that the new widow has been cared for, you get back into your patrol car and
inform dispatch of the time you made notification. You advise that you’re “10-98,” task completed and that
you’re “back 10-8.”
Worn out and thirsty from the day so far, you stop at a gas station to get a cup of coffee. You avoid
doughnut shops at all cost so you don’t play into the stereotype. You drive through the parking lot and
scope the place out one time to make sure you’re not walking blindly into a robbery. As soon as you walk
in the door, the clerk greets you and asks you to deal with some teenagers who are causing a disturbance in the
store. You never do get your coffee.
Real Police Work: Report Writing
After you leave the gas station, you find a vacant parking lot to catch up on reports. You park someplace
where people can see you if they need help, and it doesn’t take long before someone does. As they
approach, you get out of your car so they can’t surprise you while you’re sitting down. You’re always thinking
tactically. As it turns out, they just need directions, which you’re happy to provide.
You just get back to your report writing when another car pulls up. You get back out of your car and meet
an elderly woman who’s frightened because her door was open when she got home, and she remember
shutting it and locking it. She asks you to come to her house and make sure it’s safe and that no one broke in.
Burglary and House Clearing
When you get to the house, you ask her to stay outside by her car as you check the doors for any signs of
breaking in. You notice scrape marks on the rear door and it appears someone tampered with the lock. You
draw your handgun and enter the house to clear it, wondering if it will be the last thing you do.
Finding no one in the house, you ask the woman to come in and see if anything is missing. You caution her
not to touch anything as you process the scene, and call for a crime scene technician. She gives you a list of
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POLICE OFFICER
(Page Three)
what she is missing. You tell her you’ll do everything you can to help her get her things back and make sure she’s safe and secure before you leave the scene to enter evidence into the property room at the station and
write your report.
She offers you $20 for your trouble, which you decline. She insists in paying you for your services despite
the fact that you tell her you’re already getting paid. She continues to press the issue, so you ask her to donate
it to a charity of her choice instead.
You drop off the evidence at the station and realize that it’s almost time for your shift to end. After you
finish the required paperwork, you get back in your car and start your way home.
You Never Get Home on Time
As you’re pulling into your neighborhood, you notice a car in front of you is weaving within it’s lane, slowing down,
speeding up, and braking erratically. You become concerned that the driver is either impaired, tired, or sick. Whatever
the case, you know it requires further investigation.
Despite the fact that your shift ended 15 minutes ago, you pull the car over. When you approach the vehicle,
you’re greeted by the strong and distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage. The driver’s eyes are bloodshot and watery, and
his speech is slurred.
Even though you’re already late getting home and even though it will take another three hours before you’re finished
with the paperwork, you know your job and your duty so, after the driver performs poorly on the field sobriety exercises
you offered, you make the arrest.
One More Day Down
After you’ve left your paperwork at the jail, you make your way home. Fortunately this time you don’t come across
any other issues. You walk in your front door four hours later than you were supposed to. Depending on your shift, our
dinner’s long gone cold or your family has already had breakfast and left to start their days.
You take off your uniform and slowly transform back into yourself. Tired from a long day, you lay down to go to
sleep. Your last thoughts are about how happy you are to have the opportunity to be a police officer, and how
thankful you are that you made it home safely for one more day.
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TWO OCSO DEPUTIES EARN LIFESAVING
AWARD
Sheriff Larry Ashley presented Lifesaving Awards to two Okaloosa County
Sheriff’s Deputies who went to the aid of an unconscious individual at Destin
Commons October 7th.
Sheriff Ashley said the quick actions of Deputy Richard White and Deputy
Tom Henry were critical in preventing the death of a man who had collapsed
at a kiosk and was not breathing when they arrived. Deputy White, along with
an unknown Good Samaritan, started cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Deputy Thomas got Deputy White’s AED (automated external defibrillator) from
his patrol car and successfully delivered a shock to the man, who was then treated
by an ambulance crew. He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital on the
Emerald Coast, recovered, and is reportedly doing well.
An AED is a portable electronic device that can help treat someone suffering
from potentially life-threatening heart arrhythmias.
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TAKE A LOOK CATCH A CROOK!
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office launched a new
program designed to let the public view surveillance photos
typically seen only by investigators in crimes ranging from
shoplifting to scams. The photos on the Sheriff’s Office
website under the new “Take a Look, Catch a Crook” program
shows people of interest, witnesses, or potential suspects
connected to various crimes around Okaloosa County.
“All crimes, including misdemeanors, deserve attention
and this increases the odds that suspects will be identified
and charged accordingly when they have victimized an
individual or business,” said Sheriff Larry Ashley. “The best crime-solving methods involve a partnership
between law enforcement and the public. This new
information-sharing initiative gives the public a chance to
view images that, for the most part, only law enforcement
would have viewed in the past. This in turn gives us the
potential for thousands of people to help identify the
individuals shown,” added Captain Arnold Brown, head of the
OCSO Investigation Services Division.
The web page allows residents to link in to Emerald Coast
Crime Stoppers to leave their information. They can then be
eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an
arrest.
With some exceptions, most crimes profiled on Emerald
Coast Crime Stoppers are high-profile felonies. “Take a Look
– Catch a Crook” will showcase any crime that has an image
that could be used to develop leads.
“The two programs in fact complement each other,” said
Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers Coordinator Nicole Wagner.
“We have used citizen input successfully for many years and
“Take a Look – Catch a Crook” will capitalize on the same
methodology to expand the number of crimes available for the
public to help solve.”
The page will be updated weekly.
http://www.sheriff-okaloosa.org/talcac/
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GETTING INVOLVED &
GIVING BACK
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NOVEMBER
PHOTO COLLAGE
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APPRECIATING
WHAT WE HAVE C
HA
PL
AIN
’S
CO
RN
ER
THANKSGIVING: I love this time of year. I look
at all the things I am thankful for, even the difficult
times. They make us stronger as we go through
them. During this time of year, take a few moments
and reflect on all your blessings. Whenever I start
to get down I look at all the good in my life and
realize it could be much worse. Next, I try to see
where I might be able to help someone in need.
There are always others around us who are in need
of some help. As deputies you see the needs and
are there to help in very serious times. You may
not get any thanks at the time, but know you have
helped in a time of crisis. We are thankful for our
deputies, Sheriff, support staff and all who make
this a better place to live. Enjoy this Thanksgiving
season and know you are prayed for and
appreciated.
OCSO Chaplain
Dennis Walker
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
TRAVEL SAFETY TIPS Allow Extra Time for Road Congestion
Drive with Lights ON—Even in Daytime.
Buckle Up
Don’t Text and Drive or Drink and Drive
Hit the Road Well-Rested