For those of you who don’t know let me say it loud. I received my certificate that showed that I had completed all test both mental and physical back on the 13 day of November 1998. On that day they not only provided me with that big ass certificate (which they spelled my middle name wrong on) I also had my badge pinned onto my uniform, just over my heart. Every since that day I have worn both the badge and the uniform with honor and pride. PROUD I say! Say it with me…PROUD!As a black man, for some reason, when my people see me in the uniform they see me as a sell out, an Uncle Tom. But fuck that. I wear this shit well! I have never understood why people who look like me always like to complain about the status quo and how there are not enough black officer out there and then when they get a black officer, who is working hard to be fair and make a difference for everyone, and they want to hate on them. What’s up with that crap? Somebody explain that shit to me.
Let’s get this straight, I have only been a cop for ten years but I have been black all my life. I know what it is like to live the hard life, be on food stamps and have your water turned off. I know what it’s like to have your ass beat down by life and an overly oppressive step-father. I know what it is like to have to work, work and work and still manage to hold up your head during the storm and the rain.
My ass is like Oprah Winfrey’s character, in the Color Purple. Hell, all my life I’ve had to fight. So I know how to relate to the under trotted; people who still believe that it takes longer for the cops to answer a call in their neighborhood just because of the skin tone of people who reside there. I know what it is like to have not. Why do you think my ass is so cheap now? It is because I live with that constant childhood fear of someday having nothing and ending up homeless in the street. Still, let’s get one thing straight, so I don’t ever have to say it again. When I strap on that vest, button up that shirt and sling on that gun belt, I wear that shit well. And although I wear it well, I have never and will never forget that under that blue uniform I am still a black man. Police work is what I do, being a strong, black man is what I live. So just like the kink of my hair, the ash of my skin, the fullness of my lips, I wear my uniform with just as much pride and dignity as I wear my skin tone.
I have worked hard, through bogus complaints, favoritism, being unjustly removed from a station, having my badge taken from me, for a day, and being suspended without pay, all in a world that is still predominantly white, with a good ole boy system. I’ve taken the tests and proved myself worthy to go from P.O, to Senior Corporal to Sergeant. I’ve had maced spit into my eyes, have maced myself, been lied on, bitten (twice), fought, ran from, had to jumped over fences only to land on my head, had a gun pulled on me, fell into bushes, rolled over a squad car, climbed out the passanger window and walked away without a scratch (thank you JESUS-I don’t care if some of you don’t believe) and just about everything else you can image, and never once, not once have I ever used unnecessary force, cursed anyone out, called anyone a derogatory name (except for this one guy I called an ignorant bastard, but he really was, I promise you-long story, maybe I’ll share it someday-Whew, he was mad at me. Called me an Alabama Monkey. My partner cracked up). I follow the letter of the law to the “t” and hold my ass accountable both in and out of uniform.
Just like it is an embarrassment to me when people that look like me do things that is a detriment to my race; the same hold true when people that wear the same uniform as me do the same kind of shit. Because I know that the actions of one only end up reflecting on many, even though it is not the many that are fucking up. And you know why that holds true? It is because people who dislike black people only need one example of ignorance, violence, and stupidity, whatever, to pass judgment and say: “See, that’s just how those people are.” The same whole true with people who dislike the police. I wish people could see just how closed minded and ignorant that type of mindset is. But I know I can’t change the world. But how much you wanna bet that I take a stab at it every time I put on that damn, blue uniform?
-One Man’s Opinion. Peace
Now, after all that is said and done, I would like to open up the blog for questions. I believe both Fuzzy and Raw Dawg did something like this so I’d like to jump on the band wagon. What would you like to know? Ask me and I will do my best to answer. All I ask is that you be respectful to me and my chosen profession. You can hate, but hate nicely.
30 comments:
You said alot. LOL
True about the few officers that are fucking up reflects on the whole. I believe there are far more good cops than bad cops.
Here are my questions:
Why did you choose to be a police officer?
I watch The First 48 Hours faithfully. Have you ever been on an episode or been around any of the tapings in Dallas?
Why do you blog and what have you learned from blogging?
Sounds like being a cop is full of adventure. What you said here is really true. Don't worry though there are people who don't think being black and a police officer makes you a sellout. Actually it's kind of ignorant to even consider it.
its about time you have posted a blog,lol. I have been coming on your page and I was like whats going on???
Thank you for this post. and i do believe it only takes one of us to fuck up to give them validation for their opinions of us.
What i want to know is why havent you been dating anyone?
and how was the academy and psychology test(if you had to take one)
any advise you can give to a sister who will be going to the academy?
that is something that i would not expect ANYONE to say. the fact that you approach being a cop with the same pride that you approach life as a black man speaks volumes about how seriously you take police work.
i got much respect for that.
what's the most fun you have had while on duty?
Okay, Southern Gall, my first answer is an answer that you will get from probably every cop in the world, but it is true. I became a cop because I really enjoy helping people. I had several jobs that allowed me to be a servant to my fellow man, but I wanted to do more.
I don’t know if you saw the first 48 hours where they worked the case where two different guys had been shot and burned to death. One was in North Dallas, and was found in an alley. The other one was in Oak Cliff, and was found on a deserted back street. I was the lone officer who was sent on that one, but I made sure to stay out of camera shot, but someone told me they had saw a glimps of me anyway.
I started to blog as a forum for my comics. This blog was started because I felt I had something to say about some of the foolish things we say as a people. I was sick of saying the crap to myself, made me look crazy don’t you know, so I decided to blog about it. Blogging….what a lovely way to burn.
Dreamcop, all of last week this damn laptop would not allow me to log on and when it would it would be none responsive and I would have to reboot the damn thing. I went to your blog and was on a roll in the comment section. When I finished and tried to send the shyt, it would never go through. The comment you eventual received was nothing compared to what I’d said the first go around (which didn’t take). As far as your question, I don’t think I made myself clear. These question were supposed to be strickly questions related to police work, no personal stuff. Why am I not dating anyone? Dating is hard. The last time I got my heart broke it hurt so bad I was depressed for about a month and it took me about six months to get over the hurt (I’m a slow healer). Relationships are hard and it’s hard to know who to trust. I actually did a post about this on how I wanted to be like the black crow and mate for life. I don’t think that can happen in today society. Trust me, I have seen the various strings of failed marriages and relationships. I have seen the infidelity and hurtful things said and did to people who once professed to love one another to death. I am like, fuck that. I’m good all by myself. No drama. Plus, even as a kid, I have always known I was destined to be alone. (I know that last sentence probably sounds kind of sad, but trust me when I say it is not.)
The psychological test her was a joke. They asked a bunch of dumb ass questing such as: True or False, I would enjoy working as a librarian. Or True or False, I like tall women. And crazy stuff like that. Then there is a feel in the blank portion where they asked some very personal question and I was honest to a fault on those bad boys. So honest in fact that I thought they were going to think my ass was crazy and turn me down. But trust me when I say that there are some crazy mother skotters on the department and you wonder just how they got threw the psychological portion of the test. When I was going through, a great majority of the candidates didn’t make it pass those test, for whatever reason. The academy is 8 months long and they teach you everything. There was a test every freaking Monday that people you to get into study groups for on the weekend. Not me though, I am not a joiner. During the first couple of weeks I would spend my weekend studying, like everyone else and then I would be pissed off when I would still just score in the eighty and sometimes seventy percental so I stopped studying and still managed to pass all the test. They were multiple choice test, which I have never been good at taking. Even when I know the subject, multiple choice test would fuck me up. Oh, just so you know, if you got three test failures, which we had two people in our class get, they recycled you into the next class and they don’t care how far along you had gotten in your current class. There was other thing going on in the academy, but I’ll move on.
I don’t know what your academy will be like, but I will say this. Don’t believe that shit when they say; “look around, by the time you finish the academy these will be some of the best friends you have ever made in your life”. They told us that shyt on day one and I was like fuck that. I already have friends. There were twenty six people in our class and I would say that I only liked six of them and five of those six I honestly just tolerated. Pretty much I disliked all their cocky, phoney ass. They all got together back in April to celibrate our ten years on the department. Sgt. Young, who was a Corporal and our class advise back then and now works at the same station as I do, asked me why I didn’t come to the gathering. I told him that I had another function to go to, which was true. But I hadn’t planned on going anyway. I didn’t want to be around a group of people that I didn’t care for. Other than that, just keep your head up. Sometimes they can be kind of ruthless in the physical training part of it, but by the time I left the academy, I was one sexy bastard. Not anymore though. LOL.
Stewie, I am one of those people who always have fun. I can make a joke out of just about anything. That is why I only surround myself with positive people. I think the most fun that I have had since becoming a sergeant was when myself, Sgt. Lupe and another sergeant were on our way to breakfast and the officers were working a shoot. We were listening to it, but there was already a Sgt assigned to go out to the scene. I convinced Sgt Lupe to drive near to area so we could be nosey (police are notoriously nosey-not me though). Well, I’ll be damn if the car involved didn’t drive right by us and three other squad cars. I was like, “Sgt. Lupe, that’s the car!” She was like, “No it’s not. You saw the officer’s just go by it”. I was like, “They have tunnel vision, I think that’s the car, turn around.” She was like, “But they described it as a red Ford, that was a Lincoln.” I’m like, “Damn, Sgt. Lupe, people get the models of the cars wrong all the time, the shyt was red, let’s stop it. If I’m wrong we can apologize , no harmed done.” In the course of that conversation, an officer gets on the radio and asked if a red car had by passed any of the officers en route to the scene. I was in my head saying, damn you Lupe. Don’t question my fucking instincts as an officer. By the time we made our U-turn those bastards were hauling ass. They made corner and had disappeared. We were like which way did they go, which way did they go. We decided to check the alley and as we drive down all we see are assholes and elbows. What the fuck. In the end I determined that they had went into the house close to where they had abandoned the car and my adrenaline was pumping like nobody business. We entered into that house and took eight men into custody, one I had to drag from under the bed (He said he wasn’t hiding. He was just scarred.) That shit was fun. I love catching bad guys and I am talking about true bad guys that have no regard for human life or other people’s property. It was the best team work I had seen between so many damn officers at one time to. Lupe and I were high fiving each other and the car and shyt. Needless to say, we never got the chance to go get breakfast. Damn Lupe, she can’t drive for shyt. I would still be mad at her today if those crooked bastards had gotten away. Just for the record, I call everybody a bastard, including my little nephew. It is honestly one of my catch phrases.
Wow, One Man, I guess it's been a rough week. Being a vet I can sympathize with the attitude you've copped (*DING* bad pun!). The only people that get less respect than black cops are black vets.
You need an outlet beside art to let off that steam. Start a heavy metal cop band!
You could name the first album "We Sold Our Souls For Donut Holes."
Peace!
now u know i know u represent folk
I have to give you the higest props, not many can wear the uniform and still keep sight of who they really are. It has to be hard to deal with our craziest most obnoxious sect and keep your cool. No questions just much respect.
Nuff Respect.
Thank you for your service.
~Kena
I have no questions...well...wait...yes I do. Have you been using that lotion on those ashy ass ankles on a regular basis? *big grin*
This was a beautifully written and well expressed post. Besides, I've always had love for a man who can wear a uniform WELL...
Hmm, I don't really like these kind of posts. You have to think too hard about which question to use so that light and clarity will be revealed and the earth will be safe for yet another day.
Alright, Frank Rizzo was a beat cop in Philly who made it to commissioner and then mayor in the 70's. What are your ambitions? Are they political or do you intend to stay with the force. Have you thought about security, they say there is a hell of lot of money in that? Just look at Mayor Giulliani and his pals. Does the accumulation of money mean anything to you other than keeping the wolf away? What is your next move?
And of course i expect a few paragraphs, otherwise there will be follow up questions.
Yet another donut joke, Mark, really? LOL. I actually just need to get laid. LOL.
Thank you, Torrance, because that seriously means a lot to me. I have mad respect for your ass, bro.
Thank you too Miss Gypsy
You should see my ass in it, Tam. You know a brother can split some seems. LOL. Naw, that’s not cute. LOL.
Curious, my man. Here we go. I have never been into the money making aspect of the job. And trust me when I say there is money to be made, out the ass, in this career. However, it has never been about the money to me. I make a pretty good living and I ain’t greed. Hell, I am in the house that I own because I was able to get it half price, just because I am a law enforcement officer. How cool is that. However, although I love my job I feel no need to put on the uniform when I don’t have to. Policing does not rule my life, as it does many. The next step for me is Lieutenant. I would like to be a lieutenant and when the next test for it comes up you can bet I will take it. That being said, I don’t actually think being a Lieutenant is in the cards for me. That position is much more competitive and I have horrible study habits. I have ass study and just go for what I know. To make Lieutenant you have to be in that top ten percent, and I don’t have the discipline to make myself do the required amount of studying to pull that off.
I have no political aspirations. My heart and soul will always be in art. When I retire, I want to just be able to do my art. You know, Painting, sketches, colored pencils and such. I would really like to sculpt. I’m pretty sure I can teach myself how to do it, but a kelm (did I spell that right?) is still required, I believe.
The problem with moving up the chain, just before I close out, is that the higher up you go the less actual police work you do. You wouldn’t believe the disconnect between the worker bees and the queen bees. They are so busy trying to obtain power that they make it harder for police to do their job and believe it or not, it is the citizens that end up suffering. So, I like the idea of moving up, because only through moving up are you sometimes able to effect change, but once again, there is nothing like the hands on tactics.
While I do have an uncle on the force in Boston and I respect your stance and pride...I still can't look at a police officer and see a beacon of light/peace/security. I am a young black male in America and while I am a law abiding citizen the fear is always there that the law or an officer of it, will turn for the worst on me.
SOOOOOOO my question is, how do you feel about the "fuck the police"
t-shirts, slogans, songs, etc.
second, do you watch the wire? is that an accurate portrayal? im your opinion?
So..... did I say I love your blog yet? *lol* Seriously, your writing is awesome.. do you mind if I link to you? We need a fine example like yourself..
As for the 'me and my blog' thing.. I wish I made that up myself, but I just cheap-ass stole it. Or well, those things were meant for that, so really I just took the offer ;)
As for your question.. why peeps think you're a sell-out.. I'm guessing gangsta rap.. that when a black person sees a cop, he HAS to think 'run!', not 'join!'
Greetings from the netherlands! :)
Aaron, I grew up singing the song "Fuck the Police". No, I am not offended by the t-shirt, song, slogan. I'm not easily offended, normally. Hell, sometimes I say fuck the police my damn self, but only out of humor. Just like sometimes I'll be a work and think "damn police", which comes from the Grand Theft Auto games.
I do not watch the Wire at all. I'm one of those people who rarely watch shows to focus around what I do. I do watch cops though.
Linda, you make me smile. Hell, when I see the police sometimes, I think "run". I wonder if it's something that is innate. "Damn Police!"
> Police work is what I do, being a strong, black man is what I live. So just like the kink of my hair, the ash of my skin, the fullness of my lips, I wear my uniform with just as much pride and dignity as I wear my skin tone.
COooool… I like those lines, one man! :-)
Yet another donut joke, Mark, really? LOL. I actually just need to get laid. LOL.
You have to admit that would be the name of some lame faux-rap CD that D.A.R.E. cops would hand out to high school kids!
Unless you end up like that Narcotics brother who shot himself in the foot at the grammar school, then we'd have to name the CD, "Stay Away from the D.E.A."
As to getting laid, who's fault is that? You got a gun and a badge. USE IT! There's got to be some half-way decent speeding female motorists on your local roads looking to work out an out-of-court settlement to avoid a ticket and some points!
Just make sure you don't end up on TMZ in some Eddie Murphy/Teddy Pendergrass shit, OKAY? (LOL)
Mark, you know you don't have a lick of sense, right? But I think I might be able to get on board with the making of the CD. Let's get it started. We just need one good song. Hell, we can a fortune as one hit wonders. I don't care.
sorry about the personal questions I obviously misread. but I am happy that you decided to answer that question because i feel you on that.
sometimes i wonder if I am destined to be alone too. i feel like I am so accepting of someones personality but i feel as though i dont get the same in return. I sometime wonder if I am ever gonna be happy with someone or if someone is gonna come along and treat me the way i would like to be treated. so no i dont feel like that statement you made on that subject is sad because i feel the same way you do. i had visions of someday being on a wedding story and all that shyt but that is looking so slim these days. and to be honest with you I have given up on this love crap.
and i am so ready to go to the academy. like you i dont plan on making friends. i dont like to let people in because once you get pass that hard outward exterior then you will see that I am such a softee and people tend to take that for a sign of weakness. but on the other hand people are drawn to my personality for some reason so i know people are gonna be all up in a sister grill
my captain came to me today and told me to fill out my application today, they are starting the hiring process. so i cant wait. ill keep you posted,lol
have a wonderful day "One Man"
I also did that post about questions...somehow you missed ur turn!!!
Anyway,
1. What should the top three priorities of any police officer be?
2. Do these priorities cross over into your personal life?
3. How would you grade police officers of the US in general?
4. What gives you the most fulfillment in being an officer?
It's funny that people distrust the police but never hesitate to threaten, "I'm gonna call the police on you!"
My question: How many fellow coworkers wearing a badge would you say should not be in your precinct? Please give the answer (# out of #. I just have to give validity to the overabundance of fear and distrust when held by so many people in the community the police is supposed to serve.
Second question:
On the issue of excessive force, how would you define it in scenario?
Dreamcop, I can't wait until you make it into the academny. I want to see how it effects your blog.
Dang, Darius. Let’s see, the top three priorities. One, public service, I think sometimes we forget that we are here for the citizens. That being said, some of the things we do for the citizens are not going to make them happy. I’m not sure, that is my main thing and I think that alone covers a lot. I hope that isn’t a cop out.
Now, does this one thing cross over to my life? Yes. I like helping others, although people make me sick. Sorry, but we make some bad as choices. You noticed that I say we, because I am a people, damn it.
Uh, came up with another priority. I think it is very important that we live our lives according to the laws that we are suppose to uphold. So many officers want to be the ones who uphold the laws but in that same instant believe themselves to be above the law. What kind of crap is that?
I would give police in the US a “B”. I wish I could give us higher, but I think we got a lot of stuff going on that effects us negatively.
I am the most fulfilled when I catch a bad guy and I mean a true bad guy. Not someone who just has outstanding warrants for ticket. People who are robbing, stealing, and hurting others. I love catching me a bad guy. That shit makes my dick hard. (Not literally)
Queen shizzle (just typing that made me smile). This one is so hard because although I know I should know how many officers we have on our police department, I honestly don’t. So, let’s just say at the station where I work there are 500 cops. Out of those 500 I would say that maybe 100 should not be cops. The majority of those because they are just there to get a pay check and they put more stock in working their easy extra jobs and come in and does their jobs half ass. That shit is annoying to me. Maybe twenty of that hundred I would just consider plain incompetent, but we have that with the people in the higher ups as well. And then I would say another twenty in that group are probably just cocky ass holds who misuse their power and will probably end up doing something stupid enough to get fired. We had two officers get fired earlier this week for lying about the details that lead to a shootout that happened at an off duty job. One of the ones that lied didn’t even participate in the shootout but his dumb ass lied for the other guy. He had been on the force since 1989 too. How stupid is that?
Okay, now this is the one that is going to make you some folks made. You see some things are indeed excessive force, no matter how you look at it, like the Rodney King beating; I still don’t understand how police got away with that crap. But please remember that police are not trained to fight fair. They give us all those tools on her ‘utility belt’ so we will have the upper hand. So, where you might look at someone striking someone with an asp as being excessive force, we are allowed to hit you in order to gain control. I personally have never used my asp against anyone, but that just because I wouldn’t want to be hit with the damn thing, but that is not to say that I wouldn’t if I had to.
Next time I need you to not shy away from the camera. I want to be able to say "I know him".
And no sooner than you roll eyes at my suggestion for your love life, I get home from work, turn on Tru TV and see "World's Greatest Police Videos." And just what happens to be on? A cop stopping two white women (not to be racial, but I just haven't seen sistahs act like this in cop video shows) who just came from a wet t-shirt contest, drunk. While said officer is running their license number, the women get out of the car, strip and flee naked. When caught by a second cruiser, the women scream, "We're not supposed to get arrested, we showed you BOOBS!" Definitely an "I couldn't make this stuff up" moment.
And you say I don't have a lick of sense (LOL).
As to the CD, don't tempt me ... I'll consider that a challenge, and will rise to the occassion! Matter of fact, we could start our own virtual band of cops, like Jamie Hewett and Gorillaz. Look for the album cover in your email this weekend!
only one question
what is the 'first time masturbate' story that you have so eloquantly teased us about?
Mark, let's do it. i got some skills. I'm down. We can work on the cover together. We be artist like that.
Desy, I can not tell a story of masturbation and ever look you in the eye again.
I'm mad...you didn't answer my question about the lotion!!
Sorry, tam. Back to your question about the lotion, because I would never deny you. The answer is no, I have not been using the lotion on the ankles. I just can't do it, yall. I can't. But I got my hair cut to the quick and I bought some blue majic "coconut" and I use the remainder of that on hands to my elbows. Does that count. I rarely use anything on my hair, so that gots to account for something, right.
Goodness, there is really much worthwhile information above!
buy viagra | Viagra | viagra Australia
Quite worthwhile information, thanks for your post.
1 | 1 | liked it
Post a Comment