Thinking first prevents unwanted attention

I’d like you to take a moment and think of someone you love. Whether it’s a parent, child, spouse, other family or a friend, think about what that person means to you.

In our profession we are placed in the uncanny position of meeting these loved ones in the best of times, but more often than not, in the worst of times. It’s extremely rare we receive an invitation to a celebration. Our invitation to attend such gatherings comes in the form of three digits: 911.

When we arrive at these once festive events, it’s usually because of a poor decision made on the part of an attendee, a family member. Or worse, we arrive to a tragedy, maybe an accident on a family vacation involving the loss of life. These events all have one thing in common: They involve people we love.

Additionally and unfortunately, more often than not in these events, a conscious decision to ingest a euphoric enhancing substance was made.

Just the other day, we nabbed a felon fugitive and his wife. As both are likely to receive prison time, I remember hearing them say, “I love you.” Funny, why didn’t they really think of their actions before making the choices that lead them down the pathway to prison?

On another occasion I remember hearing, “I didn’t see the stop sign,” as the lifeless body lay in the street. Again, I ask, who are these people? Where do they come from? Do I know them? The answer is simple; they are you, me and our family.

So next time you consciously have one for the road, or run the red light because you’re late, or have that argument because you’re right, not them, think. Is the possible outcome worth it?

Well, what do you say? Let’s get motivated and dedicated.

“Control, 269, I’ll be 10-41 (beginning tour of duty).”

April 13. As the triple state occupants of a car speed into town, our welcoming committee turns on the lights. The overwhelming scent is even detected by the officer’s stuffy nose. The officer’s four-legged partner hops out of the patrol car and begins sniffing. Oh yeah, bingo! The tense occupants are removed from the vehicle and so is the heroin. One occupant even has three warrants in Las Vegas. Signed, sealed and delivered to jail. Better than overnight shipping.

April 14. Dinner is served, or not. We get dispatched to Subway regarding a male causing a disturbance. Officers arrive and employees point to the subject napping at a table. An officer asks the intoxicated subject to exit the business but Mr. Inebriated replies to the officers’ request with a frank foul pejorative in addition to a hand signal. This disturbance caused customers to express a “jaw-to-floor” look. The officers escort the subject to the comfortable rear seat of a patrol car. Dinner will be at Henderson Detention Center.

April 15. A subject finds a dog at 1:30 in the morning. The good Samaritan takes the pooch in the car and decides a late night snack would be nice. While at the drive-thru of Jack-in the-Box, the pooch thought the food was for it. The dog finder was taken to the hospital with severe cuts to the nose.

April 16. Officers get dispatched to the Rebel gas station regarding a reckless driver. Officers arrive and stop the vehicle, but it’s parked, and it looks like no one is in the truck. A closer look finds a female who appears to be napping in the driver’s seat with the truck running. The driver comes to and advises she was just having a midnight power nap. At least that’s what it sounded like to the officer. Do you smell that? The officer did. The spirits leave a recognizable aroma. A couple of tests later, the driver will have plenty of time to sleep off the drunken stupor in jail.

April 17. We get a call from a subject who says he has been abandoned at a local fast-food establishment. The abandoner left him stranded without his wallet. We make contact with the subject and quickly realize this Arizona native is a mental health consumer. After a call to the Mojave County sheriff’s office we learn the subject has done this before with that agency. The subject needs no further assistance and decides to stay at the eatery to continue using the free Wi-Fi.

April 18. A male subject calls to report being threatened by a homeowner at 6 a.m. The subject advises driving 600 miles to pick up his bride-to-be. He’s to pick her up at an address off Irene Drive, get married and return to California. However, after knocking at the address she texted him, the longtime resident has no idea who this female is. We find the female a couple of doors down; she’s fine and knows nothing about getting married. She’s just getting a ride to Arizona from our caller. Oh yeah, he knocked at the wrong address first. We get some great stories.

April 19. Officers pull over a nice SUV for not having a registration. The driver has all the paperwork and all the kids are wearing seat belts. A check of the driver reveals she has several warrants in Henderson and one in Las Vegas. Nevada Parole and Probation also wants the driver held, and she is a flight risk. Thankfully, the mother is taken into custody without incident. Who would have thought?

Hope you all had a safe time! One of my favorite sayings is “Think — it’s not illegal yet.”

See you next week. “Control, 269, 10-42” (ending tour of duty).

Officer Jeffrey Grasso is a 10-year veteran of the Boulder City Police Department. He previously served as a police officer in south Florida for four years.