Lack of communication

Cop bloggers tend to share the stupidity we encounter in the community as a matter of habit, but rest assured it is alive and well within our agencies as well. This post is a fine example.

So, the other night I'm working a DUI patrol & in the middle of locking my drunk up. It's been a busy night, both on the road and at the jail, so things are moving slower than I prefer - added to which, I tend to be a bit detailed in my paperwork and arrests. Plus, while it's a good arrest, in order to improve the conviction I'm in the process of starting on a search warrant for a blood sample to go along with everything else.

Right in the middle of all this the patrol units get themselves in a fight and a foot pursuit with a subject wanted on Federal charges. They manage to catch him, but then my phone starts ringing... the Patrol Sergeant is asking for some help.

"You have your dog with you, right?"

I let him know my partner is with me - I bring him along on these things for just such events. But I also explain I'm in the middle of a DUI arrest and the jail is kind of busy.

"Well, this guy says he ditched a stolen gun, and we need you to see if you can come find it."

*sigh*

Knowing this means I'm not going to have time for my search warrant, and that I have to rush other stuff, I let him know I'll be there shortly - the bomb and dog stuff is my primary duty after all, and if they need me I roll. So, I quickly finish typing up my report, take the subject in front of the magistrate after apologizing to several others for cutting in line, and head on out to the scene...

Whereupon I am presented with a grassy area about the size of a parking space in front of an apartment - two bushes being the sole obstructions to anything at all.

I look at him a bit incredulously I know - "You mean this is what you need me to search? What about the woods back there where you chased him, or the back yard where you were fighting?"

"Oh no, just here - we were right on him and he didn't throw anything; he says he tossed it here when we started."

I manage to keep my mouth shut as I get Helix out, and sweep the extensive area in question - I throw in the neighboring small plots just to keep up the momentum and account for any overlap. It literally took more time to type the sentence than to do it... Then, with a thanks from the Lieutenant for coming out, I'm loaded up & off to finish up my paperwork for the night.

Now, don't get me wrong - I certainly don't mind going out to help units find stuff; even when sometimes we're just going through the motions to cover our bases in the paperwork. But in the first place, there's no point in bringing the dog to check something that you can plainly see every inch of - it's not like you're seeking buried treasure. And in the second, after I've already let you know I'm in the middle of something, it would have taken zero effort to say "It's not a big search, we're just making the bosses happy for the report, take your time." and let me finish up my arrest with a stronger case, and not have to go screaming across town for a complete waste of time.

This is just an example of some of the fun we deal with on an internal basis.