911 is the emergency number here in Canada if you’re unfamiliar. 112, 999, etc if you’re elsewhere IIRC.
Do you remember the first time you had to use it?
What were you thinking, feeling?
First time I had to use it in earnest I was working front end at a post office and there was a random guy doing maintenance behind me in the back area of the office. Barely said a word to him, he barely said a word to me. I was fairly busy and he seemed kinda gruff.
Bit later all of a sudden he taps me on the shoulder pretty aggressively, I turned and was getting ready to give him some not-polite words about touching me like that and how he better not damn well do that again but I stopped when I saw the look on his face.
He just says, “call 911.”
I look blankly at him, getting some mental whiplash, and just dumbly go, “what?”
Him, “I’m having a fucking heart-attack, CALL 911!”
That got through so I called them, gave them the info. He went back into the office and laid down.
I was a bit in shock myself and just looked at the customers in line in front of me and said to the woman, “he’s having a heart attack, sorry.”
Honestly think I could’ve handled the situation better, at least gone back and been more empathetic but I was caught between him, customers, and making sure I was visible so I could wave the paramedics to where they needed to go.
The post office there was tucked into the back corner and most of the store didn’t even know about it until I told them later that day.
Never heard anything after, no clue if the guy survived, or not. Didn’t see him again either way.
You?
This all makes so much sense, thanks for sharing your perspective as an insider!
I completely agree about reckless driving to be a vigilante being just as reckless. That’s why I’ve never called one in before this, if they’re on the highway going 90 mph they’re in my view for about 30 seconds.
In this particular case, we were in city traffic. This dude kept slamming on the gas whenever the light turned green but would still stop at the red lights. I basically “followed” him in that I kept driving the same speed and all, but skipped my intended turn in order to stay behind him. This let me catch up at the red lights enough times to get his plate and an accurate description of the car. Then I kept behind him until I was off the phone with dispatch so I could give the most up-yo-date possible cross street. I let them know that and the direction he was heading and them continued on my way home.
This also all happened less than 1/4 mile from a police station so I was hoping something might come of it. But I live in a high-crime city with much bigger problems, so these kinds of things are often not prioritized. But I do think that these are the types of crimes that in some ways allow the worse shit to proliferate, because it allows people to engage in antisocial behavior with no consequences. I think the total disregard I see drivers engage in where I live is indicative of a deeper lack of empathy that informs criminal behavior in general.
Also, funny story, I’m back at work tonight, and had an off duty officer calling in a reckless driver
Wanted to keep following them
Crossed over the border of 3 different towns
And no officers available anywhere near where they were
It’s like he had some kind of reckless driver bingo card he was trying to fill out
It’s also worth considering that most of the time there’s usually not a whole lot of officers just loitering around the police station, most of them are out on patrol somewhere else in their town.
They might have someone on desk duty, but generally they’re kind of needed there in case someone walks in, or they’re handling dispatch duties, paperwork, etc. or may be injured and on light duty so really can’t be out responding to incidents.
In my county most of the time the people in the station are just office staff and not cops at all.
They may be in and out of the station a few times during the day, but often that’s because they’re doing something there, like dropping off evidence of meeting with a complainant where they can’t exactly drop everything to go respond to another call unless it’s a big priority.