It was supposed to be a routine under cover buy-walk. Buy some dope, have a uniformed officer come in and make a casual contact and then arrest the suspect for selling rock cocaine. Things went wrong. Terribly wrong. Someone was about to get hurt in the war on drugs.
Each of us has experienced unintended consequences. One thing is for sure, our actions, positive or negative has consequences. Action is the foundation of faith.
D - radioed over a tactical frequency. 831John you in place? Affirm. Roger that. S-1 is a white male in the middle of Highland and Landis Park. Long greasy hair, wearing a gray t-shirt, jeans and is with several other adults. UC is away. The undercover detectives hid in plan sight all over the park, giving close cover. One looked like a homeless man picking through the trash. Another appeared to be an illegal immigrant lost in time and space. Two others pose as a couple, gazing into one another’s eyes as they monitor the radios tucked under their jackets. A sergeant is close by in his car cranking up the air conditioning. Senior sergeants do not get sweaty.
The under cover walks up to the suspect and asked for a “2-0”. Street slang for a $20 chunk of rock cocaine. The suspect looks him up and down, studying him intently but does not say a word. Is his gun, badge, wire showing. That’s how cops get exposed and sometimes killed. In this line of business silence is problematic. The others in the crowd fan out and surround the scruffy looking detective. The suspect reaches into the front of his pants as everyone takes a deep breath. 45% of crooks carry their guns in the front of their pants. The rescue team tenses. S-1 fishes around for a sack…of dope. He comes out with the $20 rock. S-1 hands it to a bare handed detective who exchanges it for a $20 dollar bill. He walks off south without saying a word. After a few minutes 831John is going to roll in for the “low key” arrest.
831John I’m rolling in from two blocks. His black and white stops at the curb. He meanders over to the group of drug sellers and they begin to become nervous. The telltale sing of getting ready to run is looking over the shoulders for the easiest route. All of them look in different directions. 831John is focused only on one person. S-1. One of the UC detectives is inching closer to give the officer cover and help if they run. The suspect rises to his feet and faces the officer. “Hey man how you doing? Got a few minutes, I’d like to ask you about a burglary that took place down the street.” Nothing, dead silence. Even though this is a small dope transaction you still watch the hands. Hands kills. Even simple park dealers arm themselves to prevent drug rips. It’s a dangerous business.
The officer and his cover are both former athletes. Both men have decent speed even though they wear 20 pounds of extra gear and a Don Jose’ burrito in their belly. S-1 doesn’t like the feeling and pivots to freedom. He sprints away with 831J is in hot pursuit. The ballistic vest synched down on his ribcage restricts breathing and he yells for him to stop. S-1 accelerates. 831J…foot pursuit northbound Highland and Landis Park...W/M/A, 25, long hair, gray shirt and jeans approaching Wightman. It was here, in this very spot one of 831johns partners was stabbed in the hand in a fight for his life with a parolee who he ultimately shot. Was this round two?
RC08, 831John what’s he wanted for? 831John…you kidding? I can’t breathe let alone give you an explanation raced through his mind. DOPE! was yelled over the radio. 2819 Delta and 831John ran side by side. They closed in on S-1. S-1 was feet away from Wightman when the tow cops began to slow down. Fear gripped them as they closed in on the man looking over his shoulder at them. Because he was watching his pursuers he did not see the city bus and the bus driver did not see him. He stepped off the curb and 5 tons of steel sped down the narrow street. There was no where to go. The impact was immediate and obvious. He ran into the bus. Right into the middle of the side of the bus. He flew onto a parked car, rolled off and the officers prepared to call for code 3 medics. As a good crook, S-1 jumped to his feet and continued running north between the houses. Shocked and now laughing the officers continued. Tunnel vision can be deadly, but he couldn’t hear or see that big of an object?
Between the houses and over the fence went S-1. Officer safety concerns doesn’t give cops the luxury of running full tilt around blind corners or jumping over a fence into an ambush. There was a little shed next to the 6’ fence. The officers jumped onto the hood of the car in the driveway leaving sized 11 boot prints and onto the hood. In the yard they could hear large dogs, possibly a Pitbull named Satan, growling and barking angrily. There was also a muted sound of a person yelling with what sounded like a hand over his face. Guns out the officers did a quick peek over the fence, trying to show too much face. You don’t want to get it shot off.
They were right to be cautious. Satan was in the backyard with the suspect. Only Satan was dragging S-1 around the yard by the leg hoping this would be his toy. S-1 motioned to his pursuers for help. Out of breath from running and laughing they weren’t too inclined. When they realized what no one could have known. S-1 could not talk or hear. He was signing to them for help. S-1’s actions had consequences’ for the dog, the officers, even his own leg.
Isaiah gives us a warning sign that our actions have consequences. He says, “If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all.” He goes on to tell of the signs of the coming of the Savior. I wonder why most (not all) of Israel was deaf and dumb when it came to the appearance of the Savior. I believe it was a long succession of people who did not stand firm in their faith. They got side tracked with life, religion and group think. What is faith?...read Hebrews 11. When you read though it note how many theological positions are listed verses the actions taken by some questionable people. Yeah, God is looking for a few simple, imperfect people to take action and be faithful to Him. Not too much to ask for such a great salvation.
Each of us has experienced unintended consequences. One thing is for sure, our actions, positive or negative has consequences. Action is the foundation of faith.
D - radioed over a tactical frequency. 831John you in place? Affirm. Roger that. S-1 is a white male in the middle of Highland and Landis Park. Long greasy hair, wearing a gray t-shirt, jeans and is with several other adults. UC is away. The undercover detectives hid in plan sight all over the park, giving close cover. One looked like a homeless man picking through the trash. Another appeared to be an illegal immigrant lost in time and space. Two others pose as a couple, gazing into one another’s eyes as they monitor the radios tucked under their jackets. A sergeant is close by in his car cranking up the air conditioning. Senior sergeants do not get sweaty.
The under cover walks up to the suspect and asked for a “2-0”. Street slang for a $20 chunk of rock cocaine. The suspect looks him up and down, studying him intently but does not say a word. Is his gun, badge, wire showing. That’s how cops get exposed and sometimes killed. In this line of business silence is problematic. The others in the crowd fan out and surround the scruffy looking detective. The suspect reaches into the front of his pants as everyone takes a deep breath. 45% of crooks carry their guns in the front of their pants. The rescue team tenses. S-1 fishes around for a sack…of dope. He comes out with the $20 rock. S-1 hands it to a bare handed detective who exchanges it for a $20 dollar bill. He walks off south without saying a word. After a few minutes 831John is going to roll in for the “low key” arrest.
831John I’m rolling in from two blocks. His black and white stops at the curb. He meanders over to the group of drug sellers and they begin to become nervous. The telltale sing of getting ready to run is looking over the shoulders for the easiest route. All of them look in different directions. 831John is focused only on one person. S-1. One of the UC detectives is inching closer to give the officer cover and help if they run. The suspect rises to his feet and faces the officer. “Hey man how you doing? Got a few minutes, I’d like to ask you about a burglary that took place down the street.” Nothing, dead silence. Even though this is a small dope transaction you still watch the hands. Hands kills. Even simple park dealers arm themselves to prevent drug rips. It’s a dangerous business.
The officer and his cover are both former athletes. Both men have decent speed even though they wear 20 pounds of extra gear and a Don Jose’ burrito in their belly. S-1 doesn’t like the feeling and pivots to freedom. He sprints away with 831J is in hot pursuit. The ballistic vest synched down on his ribcage restricts breathing and he yells for him to stop. S-1 accelerates. 831J…foot pursuit northbound Highland and Landis Park...W/M/A, 25, long hair, gray shirt and jeans approaching Wightman. It was here, in this very spot one of 831johns partners was stabbed in the hand in a fight for his life with a parolee who he ultimately shot. Was this round two?
RC08, 831John what’s he wanted for? 831John…you kidding? I can’t breathe let alone give you an explanation raced through his mind. DOPE! was yelled over the radio. 2819 Delta and 831John ran side by side. They closed in on S-1. S-1 was feet away from Wightman when the tow cops began to slow down. Fear gripped them as they closed in on the man looking over his shoulder at them. Because he was watching his pursuers he did not see the city bus and the bus driver did not see him. He stepped off the curb and 5 tons of steel sped down the narrow street. There was no where to go. The impact was immediate and obvious. He ran into the bus. Right into the middle of the side of the bus. He flew onto a parked car, rolled off and the officers prepared to call for code 3 medics. As a good crook, S-1 jumped to his feet and continued running north between the houses. Shocked and now laughing the officers continued. Tunnel vision can be deadly, but he couldn’t hear or see that big of an object?
Between the houses and over the fence went S-1. Officer safety concerns doesn’t give cops the luxury of running full tilt around blind corners or jumping over a fence into an ambush. There was a little shed next to the 6’ fence. The officers jumped onto the hood of the car in the driveway leaving sized 11 boot prints and onto the hood. In the yard they could hear large dogs, possibly a Pitbull named Satan, growling and barking angrily. There was also a muted sound of a person yelling with what sounded like a hand over his face. Guns out the officers did a quick peek over the fence, trying to show too much face. You don’t want to get it shot off.
They were right to be cautious. Satan was in the backyard with the suspect. Only Satan was dragging S-1 around the yard by the leg hoping this would be his toy. S-1 motioned to his pursuers for help. Out of breath from running and laughing they weren’t too inclined. When they realized what no one could have known. S-1 could not talk or hear. He was signing to them for help. S-1’s actions had consequences’ for the dog, the officers, even his own leg.
Isaiah gives us a warning sign that our actions have consequences. He says, “If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all.” He goes on to tell of the signs of the coming of the Savior. I wonder why most (not all) of Israel was deaf and dumb when it came to the appearance of the Savior. I believe it was a long succession of people who did not stand firm in their faith. They got side tracked with life, religion and group think. What is faith?...read Hebrews 11. When you read though it note how many theological positions are listed verses the actions taken by some questionable people. Yeah, God is looking for a few simple, imperfect people to take action and be faithful to Him. Not too much to ask for such a great salvation.
0 comments:
Post a Comment