My Weblog

Second Work Update

So, I don't mean to brag, but this post has been more than a year coming:

Last year (that would be 2010 because I'm still in the very last hour of 2011 here) I was recognized during National Crime Victims' Rights Week with a certificate of appreciation for my "work with crime victims."  Several agencies sponsored the award, and one representative from each local law enforcement agency received one.  I was the only one in the Billings Police Dept to get the award.  I also got a cool key chain. 

I kept meaning to post that, but never did.

Then at the end of last year (again, 2010), I got super sick one day, and I had to call in to work.  As I was lying on my couch, suffering, I got a call from my sergeant.  I did not answer my phone, but thought, "What's going on?  Does he think I'm faking being sick?  I don't usually call in sick, so I can't be in trouble for this...can I?"  After stressing about it for 30 minutes, I finally decided that it would be best just to bite the bullet and call the sergeant back to see what he wanted. 

I was not in trouble.  He was calling to advise me that the Day Shift commanders had nominated me for Officer of the Year.  The proceedure, he said, was that commanders from each shift (Days, Noons, Nights, and Detectives) nominate one employee.  All of the commanders get together later on, present the letters of nomination, and vote on THE Officer of the Year.  The next week, I learned that I had not received the award.  It's hard to beat an under-cover detective who has been on the department for probably 15 years.  Anyway, I felt good just being nominated.  Mine is the largest police department in the state, and I was in the top 4! 

I kept meaning to post that too, but never did.

Well, about 2 weeks after my last post about my new job, I received another call from my sergeant (same sergeant, might I add).  I was already at home for the evening, and at the time, was still working on light-duty status due to my recent elbow injury.  I did not ignore his call, but had my hands full of squirmy Liam, so I could not answer in time.  Once again, I thought, "What did I do?  I didn't take any reports today, so I can't have forgotten to turn in any paperwork...How much trouble can I really get into on light-duty??"

I was not in trouble (again).  This time, the sergeant was calling to tell me that, not only had the Day Shift commanders nominated me for Officer of the Year again, but this year, I WON!

I was kind of shocked since they never told me I was nominated this year.  I'm sure I did not sound as appreciative and excited as he had hoped...it just took some time to set in.  Now, want to talk about neurotic self esteem problems?  I spent the rest of the night waiting for the phone call from a commander, saying they had actually mis-counted the votes, and I really had not won after all.  I know, it's sad.

But, they had not mis-counted.  I really got the award.  I was (am) very proud.  Then I got roped into giving an interview to the local news paper.  Then an on-camera interview for one of the local TV stations.  I did not realize those things came with the package.  (Because of my new position, I'm hearing rumor that my days in the media spot light are not over yet.) 

I did not know what to tell those reporters.  Honestly, I just show up every day and do my job the best I can, usually going home thinking that I could have/ should have done better.  Who knows.  I guess I'm doing things mostly right.  I can guarantee, though, that I will still have days where I think that I could have/ should have done better.  And the next time my sergeant calls me, I will still rack my brain wondering what I might have done wrong!

I kept meaning to post all of that.  Finally...with about 15 minutes left in 2011.

Incident Ahead

When you enter my town, you will come across one of those digital, lighted signs.  It reads, "INCIDENT AHEAD," followed by, "EXPECT DELAYS ON MAIN ST."

Curious?  Thought so.  You are not alone.  The sign may just as well have read, "AWESOME, UNBELIEVABLE SIGHT AHEAD."  Trust me (I have first-hand, expert knowledge) when I say the only reason you have to "expect  delays" is because the City put up the sign advertising the "awesome, unbelievable sight ahead" "Incident Ahead."

I'm sorry, did you want to see the awesome, unbelievable sight too?  Here:

I'll give you a hint:  It's not the truck.  See the building in the background?  It is called the Metra.  It is was the main building on our fair grounds.  It used to have a roof...and a wall that would have been facing the camera.

I don't know how big this picture will end up, but you may be able to see the debris spread throughout the parking lot and grass area behind the Metra.

There used to be a building behind that billboard.  What?  You don't see the billboard on solid steel posts?  They are the brown things bent at a 90 degree angle.

 

That pile of debris in front of Target used to be a building.  Here it is from a different angle:

 
 
Kelly, you should tell Keith that there were definitely dark clouds to my left.

(I do not know how to post video clips on here.  Sorry.  If you feel the need to see the actual incident, just search YouTube for "Billings Tornado.")

Yes. 

BILLINGS TORNADO.

This tornado occurred at about 5pm on Sunday, Father's Day.  I was at work.  We were getting about grape-sized hail and unbelievable rain.  I was just about to get off work when I heard this radio transmission from another officer:

"Dispatch, I think a car just got hit by lightning."

"Oh, no, it just struck the street, not a car.  I'll be in the area of the Metra."

"Dispatch...the Metra roof is gone."

This is a view from inside the Metra.  This picture was taken by the Billings Gazette.  I am 99% positive that the truck was parked in the Metra before the tornado struck.  It was not placed there by the tornado. 

I offered to stay on shift late to help out.  They started calling people back in anyway.  I ended up staying and directing traffic (power was out, so no stop lights...oh, and most of the roads were flooded, leaving people stranded and cars literally floating in the roads).

This picture, also taken by the Billings Gazette, unfortunately does not do justice to the amount of water coursing over the roadway.  There is a park/school playground that would be to the right side of the photo.  If you walk down a fairly large hill, you get to a small pond...the water in the roadway is the pond.  It was much deeper and flowing much faster than you could ever tell by the picture.  We worried that it would take out the road.  Oh, that is me, by the way.  The officer on the camera side of the water. 

Just in case you want to know, I worked from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm.  Then, we received orders that Day Shift (that's me) had to be back at work by 5:00 am the next day.  The roadway that the tornado swept across happened to be the Main (read "ONLY") street out of the area known as the Heights.  Traffic bottle-necks on even a good morning.  This was NOT a good morning.  I directed traffic for 11 1/2 hours on Monday.  Which was amazing since the intersection where I was posted had the east/west street physically blocked off--traffic could only go north or south. 

That is where my knowledge about expecting delays comes in.  There was a steady, non-stop stream of cars coming into and leaving from the Heights.  And EVERY person had a camera in their hands.  Yes, even those who were driving alone in their vehicles...you can drive with just one hand, right? So why not take pictures with the other hand.  It would be unsafe to drive the speed limit like that, though, so you should just come to a complete stop, blocking the already-backed-up traffic and causing what?  Oh, DELAYS! 

My 11 1/2 hours was spent like this:

  

That is hand code (apparently Secret code) for "Keep Driving!"

I don't know what the news reports said, but we NEVER have tornadoes in Billings.  The only good thing was that, because it was Sunday, many of the businesses were closed.  No one was killed during this "incident." 

Also, in case you're wondering, the photos not taken by the Gazette were taken by my husband.  And, just so you don't think I am a hypocrite, he parked his car and walked on the sidewalks as he took photos.

Linda, You Are On My List

Last Sunday, I was scheduled to leave for Dallas, TX, for another training for work.  A national domestic violence conference--the same one I went to 2 years ago.  I love that conference.  It is excellent.  I was to travel with 6 other co-workers, Tina, Matt, Scott, Bob, Charlie, and Kathy.  Our plane was set to leave Billings at about 9:50am.

Mike drove me to the airport.  We got there at the same time as everyone, except Tina and Matt, who had apparently arrived 2 hours early, and had already gone through security.  Just before I got up to the ticket counter, I heard the employee page Tina and Matt over the intercom, asking them to return to the check-in counter. 

That can't be good.

I got up to Linda, the employee at the counter, and asked her if something had gone wrong.

Linda:  "They need to come back down here.  Your plane is delayed, and they need new boarding passes.  There's weather in Denver, so your plane is scheduled in at about 1:00."

They hadn't seemed to hear the page, so I called Tina on her cell phone.

Tina:  "What's going on?"

Me:  "There's weather or something in Denver.  We're rescheduled to leave at 1."

Linda:  "NO.  I said the plane is SCHEDULED IN at 1."

Me (to Tina):  "Ok...well, anyway they need you back down here to get  new boarding passes."

Tina:  "We already checked our bags.  Do we need to get them back and start all over again?  Or will they take care of it?"

Me (to Linda):  "They already checked their bags..."

Linda:  "The bags will need to be retagged.  Tell them to come back here."

Me (to Linda):  "But will they need to pick up their bags?  Or...?"

Linda:  "TELL.  THEM.  TO COME.  BACK.  DOWN HERE.  THEY.  NEED.  NEW.  BOARDING PASSES."

Me:  ...

Linda:  "WE will retag the bags in the back."

That was kind of what I had asked.  I wasn't trying to debate the issue with Linda, I just needed to tell Tina if she should pick her bags back up, or not worry about it.

Linda, you are on my list.

So, we got sorted out and all decided to go home for a couple hours and then return at about noon.  Mike and I went back out to our new car.  The 2006 Subaru with 17,000 miles on it, which we just bought a month ago.  I have alredy had to force the car dealership to come out to my house to replace the battery for me, at which time, they also reset the Check Engine light that had come on.  Exactly what you would expect from your new car.

Mike got into the driver's seat, and the car wouldn't start.  He had to try several times to get the car going.  And when it finally did start, the Check Engine light had come back on.  Of course it was Sunday, so we couldn't take the car anywhere to be checked out.  The Subaru guy had specifically told me not to worry about the Check Engine light last time, that it had probably been the battery issue causing it to come on.

Rimrock Subaru, YOU are on my list. 

We drove out to the toll both--airport parking, you know.  The lady inside the toll both was a small, thin, older lady.  Maybe in her fifties.  She had long, scraggly brown hair, and kind of a raspy voice.  I did not see a name tag, but it would be perfect if her name had been Freeda.  Too perfect.

Freeda:  "Hi.  $2.50."

Mike handed her a $20 bill, which was the only denomination we had.

Freeda:  "Oh...is that the only thing you have?  I'm kind of running out of change here.  Do you have a debit card, maybe?"

First of all, it was 10:00 in the morning.  How are you already out of change?  For a $20!  No, no, I take that back.  She was not out of change.  She was "almost out" of change.  Which, to me, meant, "I still have change, but it's early, and I don't want to use it all up on you."  And how does a toll booth run out of change anyway??  What else do you do, but take money and make change all day!

Mike did hand her his debit card.  And, while I was irritated, I would have let it go.  But just before we pulled away...

Freeda:  "This is still a small airport.  We don't charge much for parking.  You should know to bring smaller money."

I almost came unglued at that point.  I opened my mouth to let whatever was loudest in my brain come out.  I began to climb across the center console.  It was our fault that the toll booth didn't have enough change??  Somehow, we should have known that a toll booth wouldn't be able to break a $20, but we brought one anyway, so we needed the lecture??  Mike thanked Freeda and quickly sped away.  I yelled at him that he should never have given her a debit card.  He should have just said that the $20 was all  we had.  If she refused to open the gate, we would have just abandoned our Check Engine light car right there, blocking the exit.  Let them tow it since that was probably what we were going to have to do later that day anyway.

Freeda, you are on my list.

We returned to the airport at noon.  I already had my new boarding pass, and had already checked my bag, so I was planning to just go past security and to the gate.  But as I walked in, I saw my other 6 group members standing back at the check-in counter.  Charlie advised, "The flight has been cancelled."

FRONTIER AIR LINES, YOU ARE ON MY LIST!

The ladies at the check in counter, including Linda, were able to find us another flight.  That was after several minutes of frantic keyboard-clicking on their part and...shall we say truth-stretching on our part (Scott told the check in ladies that we were instructors at the conference, so we had to get there on time).

Linda, you are now a little lower on my list.

I think we were on Alaskan Air, or something like that.  Rerouted to Seattle, WA, instead of Denver, CO.  We arrived in Seattle, only to learn that our connecting flight was delayed!

Alaskan Airlines, you are on my list, too!

We did arrive safely.  Waaay late.  Just in time to go to bed, get 5 hours of sleep, and get up for the conference.  Totally worth it, though.  This one was even better than the last one.

My "Weekend" : Another Court-Shmort Entry

Here was my weekend:  a trip to Helena because of a subpoena.  *Sigh*  Subpoenas are never pleasant, but this one was semi-different.  It was in Helena for one.  It was to be a federal trial:  United States vs. Defendant.  Something different, for sure. I'd never testified in Federal Court before.  Also, because I would be traveling, the government was getting me a hotel room.  And because I was doing something work-related, my department was issuing me a patrol car to drive, and paying me for my time there.

Here's a brief recap of my thoughs over the past two days:

-Disruptive, but perhaps an adventure...a paid adventure using someone else's equipment.  Sounds good.

-Maybe my hotel will have a hot tub.

-Yay, I got to say Hi to Gail and Mike and my dad as I passed through the area.

-Lost.  Who plans out these streets in Helena?  I would fire them for sure, unless I was in on the joke they had to have been playing.

-Where is my hotel?

-THAT is my hotel??  Where is the dead bolt on the door?  Where is my gun?  Do criminals in Helena still have enough decency to refrain from breaking into a marked patrol car?

-Sleep.

-Wake up to SpongeBob Square Pants on the TV.  Interesting way to start the day.

-Odd that the pre-trial meeting with the U.S. Attorney would be so brief.  And odd that they did not even have a copy of my report.  Good thing I brought one.  At least one of us is prepared.

-Hate having to sit through court proceedings waiting for my turn.

-5 minutes of testimony by me...frustrating that I just recapped what was already written in my report.  Why did I bother to write a report if no one but me reads it??

-Glad that the defense attorney did not have any questions for me.  They can be mean.

-Get told, "Thanks for making it.  You can go."

-Did I mention that Helena is about 245 miles away from Billings??  Drive 490 miles round-trip to testify for 5 MINUTES on facts that I documented so I would not HAVE to go to court!

-Oh well, back into my issued patrol car...my 2-wheel drive patrol car.

-Hate 2-wheel drive cars.

-Oh my God!  That's a blizzard!  White-out conditions!  2-wheel drive car!  Never going to make it home.

-Wow!  That's a Sheriff's car sitting backwards in the ditch.  Looks bad, please be ok.

-Hope my flashing lights help the situation and don't end up attracting blinded drivers into us while we stand on the side of the road.

-Good, he's fine and that's his tow truck coming down the road.

-Coming down the road at a high rate of speed!  Drifting toward the shoulder...straight toward my car!

-AAAHH!  Don't hit my patrol car!!

-Whew.

-Stressful white-knuckle driving for the last 30 miles of my trip.

-Very thankful that I survived my "adventure."

-Not friends with the U.S. government who takes pleasure in disrupting my weekend.

Court-Shmort, Vol. 2

*Sigh*

Well, as mentioned yesterday, today was supposed to be the second attempt at a trial in which I had to testify.  So, I got up at 7am, got myself and the boys dressed and fed.  I had not planned to be doing anything today, so I had no child care arranged.  Rumor has it that you get in trouble if you just leave little kids at home with a bowl of food and water, so I had to find a drop-in day care (thank goodness for those!!!).  But it happened to be all the way across town.  We drove out there, and I dropped off the chil'en.  Then I drove back home so that I could get decked out in Class A's and Mike's leather gear...again. 

I walked into my house, and my phone was ringing.  Oh, it was the court.  Trial for that day was cancelled.   *Sigh*

So I used my child-free time to run some errands.  It's good that I don't have a life, or all that court scheduling and rescheduling may have really cramped my style.

On a happier note, here are some of the things blooming in my yard:

Daisies.

Some kind of white flower on a tall stem.  I'm not sure what it is, and it kind of washes out against the rock behind it.

Cute little purple flower (no idea what) from my wild flower mix in my window box.  There is supposed to be a setting on my camera that allows for close close-ups, but I apparently don't know how to use it.

Again, those are other wild flowers all around it...not weeds.

I had a whole grove of sunflowers volunteer on one of our "burial mounds."  I plan to leave them there.  Are sunflowers perrenials?  Did I spell perrenials correctly?

On Safari

Spending 40 hours a week driving around town allows you to see some cool things that people who just drive to and from work may not notice:  nice houses and pretty yards, interesting people, fun parks, etc.  Today, however, I feel like sharing some of the wildlife I have seen.  Many of these animals are not amazing in and of themselves, but take into account that I see them wandering around the city acting like they just belong there. 

The antelope population entertains me.  The city has moved into their territory, but they refuse to be displaced.  It is quite common to see herds of them just in a yard or standing in a driveway between cars.  I guess had never seen one up close before moving here.  When I first started seeing them, I was not quite sure what they were.

Someone in town keeps furry cows (Scotland somethings) in a small field.  I like to drive by and look at them.

Every once in a while one of these guys mosies across the street.

This morning I saw a whole line of ducks crossing the street.  They crossed against the light, but did manage to all stay in the crosswalk.

A week ago, I was driving through a school parking lot and went over the top of a piece of litter (not squishing it, but my tires went on either side).  Then I stopped and thought, "That looked like it had eyes."   I circled around and found myself face to headlights with a big frog.  He just sat and stared at me, wiped his hand over his eyes, and turned around.

On Saturday night, some of us were dispatched to the middle of a downtown neighborhood to look for what dispatch termed, "Our ellusive goat."  We kept getting reports of a goat roaming about, but no one could ever find it when we tried.

And this morning around dawn, I saw two of these right in someone's front yard, grazing:

   

Turkeys.

I have thought about taking pictures for a 'patrol safari' scrapbook or something, but always decide that I don't get paid to be a wildlife photographer.  They're fun to watch though!

The "Q" Word

Last night was horribly boring.  Sunday nights are usually less exciting than other nights.  Also, I was in a fairly up-scale, crime-free part of town.  Between 9pm and 4:30am, I had 2 calls.  I did some traffic stops, but by about 3am there were more police cars on the streets than actual people.  (Both calls lasted about 1/2 hr, and each traffic stop--4 total--took 15 minutes...out of 7 1/2hrs.)  So, as I sat with my eyes glazed over, I cursed myself for having used the "Q" word in yesterday's blog...I think you know the word I mean.

But that reminded me of an e-mail Mike got a few days ago.  It's one of those "things you know if you're a police officer" type deals, but this one was funnier than most that I have read...that is to say it contained more truths than others.  I will now share it with you, *marking the ones that are particularly true:

You know you are a cop if...

1. You have a bladder capacity of five people.
2. Your idea of a good time is a gun run or a car chase.
3. You conduct a criminal record check on anyone who seems friendly towards you.
4. You believe in the aerial spraying of Prozac and birth control pills.
5. *You disbelieve 90% of what you hear and 75% of what you see.
6. *You have your weekends off planned for a year.
7. You believe the government should require a permit to reproduce.
8. *You refer to your favorite restaurant by the intersection at which it's located.
9. You ever had to put the phone on hold before you begin laughing uncontrollably.
10. You think cafine should be available in IV form.
11. *You believe anyone who says, "I only had 2 beers," is going to blow more than a .15
12. You find out a lot about paranoia just by following people around.
13. *Anyone has ever said to you, "There are people killing other people out there and you are here messing with me."
14. People flag you down on the street and ask you directions to strange places...and you know where they're located.
15. *You are the only person introduced at social gatherings by profession.
16. *You walk into places and people think it's high comedy to seize their buddy and shout, "They've come to get you, Bill."
17. *You do not see daylight from November until May.
18. *People shout, "I didn't do it!" when you walk into a room and think they're being hugely funny and original.
19. *A week's worth of laundry consists of 4 T-shirts, 4 pairs of socks, and 4 pairs of underwear.
20. **You've ever refered to Tuesday as "my weekend," or, "this is my Friday."
21. You've ever written off guns and ammunition as a business deduction.
22. *You find humor in other people's stupidity.
23. ***You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, "Boy, it sure is Quiet tonight."

Well, there it is.  And hopefully tonight will not be as...you know...as last night was, because after all, Monday night is "my Friday."