Friday, June 28, 2013

Dirty Undies

Catchier than dirty laundry, though the Don Henley song comes to mind.

I've had almost a year to think about what happened when I was mugged and perhaps more interestingly, what transpired after.  I'm not going to reiterate all of that here.  Go back and read Regards. particularly.

One thing is certain, policing has changed.

I remember when a high school era friend became a cop on Indianapolis Police Department long before it became combined with a big chunk of the county Sheriff's office to form Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.. 

That story is another tale altogether.  An attempt was made to undermine the authority of the elected Sheriff in Marion County.  It didn't work because vigilant people made sure it didn't.  Enough said for now.

I remember said 'friend', who over the years encouraged me to become a cop too.  I had the aptitude as it were.  If I had, I'd have been of the old school.  I'd take an Oath to protect and defend the Constitution and bill of Rights and would have kept it.  I would have served the people and NOT the state.  As most of us all over the Republic know, things have changed.

My old friend actually said this in a hushed tone one early morning.  I'd been trying to contact him for a while, to no avail.  I was reticent to call his home number, as I wanted to keep what I had to say official.  It was about death threats and drug activity in our neighborhood and other items which will remain quiet for now.

Among the times I tried to reach him, I called the South District, where he was stationed.  Now, over the years I called cops for a lot of reasons at different times.  Middle of the night, someone answered the District phone, giggling.  I asked if it was the Police number.  I was told they were closed!  WTF?  Later this was of course denied and never investigated.

When I finally got him, he was hesitant to talk.  This was not the friend anymore.  Things had changed was all he said.  No s*** Sherlock!

At the time there was a massive investigation of corruption at IPD.  The FBI was brought in.  I contacted someone outside even them.  It got results sort of.  Most of the clean up in our area was due to me, my ex and certain other residents working with some guys at Narcotics I still trusted oddly enough -s-.

It was at this point that nearly all my contacts had gone, forcing me to go elsewhere.  It was not actually this outside action that distanced me.  It was the increasing militarization and closed nature of IPD and policing in general.  They were now law enforcement, agents of the executive branch, the statist pose that is now the norm..

Oh yes, 911 was ineffective.  Duh.  My few trusted friends cautioned me to arm ourselves and some other things, mostly admitting cops couldn't, wouldn't help..  As far as 911, I was treated in a haughty manner more than once.  Also, cops didn't always show.  After we got a rep though ie ridding our hood of druggers etc, we actually got response.  Might have had something to do with knowing the Sheriff. 

Mind you we well knew we had to defend ourselves, which we did.  The 911 stuff was just for 'official' record.  Most of the time though, I simply called a cop I still knew or in some cases no one at all.  We weren't afraid, for we were armed and ready.  Also we had contacts in the local press and Statehouse.

My old friend eventually shut me out altogether.  Haven't spoken to him in years and don't care to do so.  He didn't have the guts then I doubt he does now. 

This may seem like a rant which it is.  And why turn over musty old diggings?  As I said, this was personal but was endemic of how cops have distanced themselves from the people.

When I first hung out with cops, I was told they could be cliqueish.  I got to know many and there was trust and so much that several spilled their guts to me.

When in college getting that Clinical Psych degree, the head of the Sociology Department suggested I might consider being a professional counselor with a department.  I also knew the head of Victim Assistance and thought about that.

If I get my doctorate someday after finishing some prelims, I think I'd prefer simply helping people help themselves.  That's another story.

To be honest, I think I knew how flawed IPD had become and that couldn't be tolerated.

As for the gut spilling, among other things confessed was disappointment because many of them really wanted to help people.  Disillusionment was rampant.  As  the gap widened, some retired early.  Others just put in their hours or adapted to not being peace officers but law enforcement.

Pardon the diatribe.  I think of Cincebox the socalled detective.  How would he have fared when I knew cops of yesteryear?  Who knows.  Cops who actually stood in harm's way for people and investigated regardless of the hood or status or who you knew.

Things have changed, except for dirty undies as it were.  Plenty of problems compounded with the elitist attitude make for some crazy mixed up coppers.

Us vs them.  Polarization.  Driving wedges.  People vs the state.  It's divide and conquer on steroids.

I hope there is a chance for those who will to come clean.

3 comments:

Munsingwear said...

Driving wedgies.

Anonymous said...

Regardless of who you know? You played that card. Is THAT what cost you.

Mike H said...

Never played the end against the middle.