Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Now try to imagine for a moment that you are cold, hungry and tired. Your shoes hurt your feet, your clothes are dirty, and you are in desperate need of a shower. Last night, you were turned away from the shelter, and by the time your spot in the food line reached the truck, there was nothing left.
Now imagine walking down the street and casting a glance into the window of a car parked on the side of the street. On the passenger seat, calling out its siren song, is a ladies purse. You know what you are about to do is against the law, but the hunger cramps in your stomach override any reason you have left. You break the car window with a rock, grab the purse, and run away into the night. Hopefully, there is money in the purse, and you will have enough to buy some food. Or drugs. Or to feed whatever vice you have. If there is no money, then at least you trade the contents of the purse for a sandwich or a hit of cocaine.
What would you do, if faced with such a decision?
Let’s not present such an opportunity to those with few choices.
Please, do not leave valuables in your car.
Visit the VPD web site for more information on how to prevent auto crime, and to download a seat mat sign for your own car.
The topics and conversations to be had about the world of policing are almost limitless. When deciding on how to format this blog, and what topic should be covered for the very first post, I was a little overwhelmed. There are simply too many things that I’d like to share, and so many stories that deserve to be told.
So, instead of just forging straight ahead and starting with what recruiting is looking for in potential candidates, or what it’s like to work with a police dog, or how best to protect yourself against auto crime, I thought I’d take a few moments and explain how this blog is going to work.
First of all, let me explain that this blog is for you. Yes, you read that right. FOR YOU. My goal is to try and blur the ‘thin blue line’, just a little, to show you what it is really like to be a police officer in the new millennium. To show you that while the officers who have sworn to protect you and your property are brave, courageous and strong, they are still human beings with feelings and emotions.
In keeping with this theme, I will also talk about a variety of topics as they relate to policing, and I hope to keep some sort of schedule. Topics will include, but will not be limited to:
- Recruiting - everything from the application process to graduation from the Police Academy
- A Day in the Life of… - the Specialty Squads within the department
- Crime Prevention
- Code Four - stories and incidents from the Operations Division (Patrol)
- This Week in Policing - where I will blog about a recent event in policing (and not necessarily from the VPD)
I welcome to you to this blog, and I hope are able to learn something about the men and women who wear the uniform of the Vancouver Police Department. They are my brothers and sisters, these people in blue, and I am very proud to have them working by my side.
