kindergarten_cop
I don’t often order people around on 9-1-1 calls.  It’s not my place to tell them what to do, or how to behave.  My job is simply to gather information, and dispatch the appropriate equipment and people to deal with their emergency.  This morning a 9-1-1 call came in that tossed all my training right out the window.  I had to use my “cop voice”, and order someone (and it took several times) to do something.  I really don’t recall the last time I’ve done that.

This morning’s call, however, had me in full “get your ass back home right now!” mode.

It was 2 am, and I took a call from a man (to use the term loosely) who was chasing his ‘baby-momma’ down the street.  He called her a few different things- “girlfriend”, “wife”, “bitch”- while telling me she had left their 2 year old in the house and was walking down the street with another man.  I could tell he was following them, as he was yelling at them while on the phone.  Once I got his attention focused back on the phone call, I asked where the 2 year old was.  He said at home.  When I asked who was with the child, he said no one!  Instant, automatic, full “cop-voice” mode kicked in (even though I’m not a cop, and never have been!) “get back to the house, right now!”  I’m sure I told him some other things, but I really don’t recall right now all that I said.  I was just furious he would run out of the house and leave a 2 year old there alone in order to chase the mother and her new “boyfriend” down the street.  I had to ‘order’ him to return to the house several times, insisting that he could not leave the child there alone, and that I would send an officer to speak to him.  “The Voice” finally kicked in with him, and he agreed to return.

It was more important to him to chase the woman and her new “friend” than it was to take care of his baby.  That whole idea frosted me, and it’s bad enough that he’s an idiot, but he’s an idiot that has already reproduced!  That poor kid doesn’t stand a chance!