There had been a number of incidents involving metal flashlights. Our department didn't provide flashlights so officers bought their own. More than likely, it was a mag light and those things were handy for other things besides just seeing in the dark. There were too many incidents of using the flashlight to make a point, and it was usually up side some idiot's head. Unpaid suspensions were handed out as punishment to those who used unnecessary force, but the department went a step further.
ANY AND ALL metal and personal flashlights were banned. The department now issued a black plastic flashlight with the words, NORTH PODUNCK POLICE DEPT. written on the side of it. What a freakin' joke. You had to bang on the thing to make them work. If you dropped it, it may or may not be working when you picked it up. If it got wet, forget it. 2 C cell batteries and no adjustable beam. Even the road supervisors agreed they were worthless pieces of shit.
I was on the evening shift with my rookie, but I was driving. We had an hour or so left in our shift and had just returned back to our sector via the interstate. This exit had a high curb and sharp turn. A moron in a Mercedes jumped the curb and just kept going along the grass and on to the adjoining street. Kind of like he was taking a short cut to avoid the traffic light. I hit the blues and pull him over about 2 blocks up.
Before we exit the patrol car, I put the spotlight on the driver's rear view to blind him. Then this black male gets out of the car without being told. Both the rookie and I have our doors open but we are in the cover area and she tells him in an authoritative voice to stop and stand between our cars.
We both approach him and then she breaks off a little to the right watching me, and then looking inside the car. She tells me with body language that there's no one else in the car. My first observation is that he's more nervous and I don't smell alcohol. That sorry ass excuse for a flashlight is in my left hand and I ask the guy for all his paperwork. He says the car isn't his, but starts reaching for his wallet so I slow him down. I get his DL in my hand and I'm noticing my partner has gone off on a little investigation of her own, but she's still being observant of what's transpiring with me and the driver. The driver's side window is open so she subtly reaches in and removes the keys. She just puts them on the dashboard. {To this day, she can't explain why she did that.}
So I'm trying to have a civilized conversation with this dude and he doesn't want any part of it. He's in a hurry. So you know what happens with the citizen with attitude that tells you that they're in a hurry.....time slows to a crawl. I'm asking why he saw fit to jump the curb and drive on the grass.
"I'm in kind of a hurry."
Does he know that's illegal?
"Well no."
Who owns the car?
"My friend."
What's your friend's name?
Silence.
Does the person who owns this car know you have it?
"Of course she does!" [rather indignantly]
What is her name and address?
My stance during this questioning of Mr. Idiot Driver is body bladed, flashlight in left hand and his DL is in my right. He wants to go.
"It was a mistake and I'm not drunk, so if you're through with me, I'll be moving along now." He tries reaching for his DL out of my hand.
You will leave when I decide this is over. Now I need the paperwork from the car, where is it, the glove box?
"I don't know, I guess. I'll get it."
He bolts and runs in to the car. He's looking for the keys and then goes to the glove box, trying to find something. He grabs something and gets out of the car.
The rookie and I have our guns drawn and are both telling him to get on the ground. He refuses and runs like hell. Without hesitation, I throw that piece of shit flashlight at the maggot with my left hand. It hits him square in the back, falling to the ground in pieces. It doesn't slow him down much. I have his DL and put it in my pocket and chase after him. The rookie stays behind with the cars and gets on the radio that I'm in a foot pursuit.
This guy could run, but had no idea where he was going. I get him cornered 2 times with weapon drawn and he is not the least bit deterred by a gun pointed in his face. I'm asked by radio if he's armed, but I can't say because he reached in the glove box and got something out of his car. I just don't know what it is that was in his hand when he ran away.
He's making me work for this, jumping across a ditch that had standing water. I wasn't deterred by it, but didn't quite have the jump factor working in my favor so I got wet. Now I'm even more pissed.
We're now some 3 blocks away and back up has found me and Mr. Idiot. Mr. Idiot doesn't surrender until there are 3 guns pointed at him. We get him cuffed and in another officer's car while the other officer gives me a lift back to the scene.
The Sarge is there with my rookie and I see him walking along the road picking up pieces of my flashlight and putting it together. He tests it a couple of times and damn if it doesn't work. He asks who's flashlight and I tell him mine. How did it get on the ground? I told the truth. I threw it at the maggot when he ran. He asked me if I hit him. Yea, left handed too! He slaps me on the back and give me the old atta boy. Cool.
During the chase, Mr. Idiot dropped a couple of things that turned out to be photographs. Very explicit sexual photographs of him along with a pretty white female in various positions. We find about 6 of them and this woman later turned out the be the owner of the car and she couldn't deny she didn't know him, but she was going to have to go bail out her pretty little Benz.
Amazingly, Mr. Idiot didn't have a criminal record and no traffic offenses on his record. We arrest him for reckless driving and resisting arrest.
When we go to court, Idiot doesn't want a jury trial, he wants the judge to hear it now. I give the Judge the rundown and Idiot doesn't deny it, but reiterates he was in a hurry and offers up an apology. The Judge said that wasn't good enough and that he brought it all upon himself. Had he cooperated, he wouldn't be facing 30 days for resisting and 6 points on his DL. Guilty-guilty.
Fun in the big city.
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