Keeping a Blue Light On by Stacey Sanner

Is there anyone in particular that you remember from patrol?

There was one young man I got to know a little.  I’d met him on the street hanging out by a kids’ shelter.  He’d talk to me about my car and things.  Two months later, I went to a shoplift call and there he was.  I said, “I can’t believe that you would do this.  You were getting along just fine.  You broke the law.”

He went to court and got everything properly done.  He felt bad.  Next I knew, he was coming to me trying to prove to me that he wasn’t a bad kid.  And he wasn’t a bad kid.  His mom was in a mental hospital.  He didn’t know who his dad was.  He was a ward of the state.  He just wanted guidance and discipline from me.  He craved that.  Last time I saw him, I gave him a birthday present.  Because of the shoplift arrest, I found out when his birthday was and I got him some McDonald’s gift cards because he never knew whether he was going to eat or not.  I told him those were for him to wish him a happy birthday.  I don’t know where he is.  He’s probably 20 now.  For all I know, he’s doing well.  Maybe he got a job.  All I can do is pray he’s in a good spot.

What do your own kids think of your job?

I have 8- and 10-year-old boys.  I remember the first time my older son ever really noticed about my work.  I got home and he goes, “Mom, did you go to work today?”  I said yes.  He said, “Did you chase the bad guys?”  I said yes.  I was wondering where this was going.  And he said, “Did you catch them?”  And I said yes.  And he said, “Did you spank them?”  And I just died laughing.  After that, every bad guy that I arrested and put handcuffs on, I thought to myself, now it’s time for your spanking.  Of course, I didn’t say that!