Well, here I am, back again. I managed to weasel a day off after working 14 straight, it's been kind of a personnel nightmare around here for the last three weeks.

But at the same time, there has been no end of funny moments. It's gotten to be common knowledge that the hoot shift is pretty much in a world of their own, especially concerning radio traffic. It's all FCC approved, but far from being typical police chatter.

I was advised yesterday morning that both of my units would be out of their cars, "pig wrangling". A few minutes later, I was advised of a foot pursuit SB on 8th, which was terminated shortly thereafter.

I had to get my laughter under control before being able to answer the radio. We've also been having problems with the schools not securing their buildings, which consequently are being broken into, which they blame on us. So, my guys have decided to check every door on every building every other night, hoping for an open door so we can wake up the superintendent and show him that we're doing our jobs. And last night was no different, they found several doors open and we dutifully notified the man in charge. He wasn't happy at all and let me know all about it. So, being the good dispatcher I am, I advised my units that contact was made, key holder was enroute and he was not thrilled.

30 minutes later they go 10-8 and one lets me know, "you were right".

It's nice to be on this shift, there's no admin to worry about whether you're doing your job, the stats can speak for themselves. And believe me, we've made a killing this week, five arrests in two nights all without a single call. It's been nice to be able to kill three or four hours without dispatching into an unknown situation.

Update

Update on my rant yesterday...

Apparently things can actually get worse. The new part-timer quit yesterday after deciding that the hours she agreed to work just wouldn't work for her.

So, now we're down to simply having two full time dispatchers to try and cover three shifts seven days a week. Needless to say the firefighters aren't happy. :)

Yay!

I actually think I'm getting delirious from lack of sleep. I'm not entirely sure what day it is, and had to ask one of the guys how many hours I worked three days ago since I couldn't remember.

I think it can only go up from here...unless something happens to me or the other guy which shouldn't (fingers crossed).

Some weeks, I think it's better to just stay in bed.

So, we've hired a part time dispatcher and had a fulltime quit - both in the same week. I think that working straight isn't hard at all, the training is what's kicking my butt right now.

I like to think of myself as fairly easygoing, but holy cows, she's a little highstrung for my taste. :)

And I think the stress is starting to get to me, so I'm going to try to catch some sleep and get back in the gym.

Well, let's see. This Friday has been uncannily like last Friday ... with one exception. As a dispatcher, I'm used to talking to people who are generally unhappy to say the least, and most of the time I just blow it off, gripe a little bit and move on.

Tonight, I actually got pretty much pissed off while dealing with a caller. Received a call per an ex bf who had taken his ex's cell phone. He wound up repeatedly calling the station, ranting because the officers hadn't arrested her for public intox.

He kept ranting that the only reason she hadn't been arrested was because she was a female, had a p***, was a whore and traded sexual favors. In total I probably talked to him 7-8 times, trying to convince him to speak with an officer (which he probably would have been arrested because he had been drinking substantially as well. He started ranting again and maybe I shouldn't have, but I interrupted him because I'd had enough.

I told him in no uncertain terms that I was trying to help him, he had no business talking to me that way, and that he was offending me. lol

Surprisingly, he stopped and apologized. Granted, he was still being a royal ass but he stopped talking to me like I was his freaking whore or something.

He pretty much lied to me the entire time I was on the phone with him and didn't help his cause whatsoever, so who knows what will become of it all.

:)

Oh well, tonight was also home game night, so I got to put on my monkey suit and go play for a couple of hours. It was fun, I've been giving the Chief a hard time about getting one of our more "reserved" reserves into some trouble and I at least succeeded in getting him more active and involved with dealing with people tonight, so it was fun.

I'm working a 12 today because I really don't feel like getting back in uniform and working traffic later this morning after I get out of dispatch, so my relief is going to go play traffic cop and I'm just going to kick back in my chair :)

Finally,

I have to say that I really like having three guys on my shift :))

Tonight has been a blast, at one point I had six officers out on the street. My new guy fits in great with the two original officers and has figured out how nice and easygoing I am (which translates easy to pick on I guess lol)

We haven't had a problem with calls stacking tonight, just being steady and the guys out finding things to do.

We ended last shift with an unattended death, my first to work behind the radio and it never fails to floor me that I'm handling the details of the death of someone's loved one. Doesn't bother me, just tends to stay with me and I use it to help when the next one roles around.

I have to say that Monday night was really a lot of fun. I'm glad none of the guys know about this blog, because they might be tempted to shoot me. I went and rode on the hoot shift, and as we were leaving the station I jokingly told my officer, "let's go get into some trouble..just kidding". Yeah I know, never say stuff like that because you will get into something.

Abt 15 minutes later we're dispatched to a SVA, turns out the guy is impaired and all that fun stuff. So, I received a crash course in DUI arrests and learned about the joys of having to wait in the ER while he's medically cleared.

After 2.5 hours of waiting and listening to his dumb ass complain that there needs to be a stop sign at the highway intersection (which there is) we finally get him to the county jail. At 415 we make it back to the station where we get to plow through the mess of paperwork which awaits us...finished up about 6 so I decided to cat out about 630 to get some sleep... this whole school thing really puts a cramp in my style for sure.

The point of this is, I think I'm addicted to being a cop. Don't mind the paperwork, don't mind the waiting, just enjoy being able to do something I find both enjoyable and worthwhile. Sorta like dispatching...have to say though, it's a letdown having to be stuck in here while the action is going on outside :)

Oh thank God it's Friday for me.. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, since it's also Labor Day which means no school and no work :)

Well, I was a dork and bought another gun last week. I've been wanting a .380 for a while, and finally broke down and bought one. It's definitely the smallest gun I've ever owned, fits in my pocket perfectly :)

All I have to do is slide it into my jeans pocket and I'm good to go. It's a Diamondback and is basically a miniature Glock, breaks down the same way, long trigger pull safety and etc. It's pretty awesome :) and I'm a dork.

So, I've been having a little drama in my personal life, nothing new there, I guess. I recently posted about my feelings for a co-worker, and nooow it's all weird. :)

I've decided to just move away, do my damndest to keep from going to his shift and have fun. Yeah, you could say I took a chance and it didn't work out, but I knew the risks so it's just whatever, you know? :)

I'm ok with it and am just ready for my newest guy to get on shift, hopefully he'll livin up the shift :) I can only hope!