Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE
The Evolution of
Modern Day Policing
The older we get, specifically
in this profession, we witness
the change and evolution of our
profession. Call pads and key
maps have been replaced with
super computers in our cars. (I
still carry my call pad and key
map because one day Sky-Net
will take down everything and
I’d be lost) We have advanced
from mechanical rotating light
bars to strobes to LEDS to super
LEDS. And we have hand-held
radios that work. Even inside
a building and everything. It’s
crazy.
Personally, I’ve migrated from
a poly-wool uniform, long
sleeve and tie in the winter
months and a revolver, to some
of the lightest and coolest uniforms
ever made. Our sidearms
and clips hold nearly 48 rounds
verses the 18 we used to carry.
(I still carry my 1911, winner of
TWO World Wars) We now carry
mini rechargeable flashlights
that weigh less than 5 oz. vs our
old SL-20’s that weighed several
pounds and could easily kill
someone. And those little lights
are somehow computer chip
driven. Here again, it’s crazy.
Our patrol cars have evolved
from the old Dodge Diplomat,
(my first) to Chevrolet Tahoe’s
that will absolutely scream
down the highway and carry
everything we need. The inside
of my old Diplomat had one
small VHF Radio and a toggle
switch to turn on the rotating
light bar. Oh yeah, it had the old
blue faced Federal siren. And
that my friends, was it! Away we
went, screaming into the night.
Crushing crime and communism
wherever we found it. Yep. You
guessed it. It was crazy!
But wait there’s more. You see,
I retired at the end of 2023. I
picked up my retired Chief’s ID
and out the door I went. In all
the years, I have seen a LOT of
changes. And most importantly,
I have seen a lot of good men
and women not have the opportunity
I had….to actually survive
this job and retire.
Oh, I have plenty of scars
inside and out and somehow
survived. Although, I sure don’t
know how. I‘ve ridden in several
ambulances and was loaded
into life flight twice. Honestly, I
don’t know how I made it. Especially
when far better people
than I could ever be, didn’t.
I honestly feel a bit guilty and
think at times, “Those medics
and doctors saved the wrong
guy.”
One thing about retirement
that sucks is that those who
trained us, are slowing fading
away. Those “Old Guard” guys
and gals are much older now
and every day another one slips
the surly bounds of this old
earth. And it’s painful. They were
damn good cops and damn
good people and now they’re
gone.
It is not all doom and gloom.
There are plenty of memories of
laughter and craziness. I’ve had
some amazing times over the
past thirty plus years, carrying
a badge and gun every single
day. We all could do without the
bad times and bad people, but
then I would not have appreciated
the good times and good
people nearly as much. So, that’s
a winning hand. And yes, in the
end, as I sit here with my cup of
coffee and reflect, it was crazy
and so were we. I’ll always miss
the crazy people and the crazy
times. I feel privileged to have
had the life I lived, and I’m not
done yet. Stay tuned for Part 2.
8 The Blues - February ‘24