July 28, 2023

Here's a little backstory leading up to my start date of August 7th:

I went in for my final interview on July 28th. The sheriff gave me her hiring decision, but thought I had more than a 180-day break in service, meaning I would have to get a "fresh" physical, drug screen, and psychological examination before I could start. I was within 180 days, but I did let her know all I needed was a current weapons qualification. I only had my handgun with me, so she told me to bring all of my firearms on Monday the 31st. The sheriff officially "hired" me on July 31st, but due to scheduling, she told me to start "next week".

The chief deputy asked me about uniform, body armor, and hat size. When he mentioned helmet, I told him I had a military MICH helmet. He told me I would have to wear that at all times. I just cut my eyes at him, and the sheriff indicated he was joking. She asked what I carried as a sidearm, and I told her a Glock 9mm.

July 31, 2023

I showed up and immediately walked into the chief deputy's office. I told him I made a huge mistake and he got a concerned look on his face. I said I told the sheriff I carried a Glock 9mm, but it's a Glock .380. I pulled my Glock 42 .380 out of my front pants pocket and showed it to him while saying, "I don't wear a holster, I just carry my duty weapon in my pocket because a holster hurts my back."

He wasn't having it! He started in on me about how "that's not gonna work," and that I'd have to "get something bigger." When I started laughing, he asked if I was messing with him.

I told him, "Well, chief, you started it!" I reminded him about messing with me on Friday about the helmet.

The sheriff qualified me on all firearms I'd be carrying (handgun, rifle, and shotgun). Then, she took me to the courthouse to get my new-hire stuff done. Today was my official hire date.

The chief deputy issued me uniforms, body armor, and gear, then told me he'd see me on Monday.

August 7, 2023

This was a pretty important day. I showed up wearing my uniform, but didn't wear my gun belt because I didn't yet have my badge. The sheriff swore me in, then I strapped up.

I did check the TCOLE website, and my appointment is showing up on my TCOLE record. I'm working day shift today and tomorrow, that I know of, to take care of administrative new-hire stuff. I'm pretty excited about working at this agency.

Daily Commute

I live a hundred miles from here. By that, I mean it is exactly 100 miles on my odometer from my driveway to the parking lot. I'm not driving that every day!

I rented an apartment right across the parking lot from the sheriff's office. It's two-bedroom, fully furnished, and water/electric are included in my rent. I really lucked out on this find! The bedroom I picked has no outside windows, so it was pretty easy to "black it out" for day-sleeping since I'll be working the nightshift.

The other bedroom has a window, as well as the kitchen/dining area. They overlook the parking lot and sheriff's office.

First Call Out

I was mistaken about working dayshift the next day. After working all day, I spent the evening moving my stuff into my apartment. I went to bed a little after 10pm, and was awakened just after midnight by my sergeant. She asked for my help with serving an arrest warrant she just got signed. The judge told her not to go over to the suspect's house by herself because he was perceived to be a bad dude.

We went, and I thought I was just going to be the backup. NOPE! The sergeant started a conversation with him. While they were speaking, she shot me a "look" that I figured out to be her signal, and I took him into custody.

Technically, it was the "next day", but when telling this story, I call it "Day One Part 2".

The arrest led to a search of the residence, so I didn't get home until 8am. The chief deputy said I could take the day off and get some rest.

August 10, 2023

Today was a great day! I started FTO (Field Training), and I got out of the office.

My training officer isn't really a "trainer", but with my training and experience, the chief deputy told her to show me around the county and show me how their systems work.

We set out to explore the county! Right off the bat, she put my butt in the driver's seat. It didn't take me long to figure out what kind of cop she was... she's a dope hound. She was very interested in pointing out suspected dope houses and vehicles.

The highlight was when she spotted a vehicle pass us on a Farm-to-Market road that she's been wanting to catch on the road for a while. I asked her if she wanted me to stop the vehicle, and she replied with the obligatory, "It's up to you." However, the look on her face screamed she hope I would.

I did a U-turn in that Tahoe and got after it. After I passed 100MPH, my training officer came alive! She grabbed the "Oh, no!" handle with both hands screaming, "You're going to kill us!" She was worried about an upcoming sharp curve ahead that was over a hill we were approaching, but I could see ahead just fine.

I giggled at her as I approached the vehicle. I calmly grabbed the radio mic and checked out on traffic. I reassured my training officer I had made plenty of traffic stops in the past. I could see her point, though. She just met me and never rode with me... and I really scared her. I was sympathetic to her fright, but didn't hide my amusement.

She didn't have any more problem with my driving after that.

September 20, 2023

0200 hours : I started a transport to a state jail facility in Gatesville, TX. I arrived at a little after 5am only to be told the intake personnel don't show up until 8am. What was I going to do with a female inmate for three hours? I stopped at a truck stop and bought us breakfast, then promptly drove to the Coryell County Sheriff's Office to get us on a camera! I let her out of my unit and took her handcuffs off. We ate our breakfast and I let her smoke all the cigarettes she wanted while we waited for time to pass... all on their camera.

0730 hours : I took the inmate back to the state jail facility. A guard was at the sally port, so he had me bring her up for a COVID-19 test. We waited another 20 or so minutes, then he let us in at 0800 hours. The intake process took about an hour, then I departed for my agency.

1230 hours : I arrived back and turned in my paperwork. I went to my apartment to get some sleep before my shift starts tonight.

1700 hours : I woke up an hour later than usual since I got to bed way past my normal bedtime of 0800 hours. I had a terrible headache I couldn't seem to shake. The dispatcher gave me some Tylenol.

Stuck In A Rut

0200 hours : I would probably have been fighting to stay awake, but I had a rider. This county has a low-water crossing at the river, so what does a bored deputy do? He crosses it! I took the rider across the river at the low-water crossing, and we made it across just fine. The problem didn't occur until we were on the other side. A truck had rutted up one part of the road so deep that I bottomed out my patrol unit!

October 4, 2023

Today is my first shift back that I'm not the newest deputy. Two days ago, a recent academy graduate was sworn in. Patrol is "full", now, so the schedule is getting rearranged a little. My day shift counterpart is upset because I'm getting moved to the shift opposite of hers. I really enjoy working with her (in that we're each others' relief). They promoted another deputy to sergeant, meaning we now have two sergeants. Administration wants a sergeant on each shift (which makes sense), and wants the new deputies working with experienced deputies (which also makes sense). There was just no good way to keep us working together... for now.

I came on duty half an hour early because there was supposed to be a "town hall" meeting at the courthouse with our U.S. Representative. I showed up, but the representative didn't... because of the upheaval at the Capitol over the recent ousting of the Speaker of the House. He had a video conference set up since he couldn't be here in person.

His assistant who was here gave me a congressional coin, which is neat, but all I did was show up. I hung around for about half an hour, then bounced because I knew the calls were going to start coming in with the rain... and I wasn't wrong!

I did, finally, get to attend at least part of the Wednesday night service at the local cowboy church. My chief deputy has been inviting me pretty much since I started here. He said he didn't mind if I came while on duty as long as I answered any calls that came in.

Now, I sit here wet in my patrol unit with nine hours left to go on my shift. It's still raining, so it wouldn't do me any good to go to the apartment and change into dry socks and a dry undershirt. I'm grateful for the rain. I promised the Good Lord if he got us through the drought during the Bear Creek fires in Cass County back in 2011, I would never ever complain about rain again! I've kept that promise.

I was wearing my straw cowboy hat (part of my uniform) and it got pretty wet... I hope it keeps that "crisp" stiffness, but I've never gotten a straw hat wet before.

October 7, 2023

Off Duty

I love my main job, but it's not where I make my main money. I net more than twice working off-duty security jobs than I gross at my main job... and I literally don't work. I don't deal with people, write reports, investigate crimes, get complained on, or get chewed out by supervisors and administration for the same things.

I lock myself in a small compound and make sure nobody comes in the fenced area. It gives me time to work on stuff I want to work on, play on social media, and watch my favorite streaming services.

I won't say these gigs never have any excitement. A little after 5am, I was sitting in my Tahoe waiting for my relief. I watched a station wagon stop in the middle of the street, then pop off 7 or 8 rounds, then drive away like nothing happened. I didn't see any muzzle flashes, so I don't think they were shooting at me. I didn't find any bullet holes in my Tahoe, and I didn't hear anything hit my vehicle.

I didn't call the police, and I don't believe anybody else did, either... I hear gun shots all around this place, I've just never heard them that close before.

Flash Back

The shots I heard this morning happened just days away from the two-year anniversary of a double homicide I responded to not two miles from here. I used to work security for a large retail chain. It paid a little more than what I'm doing now, but I had to deal with people, and it was more "work".

On October 12, 2021, at around 9:00pm, people came running in the store in a frenzy screaming someone was shooting outside. I went out to check it out, and I saw a man standing over two bodies. I drove my fully-equipped Dodge Charger over to the scene, secured it, then watched the show! Dallas Fire Department showed up first and started trying to resuscitate the kids, then the Dallas Police Department showed up in force... to include their helicopter flying overhead!

It was the first--and last--time I worked at that location. You can Google "Party City Dallas Shooting" and search for the stories that occurred on October 12, 2021.

October 14, 2023

This was a shift that had me pondering if I wanted to continue working here...

I had a bad day. There was the annual "festival" on the town square, and I didn't get much sleep. I could hear the bass thumping from the music they were playing since my apartment is on the second floor and just off of the town square. That was just the start of it...

One of our patrol sergeants called a "mandatory meeting" with all patrol deputies. Normally, it would be no big deal, except 1 - it was three hours before the start of my shift and cut into my sleep time, 2 - most of the hour was spent getting preached at on how to be a cop, and 3 - what would matter to me wasn't provided in writing, as in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)... AND, some of the stuff I was given the proverbial edict by my supervision wasn't followed by supervision themselves.

I was tired, cranky, and now ready to, at least, provide a two-week notice... and that was teetering on whether any other supervisor said anything that would have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

I show up and do my job. I spent the night sulking over wondering why anybody would want to mess with that.

I was certainly ready for my shift to be over at 6am the next morning. For the first time since I started here, I did NOT want to be at work.

Fortunately, I do recognize I was simply having a bad day, and that those will happen from time to time. I've resolved to writing my sheriff an email to aid with her keeping a "pulse" on her agency. I really like it here, and I don't want to leave.

A former police chief I worked for once told me, "It's okay to write angry letters, but it's not okay to send them." I'm not angry anymore.

November 6, 2023

Poor Jake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W1uxeMDqUY is most appropriate.