The Boogie Man Is My Friend by Kathryn Loving

Author:Kathryn Loving
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781489570031
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2013-06-14T05:00:00+00:00

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Chapter 21

Wheels On The Bus

Back to work in partial order with 1.5 eyeballs working several days later. Wheels said he missed me. It appears the other trainer he was with was “mean” or “strict” and had a different learning style which he felt was "OK, Ma’am", but didn't conform to his learning style. Well, we can’t always comply with a rookie’s learning style, but we try to adapt. It is also important that rookies aren’t entitled to only have those they train in sync with. They need to be exposed to a variety. The variety of trainers I had in the field training program were polar opposites of each other, but I learned from each of them.

So I went to that trainer and asked how he did, bracing myself for the worst. The trainer had good reviews and was impressed how far he had come at his 3rd week. I knew those imaginary beatings were doing something. Who says corporal punishment wasn’t good for kids?

It’s always nice to have feedback other than from your rookie. As the information flows in, you can adjust your training needs to what is missing or what isn’t working.

The first night back ran a little hit and miss. Wheels had a meltdown. His radio traffic all of a sudden took a shit dive. At the end of shift he did a traffic stop on a hill with the worst radio traffic in history. Then he messed up the traffic citation 4 times. He threw the 4th "messed up" ticket across the dash and said,

WHEELS: Fuck it! I'm going to give him a warning. I can't do anything right.

ME: Really? You are going to throw a tantrum?

WHEELS: Well, I'm so fucking pissed. I messed up everything. Look at all the IM's from the sergeant and the guys telling me I'm an idiot.

ME: So? We all look like idiots sometimes. Put on your big girl panties and rewrite the ticket for the 40th time.

WHEELS: We're pushing an extended time for the traffic stop and I don't want to violate his rights.

ME: Good. Then write fast. [Handed him a DOVE chocolate] Take this for your headache.

WHEELS: What?

ME: Chocolate. A girl's best friend. Girlfriend, eat it. And quit throwing a fit. I might have to beat you.

We all made mistakes. My radio traffic as a rookie and again as a newly released officer was probably the worst. In fact, it was a continual mistake in every cop’s career.

I had gotten written up by SERGEANT “STERN” after two months on the job for my radio traffic. I was called into his office, handed the write up, and sat down to read my demise. It stated my radio traffic was below standard and was not recognizable, plus I was not calling out my locations clearly. I signed the paper and marched out. I think STERN was expecting an argument or tears. It wasn’t worth it. I just signed on the dotted line.

Wheels was no different. He made more radio mistakes as the night went on, but we corrected them.

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