The Cop Column
December 2008
Sgt. Rick Hord
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
A Cop’s Letter to Santa
Dear Santa,
This year, could you help me get rid of bad days at work? That may sound
selfish, but when I have a bad day,
it’s almost always because someone else is having a worse day. If you could pack
your sack of goodies with a few things, I wouldn’t have very many bad days. Here
are a few ideas:
For every new camera, i-pod, GPS, and other small valuable: could you include a
note pad? That might help the new owner to write down the serial number and save
it in a safe place. For jewelry or other
valuables that don’t have serial numbers, maybe you could leave a note
suggesting the new owner take a few good close up photographs. Sadly, some of
these nice items will get lost or stolen. When I try to find stolen property,
serial numbers and photographs sure help.
For kids and adults getting bicycles: could you remind them to ride on the right
side of the road, with the flow of traffic? Quite a few people ride facing
oncoming traffic, unaware that’s the number one cause of bicycle-versus-car
crashes. A new bicycle is an excellent opportunity to teach youngsters about
traffic laws, such as stopping at stop signs. When I stop a kid or a
grownup who just pedaled right through stop sign without so much as
slowing down, they’re usually astonished to learn they should have stopped.
For parents: Could you introduce all the parents to the parents of their child’s
friends, and then make sure they stay in touch with each other?
I can’t tell you how many bad days could have been avoided if the parents
communicated and conspired with each other half as much as their kids do.
I see kids every day heading straight for trouble, while the parents
remain clueless.
For people who drive a car: could you remind them to be alert for emergency
vehicles with flashing lights? You’d be surprised how many drivers don’t see me
at all when I’m coming down the road on an emergency call. An even bigger
concern is the number of drivers who keep cruising on down the road without
slowing down or moving to the other lane when I’m stopped by the side of the
road. That’s not only a safe and prudent thing to do, but it’s the law in
Florida: move out of the lane closest to the emergency vehicle, or slow to 20
miles per hour less than the speed limit.
For everybody: Could you remind them of some one simple thing their parents
taught them: count slowly to ten before saying or doing anything when they’re
angry. If parents aren’t teaching that lesson any more, they should. Any time
someone acts impulsively out of anger, several people are likely to have a bad
day.
Thank you, Santa. I know my suggestions are nothing new for you; you’ve always
done your best to spread cheer and goodwill.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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