Yes we are, no we aren't. yes, no, yes, no...

Well the SWAT team is finally building themselves quite a caseload lately. Aside from the standard hostage/barricaded subject situations, they are being utilized for more events. A few months ago there was a biker gathering at a local Harley store, and the biker gangs in attendance began systematically and methodically attacking a man from a rival gang. From what I understand, one person would emerge from the crowd, assault him, and then fade into the crowd. Another person would do the same thing, so on and so forth. I'm sure there's some crazy name among the gangs for what this activity is called.

The regular deputies on the detail made a point of breaking up the fights as best they could. Apparently one of the deputies kicked out the girlfriend of one of the gang leaders. *GASP* How dare they, right? Said gang leader begins making threats against the sheriff's office. There continues to be scuttlebutt that these gangs are going to 'throw down' at the next biker gathering. So the SWAT team was called in for extra presence. They ended up not using any special tactics because nothing happened. Most of the gangs didn't even show up.

But the drug task force has also been using the team to help with raids and warrants and such. One of the situations that they have been helping with lately is of a rather touchy subject matter, one which I was not given a lot of details, and which I will be sharing even less than I know with this blog. I'm sure you understand. In fact the particular nature of this situation is such that the newer team members weren't permitted to join the team. I'm sure down the road when they have had more training and the team leaders have a better grasp on their skillsets, that will change.

But I bring it up because it is one of those "let's get ready and wait" situations. The nature of having a part-time team is that its members are spread out over the entire county. As of the time and day I am writing this post, the team has been notified four times to be ready and to meet at X time. And all four times the callout has been cancelled. The first and third times it was cancelled when J was fully or mostly geared up but hadn't left the house. The second time they rallied, ran some practice drills and were all together ready to go and just waiting impatiently to go. The fourth time happened to occur while the team had already gathered for routine (unrelated) training.

Unfortunately for J during that 4th time, he was at a separate deputy training, and didn't even get a page.

And boy was he ticked. He's been irritated each time the callout got cancelled. This goes back to that sheepdog mentality, they *want* to jump into the fray. I think he was particularly upset that not only had it been cancelled on him three times, but that the likelihood it would actually go down while he was at the training was increasing.

On the other hand it's something I guess we just have to get used to, particularly if the team is going to be used a lot more.

life.

Well life tends to have its way with you sometimes. This will kind of be a rambly post.

I'm sure all of you know how tough the economy is right now. For those of us who don't work in a field that will always be necessary to society, our jobs are sometimes a bit tenuous. A third of my department got laid off last month. Fortunately I was safe, but I ended up doing the job of two people. It's been a stressful time. As if I didn't have enough time before...hooo boy.

As a result of being overworked and underpaid (i know, join the club, right?), I ended up getting sick. I have been laid up on my couch for the last three days. It doesn't help that I couldn't exactly figure out what was wrong with me. I felt like I'd been beat up, horrendous headache, nausea, lightheaded...it sucked.

However, I did have the pleasure of attending a party for the USMC birthday on Saturday, shortly before feeling as though I ran into a brick wall. Got to see a few more of the SWAT team, get to know them a little better. And yes, the newest members were there. I can tell you that she is the type of personality that fits in well with cops. I'll leave it at that for now.

One thing that I took out of that party is how easy it is to forget your 'manners' when you get back to normal society. At a cop party, there are pretty much no taboo subjects, no holds barred. You are expected to bust chops, crack jokes, and hear much more about these people that you do about your average Joe. I heard quite a few stories about one guy's wife, although generally the stories were about him and er...his shooting ability, let's say. Very, very amusing. You really have to be able to laugh at yourself, and dish it out as ruthlessly as you can.

I then get back to my mommy-group and crack jokes, later remembering that I have to watch myself and make sure they aren't misinterpreting what I've written! Fortunately I don't have a problem remembering what's taboo while I'm at work.

I'd love to hear some of my LEO family readers post their own cop-party stories though, if you're willing :)

SWAT team to get new members

I can't remember offhand how many members are on J's tactical response team. I want to say something in the ballpark of 20? They are still recruiting though, and I believe just added two or three more people.

I think that's great, for the most part. Except for one. One of the people who applied has a lot of baggage. A broken off engagement to another person who is already on the team. A history of inviting and fostering sexual relationships with married people. A tendency to be involved in department drama.

Yes, it's a female officer. Before you go thinking I am just jealous, hear me out. I do not doubt my husband's integrity. We have a terribly strong relationship, and I know he won't stray, so that's not my concern. I won't lie, I don't like the thought that she apparently has no qualms about inviting the attention of married men. But my prime concern is what her presence can do to the integrity of the team.

Currently the team is all men. I do not believe that adding a woman to the team is a problem, particularly if she has the skillset to round out the team. I do, however, believe that this particular woman is not a good fit. The team members, all of them as far as I know, have a type of humor that keeps them in good spirits, keeps them connected to each other on a brotherly level. Given some of the baggage that accompanies this newest recruit, that humor will probably be kept on a short leash.

I am sure I do not even need to focus on the fact that this officer's former fiance is on the team. That should speak volumes about the potential discomfort that can complicate matters on so many levels.

The team has its hands tied as far as this being a valid reason to veto this applicant. It seems obvious to me, the potential for problems is far greater than the need to fill a quota, but I'm not the brass.

All I know is that she had better respect every team member, and every single relationship represented on that team. It does help that the rest of the team, even ones from the other departments, are aware of the situation. I know at least some of the other wives and one girlfriend are aware, as well. If she can prove herself truly dedicated to the TEAM, and manage to keep her, shall we say, personal demons to herself, she just may fit in after all.

Bored

J and the team haven't had a SWAT callout in 11 weeks. They're getting antsy. You know it's bad when they are counting how long it's been.

That's often the difference between the 'sheepdog' and the rest of us sheep...they're the ones running toward the fights, hoping that car chase they hear on the radio is headed their way, and getting bored because there isn't enough action.

It's hard to explain sometimes, certain people just don't get it. They don't really wish for bad things to happen...but they do wish it.

Despite this week being hell on J in terms of sleep and different shifts, he is optimistic about it. Tomorrow the SWAT team has counter-sniper duty for a McCain visit. Problem is, it falls during a time J would normally be sleeping. I think he's just excited he gets to go do something.

Badge Baby and Daddy at the first annual Tactical picnic, last Saturday. All the guys had done 16 hours of training on Friday, then 6 more hours on Saturday morning. Almost all of the team made it to the picnic, and their half units and children did too. It was nice, meeting a bunch of them and having a few faces to go with the names. Can't say as I remember very many of the names now, but hopefully I will eventually.

The greater good

Today is the first callout that I am actually not really worried for my husband's safety. In this instance, I'm going to be sad if they don't get the guy and bring him justice.

Police stopped a man, and upon running his license discovered there was a warrant out for him from Michigan, on kidnapping charges. There are two children in the car. Arrest attempted, man drives away. Chase ensues, I believe, and man ditches car near woods, flees on foot with children. Dogs, SWAT, and chopper have all been called out. I am praying they catch him.

update: The man was caught. Children returned safely to their mother. Turns out it was a custody issue, which most kidnappings are.

Suck it up, Bunny.

So Thursday night was the season finale of Lost. We love this show. It was a two-hour finale. We DVR almost everything that we watch on a consistent basis, and even when we're home and awake to watch a show, we usually wait a length of time, 15 minutes for a one hour show, 20-25 for a two hour show, to start watching. This way we can fast-forward through all the commercials. Sorry Hollywood, it is what it is. We don't like your damn commercials.

Anyway, it's about 10 o'clock, which means although the show is half over, we've only gotten about 35 minutes into it. I am anticipating we're both going to pass out at the end of this episode. The SWAT pager goes off.

Shit.

He checks it, it says all teams call team A leader. J calls number, gets busy signal. Naturally, because a home phone line cannot handle multiple phone calls coming in at the same time. Waits a few minutes, calls again.

Team leader says, "hey, what are you and the half unit (that's me, dear reader) bringing to the picnic?"

Next weekend the entire tactical unit has an overnight training exercise, and the following day, all the families and some 'honored guests' are having a big picnic. Team commander told team A leader to contact all the team. Leader figures easiest method of contacting all is by pager.

J thinks this is hysterical. I was a bit irked. Seriously? at ten o'clock at night, most of your team members have families young children, and you page them?

*sigh*

Life as we know it

It's been a hectic time in my house this last week. J has had 3 SWAT callouts. We've had two showings. A few appointments that had to be rescheduled or cancelled. Family visiting. Selling the old car. Purchasing a new car.

It's pretty unnerving when you're already feeling kind of frenetic, and the pager goes off. It's loud and persistent. It's not like a cell phone with a silly ring tone that you might not hear given the proper ambient noise. And the adrenaline level in the house goes up several levels. J, in classic sheepdog mode, gets antsy at the thought of doing what he loves best about his job. Me, in classic neurotic wife mode, worrying because I will not know what's going on, nor will we have contact until the situation is resolved.

People have asked, "aren't you worried?" when they learn he is on SWAT. And my response to them is typically along the lines of, "No, I know they're more prepared for the situations, the most dangerous situation a cop can get into is a traffic stop or a domestic, I know they're well trained" yadda yadda.

But every time the pager goes off, I get on edge. And yes, the what-if thoughts run through my mind. I finally succumb to curiosity and troll the local news sites for the latest updates. Often there are no stories until the situation is over and he's home, so it's a fruitless endeavor but almost every time I have done it anyway.

To add to it, the last two calls have been back to back, and both the night before we had showings scheduled during a time we were both out of the house. Which in theory would be fine, except we have two dogs. Now, neither of them has ever even bared their teeth at a human, let alone snapped or bit. They're labs. They love everybody. But one dog is part rottweiler, and he is territorial. What I'm getting at is the fact that when we have a showing during the work day, I have to run home to get the dogs. Just one more stress factor. If you've ever sold a home you were currently living in, you probably know how strenuous it is to keep your house CONSTANTLY in tip-top shape. Throw an almost-toddler and two large dogs into the mix, and it's an effort every night.

Now imagine trying to get ready for a showing, trying to get the baby down to bed, vacuuming the hair tumbleweeds, and mud that the dogs drag in because it's now springtime, do some more laundry, fit dinner in there somewhere, and ***BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP***.

Oy.

Yes, Virginia

Cop's wives DO get tickets.

*grumble*

In other news: J got on the SWAT team in his county. He couldn't be happier. His mother is still going on about how dangerous it is and how she doesn't want him to do it. I have given up trying to explain that the SWAT team is better equipped to deal with the situation because they know what they're going into most times. He's had the pager for about a week now, and keeps staring at it and asking me why it hasn't gone off yet. I don't know, darling, but I don't think they forgot you!

Badge Baby is doing well. He has had an ear infection for about a month now, so at the ripe old age of 7 mo we are discussing tubes already. Not entirely thrilled with the idea of anesthetizing my little boy, but I do like the idea of kicking the e/i in the ass!

In case you are one of my readers who has been faithful and checks in from time to time to see if I've updated any in the last 3 months, and in case you are one of those readers who doesn't have children...let me just say this. Sleep deprivation is used as torture for a very good reason.

One last thing that I think is a little odd...J tells me they are now getting fitted for hazmat suits to carry in their trunks. In addition to regular gear, riot gear, and his SWAT gear. I'm all for being prepared (yay boy scouts) but at what point do they start issuing grocery getters as standard vehicles?