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These are short bits about being a cop, submitted by some of our retired members:

Jerry Dexter shared the following:

Larry Winger shared this one of Paul Harvey describing a policeman:

Terry Carroll shared this. The author is unknown, but it will bring back memories.

An Officer’s Life

• You wonder why he pulled you over and gave you a ticket for speeding,
  
  He just worked an accident where people died because they were going too fast.
  
  
• You wonder why that cop was so mean,
  
  He just got done working a case where a drunk driver killed a kid.
  
  
• You work for 8 hours,
  
  He works for up to 18 hours.
  
  
• You drink hot coffee to stay awake,
  
  The cold rain in the middle of the night keeps him awake.
  
  
• You complain of a "headache," and call in sick,
  
  He goes into work still hurt and sore from the guy he had to fight the night before.
  
  
• You drink your coffee on your way to the mall,
  
  He spills his as he runs Code 3 to a traffic crash with kids trapped inside.
  
  
• You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket before you leave the house,
  
  He makes sure his gun is clean and fully loaded and his vest is tight.
  
  
• You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you,
  
  He watches his buddy get shot at, and wounded in front of him.
  
  
• You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls,
  
  He walks down the highway looking for body parts from a traffic crash.
  
  
• You complain about how hot it is,
  
  He wears fifty pounds of gear and a bullet proof vest in July and still runs around chasing crack heads.
  
  
• You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong,
  
  He runs out before he gets his food to respond to an armed robbery.
  
  
• You get out of bed in the morning and take your time getting ready,
  
  He gets called out of bed at 2 am after working 12 hours and has to be into work A.S.A.P. for a homicide.
  
  
• You go to the mall and get your hair redone,
  
  He holds the hair of some college girl while shes puking in the back of his patrol car.
  
  
• You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over,
  
  His shift ended 4 hours ago and there's no end in sight.
  
  
• You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight,
  
  He can't make any plans because on his off days he still gets called back into work.
  
  
• You yell and scream at the squad car that just past you because they slowed you down,
  
  He's in the driver seat of the squad car, going to cut somebody out of their car.
  
  
• You roll your eyes when a baby cries in public,
  
  He picks up a dead child in his arms and prays that it was crying.
  
  
• You criticize your police department and say they're never there quick enough,
  
  He blasts the siren while the person in front of him refuses to move while talking on their cell phone.
  
  
• You hear the jokes about fallen officers and say they should have known better,
  
  He is a hero and runs into situations when everyone else is running away in order to make sure no one else gets hurt and loses his life doing it.
  
  
• You are asked to go to the store by your parents, you don't,
  
  He would take a bullet for his buddy without question.
  
  
• You sit there and judge him, saying that it's a waste of money to have them around,
  
  Yet as soon as you need help he is there.

  ---

Carl Schwanbeck shared these recently. The authors are unknown, but they contain quite a bit of truth!

Always a Cop

Once the badge goes on it never comes off. Whether they can see it or not it fuses to the soul through adversity, fear and adrenaline and no one who has ever worn it with pride, integrity and guts can ever sleep through the ‘call of the wild’ that wafts through bedroom windows in the deep of the night.

When Cops Retire

When a good cop leaves the ‘job’ and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased and yet others who may have already retired wonder. We wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know.

We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times. We know in the law enforcement life there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his life. We also know how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.

These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the law enforcement world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing. Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You are only escaping the ‘job’ and merely being allowed to leave ‘active’ duty.

So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God,’ and you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known. There are those that think they understand, and then... there are cops.

When Cops Retire

When a good man leaves the 'job' and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased and yet others, who may have already retired, wonder.

We wonder if he [she] knows what they are leaving behind, because we already know.

We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times.

We know in the law enforcement life there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet.

We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his frame.

We also know how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is. These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the law enforcement world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing.

Never think for one moment you are escaping from the life. You are only escaping the 'job' and we are merely allowing you to leave 'active' duty.

So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that 'Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God,' and you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.

Civilian Friends vs. Police Friends

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a week.
POLICE FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will happily carry on the same conversation you were having last time you met.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Never ask for food or alcohol.
POLICE FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food or alcohol.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. And Mrs.
POLICE FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.
POLICE FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you in jail saying, 'Damn...we screwed up...but man, that was fun!'

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
POLICE FRIENDS: Cry with you.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
POLICE FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
POLICE FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
POLICE FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you behind.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
POLICE FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, 'I'm home!'

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while.
POLICE FRIENDS: Are for life.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences...
POLICE FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no Citizen could ever dream of...

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough.
POLICE FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, 'You better drink the rest of that, you know we don't waste...that's alcohol abuse!!' Then carry you home safely and put you to bed...

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you.
POLICE FRIENDS: Will knock them the hell out for using your name in vain.

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P.O. Box 7398 · St. Paul, MN 55107