Criminal Tip of the Day

Dear Criminals,

Hi, Lawbreakers. MC, here. Listen...I wanted to take time out of my busy day to give you a little heads up. If you steal something from the neighborhood in which you live, don't be a complete dumbass and post that very item on Craigs list.

If you steal something from the neighborhood in which you live, don't post a picture of it on Craigs list next to the other shit you stole.

If you steal something from the neighborhood in which you live and you post a picture of it next to other stolen shit, don't answer the door when the Police come knocking.

If you answer the door after posting the stolen items on Craigs list with photos of said items with other stolen shit, at least have the decency to invoke your Miranda rights.

If you fail to invoke your Miranda rights after answering the door having posted picture of stolen property with other stolen property, just give up your life of crime. Because you suck at it.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Cheers,

MC.

Some new additions...

If you're paying attention, you'll notice some new additions to the face of the blog. Above the most recent post, you'll find a button to become a fan of MC on Facebook. I am nothing if not an internet whore! I've linked my Twitter account to my Facebook status updates as well. Just another way to interact!

Also at the top of the right hand column, you'll notice a donate button. If you feel so motivated, you can donate whatever monetary amount you are comfortable with to my friend Joel's family. The link will take you directly to the Paypal site associated with Joel's family.

There will be some fun and exciting facets associated with the Facebook page. Some things I'm working on are a virtual patch collection and perhaps a contest of some kind involving photos of you and your local Motor. Details coming soon...stay tuned.

I'm working on some new posts from the past week or so. Be sure to check back...

It's time to pick ourselves up and continue on.

We've memorialized my friend. We've set up a fundraiser. If you know me personally, I can get you the information for the event. Connect with me on Facebook or shoot me an email. For the rest of you that either don't know me personally or are out of the Bay Area, please feel free to contribute if you're so inclined to the family trust at Bank of the West in Oakley, CA. Their address is 2195 Main St. Oakley, CA 94561-3300 or at (925) 625-2211.

Thank you for all your support and condolences. The Young family, friends, and my own family very much appreciate it.

And now, we return to our regularly scheduled shenanigans. Just the way Joel would want...

My Friend

Many times in our lives, bad things happen to us, to our loved ones, for seemingly no reason at all. They are never explained, at least not to our satisfaction, and we are forced to move forward without any concept of purpose or understanding.

Talking heads will try to soothe our pain. They will offer cliches and hackneyed opinions because they are simply trying to help. The truth of it is, sometimes life just isn't fair. Whether you find comfort in God or not doesn't really change what our concept of fairness is in the big picture of losing someone close for seemingly no real reason.

But, that is not what this post is truly about. I want to find reason and purpose behind a tragedy many of my friends, both old and new, experienced last Friday.

On Friday, 10/16/09, my friend, Joel, passed away. He was a Marine. He was a Cop. He was my friend. In what follows you will find some of my thoughts and experiences with Joel. These are my words and feelings and really the only way I know to express how I feel about my friend...

I met Joel in December of 1998. It was our orientation day for the Academy. We would spend the next six months building a career for ourselves and a friendship that would last what turned out to be the rest of his life.

Some of you knew Joel, so some of the things I say will make you laugh and probably cry. If you didn't know Joel, some of the things I say will make no sense whatsoever. He wouldn't care. Sound weird? Here's an example...

Having spent so much time together in an Academy class, you forcibly become a tight knit group. Not always a good thing, but still. A few weeks into the Academy, personalities really start to come out because we had shed the nervousness that was pervasive in such an experience. Joel was a born leader. He was also VERY outspoken and opinionated (but not even remotely in a bad way). He had a fantastic sense of humour, but you had to know him to truly appreciate it. If you didn't know Joel, his comments could easily be misconstrued as abrasive and condescending. Believe me, though, they weren't. To this day, I can't say, "God bless you" when someone sneezes without hearing Joel saying, "Shut up!" instead.

Joel practically reeked confidence. He was the most confident man I have ever met. There was no challenge he would not accept...and utterly decimate. His mantra, at least with me, was "You suck and I rock!" Hilarious. I know it sounds arrogant as all get out, but it really wasn't. The 'you suck' part was always said with jest. The 'I rock' part was all heart, though. The man didn't know the meaning of the word 'quit'. Not in his vocabulary.

While spending time with friends on Friday nite at both the hospital and later at Joel's house, I listened to story after story about Joel. This past September was his first time entering the Best of the West SWAT competition. He finished 29th out of 160. First time. Unreal.

Joel finished 1st in our Academy class. He was the consummate student in our time in the Academy.

I had the pleasure of being his roommate nearly ten years ago. We had many late nights either watching movies or out drinking. Or both. Usually both. We had a lot of laughs together. We had experiences that were entertaining and perhaps a bit depraved (D.O.P. anyone?). Joel was the kind of friend I didn't need to see every weekend to know if I needed something he'd be there to help. I can count on one hand the number of those kinds of friends I've had in my lifetime. We all have one less, now.

Being a college boy and never having spent time in the military, I have always been in awe of those of you who made that commitment and sacrifice. Joel was prime amongst them. He was a Marine and took 'Semper Fi' to heart. I have always appreciated his toughness, his tenacity, his dedication, his loyalty, and his commitment to those he cared about.

Joel was a BART police officer. He was a sniper for the SWAT team. Again, listening to his fellow officers and Team members on Friday, I was again impressed with Joel's impact on his fellow officers. From newer Team members to old, all were in awe of the man Joel was. If you had to get into it, to a man, they all wanted Joel on their side.

Joel met his match in his wife, Noelle. They met while he and I were roommates. Joel had a passion for SCUBA and, as it turns out, Noelle, was the dive buddy he was meant to have. Similar wit and a love for all things under water were just the combination for Joel to find happiness in love. I was thrilled when I heard the news he had finally caved and made the leap he had sworn to never take again.

In his final act of heroism, Joel was an organ donor. Joel could save up to seven lives with the organs he was able to provide. Even in passing, Joel is still making a difference. If you have any questions about organ donation, please visit here.

Lastly, and on a personal note, please make sure you have all of your financial plans in order. Have a will. Have a Living Will. Make sure your plans for your family are complete and easy to find when you are no longer here. Joel was 37 years old. He was in better shape than I could ever hope to be. None of us know how long we have. Your family will be dealing with enough at your passing. Take the time now to ensure they will not have to scramble in addition to dealing with your loss.

I love you, Brother. I will miss you.

A Lesson in Anthropology/Ethnicity

Don't worry....this isn't a PC-type post...

I love working Fridays. I get along real well with the weekend guys (I also dig the weekday folks, too, it's just a different vibe). At any rate, one of my partners on Fridays is my best friend. I've known him for years. We worked together in three different assignments. He stood up at my wedding. We had kids (his first, my second) within six weeks of one another. He's been a drinking buddy, confidante, pain in the ass, cover officer, joker, and everything in between.

In short, he's like a brother to me. Brothers tend to give each other shit. Here's yours, Eldo...

Today, I covered Eldo (let's just say it's a nickname) on a car stop. No big deal. A very standard stop. There are two occupants. The car has false tags, the driver is on probation for DUI and he's suspended. The driver's entire legal name had more letters than the very alphabet used to spell it out. The driver has an accent. Both occupants are of a darker complexion.

Eldo (after already contacting the driver and sorting out all the assorted violations): You know you can't drive without a license.

Driver of Unknown Origin: *mumbles something I couldn't hear*

Eldo: Hablas Ingles?

DUO: Um, yeah, but we're Tongan.

Eldo (without missing a beat, but still throwing me a quick look): Fair enough, park it and walk.

We quickly returned to our vehicles trying not to laugh out loud. Eldo told me later he probably should've known given DUO's ridiculously long and impossible to pronounce name.

Relax, man, you're not an anthropologist. Good comic relief, yes, but not an anthropologist.

Karma, you right bitch.

So, I'm off for seven weeks. Seven. I haven't ridden in almost two months. I'm not exactly ecstatic to leave the Fam at home and return to the grind, but I've made my peace with it. I'm ready to get on my bike and ride.

(Insert Family Feud-style buzzer)

Rain. Not just a little, friends, but a veritable downpour. Like break-out-the-Ark-plans-and-find-out-what-the-fuck-a-cubit-is type downpour. It was constant. The only change was the direction in which it fell. Sometimes, it was straight down. Sometimes, it was at a 45 degree angle.

I had every confidence that I'd be jumping from collision to collision all the live long day. I was ready. I spent the first couple hours updating my calendar for the boatload (timely metaphor, yes?) of subpoenas that were waiting for me. I cleared out my email. I got my patrol car together. At 0900, I left the parking lot thoroughly shocked I hadn't been detailed to anything yet. The morning commute was all but over.

My shock would continue. All day. I was in the report writing room getting ready to call it a day. We have a shortage of cars, so I had to take a swing shift car. They start at 1500 hours, I'm off at 1600. Consequently, I cleaned out the car and gave the swing shift guy the keys. I had exactly 25 minutes to the end of shift.

Cue radio.

Radio: MC, can you respond to a non-injury collision. On the other side of the Town. In the pouring rain. During the afternoon commute. 25 minutes before you're pointless day comes to an end?

MC: I live to serve.

Honestly, I half expected it after giving all my partners grief for wearing all their dayglow rain gear just to run from their car to the PD. I had just finished bragging about how I went the whole day without having to wear my rain jacket. I thought it was funny. Karma, apparently, did not. Time to pay up, MC. So be it.

I got the call and headed out to the south end of the Town. Upon arrival, there was, uh, nothing. Harumph. I contacted Dispatch and asked them to recontact the involved party to find out where exactly they are. The person had stated that they suspected the other involved party may have been intoxicated or have Parkinson's.

I drove around the surrounding area trying to find them. Nothing. Then, this:

Radio: MC, she said she got tired of waiting, so she left. Her phone number is in the detail.

Yeah, I'll get right on that. It took me exactly 13 minutes to get from the PD to the other end of the Town. In the aforementioned Exodus-style rain plague. That's actually really damn good time, thank you very much.

I got back to the PD and called this lady. She doesn't answer. Argh. I left her a message and explained that since she already had the other party's information, she could contact her insurance company regarding the collision. Part of me wishes she had answered the phone. Here's how it went in my mind:

Impatient Lady: Hello?
MC: Hi, this is MC with Town PD. Were you just involved in a collision?
IL: Yes?
MC: Is there a reason you reported the collision and then left without the courtesy of a phone call?
IL: Why, yes. I was tired of waiting in the rain.
MC: Ah. Was your vehicle's roof somehow penetrated rendering it's water-repulsing capability inadequate?
IL: No.
MC: Ah. Are you perhaps just impatient and lack the common courtesy to let us know you are no longer at the location.
IL: What do you mean?
MC: Nevermind, Ma'am. Can you explain the other party's demeanor to me?
IL: Well, I think he may have been drunk.
MC: Really? What leads you to suspect that?
IL: He had trouble with his phone number.
MC: Um. Ok. Anything else?
IL: He mentioned he had Parkinson's.
MC: Is that right? So you were concerned about his ability to operate a motor vehicle?
IL: Oh, most definitely!
MC: So concerned, in fact, that you just exchanged information and let him drive off with no regard to other driver's safety, or his own, for that matter?
IL: Uh...
MC: Unfortunately, Ma'am, I can't help you. See, because your descriptions of his alleged behavior is not very specific and the other party was no longer at the scene and you didn't really feel like waiting around, all I have here is a minor non-injury collision. This doesn't require a police report, Ma'am. As a matter of fact, you just feel free to contact your insurance agent and let him walk you through what to do.
IL: Oh. Ok.
MC: Thanks an awful lot for your courtesy and concern for the motoring public. Have a terrific Town day, now.

**Scene**

Whew...I feel a bit better. Still, I was off by 1600 hours. I've still got it!

Return to Glory

Ok, kids, I'm gearing up for a return to the mean streets at 0 dark thirty tomorrow. My hair has returned to a more LEO-appropriate length. The facial hair has gone by the wayside. The kids are not happy I won't be home as much as the past two months. The Wife is gearing up to handle the homestead solo.

It's appropriate that this is my 201st post. Kinda feels like starting a new chapter. I'm not thrilled about leaving the family, but we gotta pay those bills, right? Thanks for all the congratulatory comments and emails! It's been fantastic thus far. I appreciate the patience concerning my wildly inactive posts of late. Fret not, though, my fine friends, I fully intend to both literally and literarily get back in the saddle!

See you all out there...