Ron’s emergency pager went off about 0745 hours on a misty morning…Ron is a VIP.
Willard Bailey, aka Trick Tony, had gone through one marriage and was now on his second. Willard was not a gangster, but a magician. He was enraged, depressed and furious at life. There had been some domestic violence toward women in the past but nothing too threatening. I’m sure his wife thought this incident was just like the others. She was terribly wrong. As the man ranted and raved about finances and life he lost control, grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to commit suicide. He held it to his wrists, no better yet his throat; I’ll show the world he thought to himself. His wife frantically called 911 begging for help. Several black and whites, a K-9 and supervisor rolled to her call for help. Cops have learned if you are suicidal you are homicidal. Taking a life is taking a life, doesn’t really matter if it’s yours or another’s. While en route, some talked about the Padres (short conversation) others about girls. As they approached the scene they began to focus on the drama at hand, a systematic perimeter was set up to “contain and control” the situation. Police number the sides of houses - 1,2,3, and 4. Officers called out their locations and a king unit took the point of entry with Sarge and Earp the K-9. When officers peaked through the window to assess the situation they saw the woman who had called 911. She was lying on the floor, bleeding, possibly dead. In the house with a knife dripping with blood was a deranged magic man. He spotted the officers and began his final assault.
Earp was released to disarm a the magic man who had turned homicidal. Earp leaped to protect his handler who was now on point with several other guns. The magic man thrust the knife into Earp’s chest who struggled valiantly to protect the guys in blue. Earp fell to the floor. The man continued his charge forcing multiple officers to fire and prove he wasn’t Houdini. The end result was two dead, a wounded dog and more stress for some good cops. Willard and his now dead wife also had an 8 year old daughter at school. Who tells her?
The text message: VIP Mora please respond to SE for an OIS (Officer Involved Shooting) and homicide. Ron, a guy on this devo list, is a volunteer who frees officers to handle crime while they show their compassion and handle the victims’ families. Ron arrived and got his assignment from the incident commander. Ron was to assist family members who were going to tell an 8 year the bad news. Family members and Ron told the girl her dad was shot and killed by police. She cried and sobbed at this incomprehensible tragedy. After about 10 minutes of anguish she looked to her uncle and a host of counselors and said, “What about my mommy?” The story just got worse.
After the notification was over Ron wrote this: “While we were outside waiting for Child Protective Services, I walked over to her, and we talked for about 15 minutes. She was showing me how she could hang upside down on the bars, or do cartwheels. Generally we talked about insignificant things in her life. Everyone handles grief differently. There is no question, that this was the worst day in this little girl’s life. As I walked away from the call, I felt very sad for that little girl, and at the same time I felt a certain level of gratefulness that somehow God has placed me in this position to support people during their most difficult times. I believe God put Ron in that position, at that time to be a minister of God’s grace.
There is a tug of war in Christendom. It has been going on for 2,000 years and shows no sign of letting up. I have to admit it’s a little convicting to me.
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!” v.27 Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” 2:12 “…mercy triumphs over judgment.” v14: what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (rhetorical question) v.24 “You see a man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
Here is my point: In our world of sit in church and let others perform we (I) have a tendency to let the professionals do it. The Church was never intended for this. We have devolved to this point. How do we build massive churches and glass cathedrals while brothers in Christ starve to death in other parts of the world? We are the wealthiest most powerful nation in world history. Read James 2 and tell me how we are doing. Feel free to blog your thoughts at www.devotions4cops.com.
Ronny you showed your love for the Savior by how you treated this wounded 8 year old. Thanks for the life lesson.
A
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/23/1m23earp222538-police-dog-stabbing-close-call/
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