Page 34 - NIXBOOK

Over the years I saw friends and acquaintances move up in the world in their respective fields; lawyers became judges, firemen
became fire chiefs, patrol officers become police chiefs, teachers became principals, business owners became community leaders,
and community leaders became politicians.

I also saw a lot of seemingly normal folks fall from grace and lose everything. I handcuffed a few people who officially lost their
careers the moment I cuffed them; especially naval officers. The navy never even waited to see if the police arrests would result
in a criminal prosecution; just getting arrested was enough cause to yank security clearances and kill promotion chances for
even - and especially - high ranking officers like submarine commanders. Unfortunately, I also saw an alarmingly high number
of fellow police officers self-destruct in a variety of ways and means.

Some of the worst officers got arrested. Some went to jail. The really bad ones went to prison. Painful to see, but culling the herd
is necessary sometimes. I also knew many cops who had accidentally fired off rounds from their guns. They shot locker room
floors, parking lots, and countertops when there was no bad anywhere near them. It is commonly suspected that for every known
accidental discharge there are doubtless many more in private that go unwitnessed and unreported. For the record, I never shot
a bullet that I didn’t mean to, and every single one was at the firing range. Or to send an injured animal to the rainbow bridge
more expeditiously.