“not all apples” are rotten!
Yesterday, I had the humble honor and pleasure of being Stopped by a Nice and Community Positive young Highway Patrol Officer.
Most times, when we all see those “Flashing lights” in the Rear view mirror, we get conscious and stressed these day, because of all of the “negative” MEDIA of “Shooting-While-Black” and I know there are Fantastic Law Enforcement Officers all over this Country and World. I see them all the Time at my Jobs and Career Fairs I talk with them, and Seek to help them Recruit more Law Enforcement people, not all have to be on the Streets, Many Jobs are in the Offices and Others.
“IF” the Young Highway Patrol Officer should see this Article, I want to Sincerely THAN K HIM for STOPPING US (ME and my Learning Driver Partner). I never put The Officer’s Names nor Badges within any Articles, because I had a Longtime High School Class Mate and Friend, back during when I lived in Dallas, Texas get Killed Because “THE IDIOT Reporter” of the Dallas News Paper Company put/printed his name in a Front Page Article. He was also a Highway Patrol Officer and worked on a Number of “JOINT-TASK FORCE” operations against “Drug Dealers and Human Trafficking” organized Crime groups.
I can “Very Distinctly remember”, when I saw That Front PAGE Article: of Telling my X-wife, that Morning, that MY Friend’s Life had been Basically “Compromised and A Death Sentence was upon his Head!!” She asked me how/what could make me say that?? …pretty much a “NO-BRAIN ER” to me. I really did NOT want it to be true, but about 7, 8, 9 months later MY HIGH SCHOOL and CHILDHOOD CLASS MATE was DEAD! The “Criminals” pit a “MARK” upon him and killed him, and His Death was never Solved. His Body got Mysteriously “Cremated”, before any autopsy could be performed, and why his then wife approved that to happen, against his parents objections, all a great big unsolved mystery… Any that, Part of life still haunts my memories and my heart, and I might not be totally remembering everything exactly as it was printed and happened, but I do know “The GOOD Law Enforcement” and Their Families put their lives on the line, every single minute of every single day, just Like the “Bad Apples”.. the “GREAT APPLES” are out here helping US and their Communities all the time.
Anyway, That Young Patrolman, was pulling over my Driving Partner/Student Trainee, and I was about 20 Yards ahead and pulled over too, when I saw the “Flashing Lights” and my Your Trainee, flashed her lights (NOTE: we are Both African-American, She, The Trainee and I) and I knew that we were Not Speeding and I knew we had checked all of our Lights and working items on the vehicles, even as recently as a few minutes before, while at one of our Rest breaks: the Young Patrol Officer waived for me to walk back towards the Trainee’s Vehicle, and he had briefly asked her a couple questions, back there at the side of her vehicle: she sat in the Car, looking a bit afraid;….As I walked Toward the Officer, I shielded my eyes from the Sun light and yet kept very steady and clear of making any sudden moves, other than walking towards them: He flashed a Smile at me and Stated “MR. Reece, the Reason I stopped you all, is that There is a Group of Your friends and Comrade Drivers, Back There who have a bunch of “Flat Tires” and they are Not getting Any reception with their Cell Phones to Call your Base.” He asked: “you all work for “”””Blank, Right?”…I stated Yes, we do: He said, “That’s what I thought, when I saw you two vehicles pass, by me…. Could You possibly Call it in for your Fellow Drivers?”..
Then I smiled back at that Young Man, and we shook hands, and i gave him my Business Cards and he gave me the Station Location to refer People to for Jobs within the “LAW ENFORCEMENT” and Nevada Highway Patrol Careers and where to go to Apply. How The Heavenly Powers work, sometimes: I just did a Job Fair/Career Fair event, the other Day and a Young Lady stopped by our Table/Booth seeking a Law Enforcement Career. She came from The CANADIAN ARMY and has a Law Degree in Canada, trying to get Employment here, in the USA. Of Course there are “Special Criteria and Circumstances with her individual Situation, but I do want to Follow up and Refer her to That Office/Station Location for Her to Apply and also my friends at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department…I see them at many, many of our Jobs and Recruiting Events.
NOW, See, I know that WE have “Bad Apples” within ever Industry and Profession of our Societies. BUT, The way the Young Patrolman helped us out, Yesterday i How I remember things, while Growing up in Texarkana, Texas. With Officer Norris Cooley (
Norris Cooley Dr Texarkana, TX 75501
) and MY Late-Great Daddy: Pendon “NONE” (Because he had no middle name) Reece, who as we know, was the 1st BLACK HEAD ZOOKEEPER of a USA City ZOO at “Spring Lake Park & Zoo”: for the City of Texarkana and Daddy helped Train the Police German Shepherds: which is how we Got “REX” and Retired Police Canine Officer, who gave us “Bullet”, who Gave me my Favorite Child hood Friend and Only Animal I really Loved: “CHAMP” (A Combo of SHEPPERD and WILD DINGO, that Daddy Bred with Bullet!
“REX” tore down the Carport, and dragged a whole Swing set down the street one time…MANN that Animal was such a “Powerful Police Canine Officer”!!
All of this I can say is “THANK YOU, OFFICER/HIGHWAY PATROLMAN… 10 Minutes of Conversation with a “GOOD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER” gives a LOT of LOVE and HOPE for “Better HUMANITY”, because That is How I remember being treated, by some Good Officers, even as I worked a couple of Summers, at the Zoo with my Daddy. The Officers all treated me well, even “IF” it was because they knew i was my “DADDY’S Child”??, Officer COOLEY, treated US all well, within the Communities, Unless Your were a “BAD APPLE”, and even then he took time to try to “Coach & Counsel” you during and after your arrest…
Law Enforcement Officers are HUMAN BEINGS with Families and Friends and some “GOOD APPLES” still ride within our Communities to “PROTECT & SERVE”, AS THAT YOUNG OFFICER DID, yesterday. THAT was “SERVE” and we really, really appreciate him doing that for us!!!
When Law Enforcement works within the Communities for Everyone: THAT makes it Great for the Citizens!
“PROTECT & SERVE!” IS STILL THE #1. MISSION AND GOALS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND AGENCIES OF THIS NATION AND THIS WORLD!!
REMEMBER, NEVER SEEK TO “PRINT” PUBLICLY, AN OFFICER’S NAME, IDENTITY, BADGE, UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY THEIR COMMUNICATIONS DEPT, AND OR APPROVED BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, TO DO SO. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT/WHICH “JOINT-TASK FORCE” INVESTIGATIVE OPERATION, THEY MAY BE WORKING WITH.!! AND “CRIMINALS SOMETIMES “TARGET THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS” AS RETALIATIONS AND MAY TAKE WEEKS, MONTHS, EVEN YEARS FOR “REVENGE”!!
“A FEW GOOD MEN”, ALWAYS REFRESHINGLY “POSITIVE”! TO EXPERIENCE.
