Beyond the Badge - by Richard Hannibal

 

2014 Columns

 

December, 2014       Transitions

 

To me, retirement has always been a four-letter word. When I left my beloved police career, I was not thrilled. Some folks drift into retirement with few problems. Usually, they were in jobs that they hated, or they had a second career or hobby waiting for them. I was not so fortunate. Retirement to them was at the top of a mountain they struggled to climb throughout their life. For me, my entire career was already at the top of the mountain; a mountain I never wanted to descend.

 

October, 2014          Law Enforcement: Harassment or Intimidation?

 

Professional Law Enforcement Officers have been taking a lot of flak lately. The media and public criticize them when they are too proactive or when they are not active enough. Often these critiques arise from the emotional perceptions of a crowd mentality that are inflamed by the self-interest of so-called leaders — leaders who sometimes have their own agenda not based on fact.

 

September, 2014     Taking Responsibility

 

We are a nation of laws that must be enacted wisely, and enforced fairly. Without the rule of law, we would revert to survival of the most brutal. We would quickly deteriorate to living in caves, huddled around fires in fear. An exaggeration . . . I think not.

 

August, 2014            Mountain Lion

 

In recent weeks, the media has reported several mountain lion (cougar) sightings on our Central Coast. There are dozens of sightings each year, especially in the summer months. The abundance of water and deer is what draws mountain lions to our urbanized areas. The latest sightings were in the hills above north Morro Bay, around the 2300 block of Nutmeg Avenue. There have also been sightings in the hills above Cayucos and the Lodge Hill area of Cambria. The drought has dried up the normal water sources and neighbors in the area think the cats are coming down to drink water from horse and cattle troughs.

 

July, 2014                 Faces

 

I begin with a quote I heard recently. "Cops wake up every morning different than the rest of us. Our worst nightmare is their Wednesday." Many retired police officers go to bed each night in a sea of faces. The faces arrive in dreams, the result of a long police career. Some of the faces smile — some cry. Some appear from the distant past when the officer assured a victim that everything would be all right just before their final breath. Some of the faces rage with anger and some whimper in defeat. Cops see them all, and they haunt them far into retirement.

 

June, 2014               Tsunami Warning Signs You Should Know

 

On March 21, 2011, during a tsunami warning, Morro Bay (CA) experienced a tidal surge of 8 to 9 feet. An earthquake in Japan caused the surge that may be the highest in memory on the California Coast. A tsunami can occur on the west coast anytime there is a severe earthquake in the Pacific. Following are some signs you should know that might save your life.

 

May, 2014                A Reflection of Me

 

There is a colorful man in Morro Bay who sets his own trends in clothing and philosophy. He is 60ish, lives aboard a small, weathered boat on the bay, drives an old white van, and frequents local coffee shops. A unique hat often tops his long, shaggy hair. He sports a grey beard. A small, white dog trots faithfully by his side, pausing briefly for treats offered by folks passing by. The locals accept him as family, and the tourists look at him with curious interest.

 

April, 2014                Posterior Pondering

 

I left the changing room clutching the back of my hospital gown. I wanted to keep my bare butt from exposure to the world. I was in no mood to subject my skinny behind to needless ridicule. I'm not too self-conscious except when people joke, "Hey, you ain't got no butt." I usually joke back, "Well, you don't need a sledge hammer to pound a tack." Some get it, some don't.

 

March, 2014             Veteran CHP Officers Killed in the Line of Duty By Richard Hannibal, Retired Police Sergeant

 

Morro Bay Police Officers and Volunteers wore black morning bands on their badges in honored memory of two California Highway Patrol Officers who were killed in the line of duty on February 17, 2014.

 

Long time friends and partners, Officer’s Brian Law and Juan Gonzalez were working the graveyard shift in the Fresno area. Around 6 a.m. they received a call of a serious traffic collision on Highway 99, near Kingsburg. Both officers were riding in the same marked police car. Responding to the scene, the officers came upon the collision scene at a different location than it was reported. They swerved to avoid hitting the victims and wreckage and struck a guardrail, overturning their car. According to news sources, both officers were wearing seatbelts, but the collision was so horrific, they were killed in the collision.

 

February, 2014         Grandparent Fraud Alert!  

 

Yesterday, I received a telephone call from my aunt. She began the conversation by saying, “I feel so stupid.” She went on to tell me that her grandson called and said he had been arrested for drunk driving after being involved in a traffic collision.

 

January, 2014          The Path (A Meditation)

 

A breeze drifts through the tall trees, and the morning sun sends shafts of light to a forest path. A nearby stream moves over smooth stones with increasing eagerness to reach the sea. Small animals scurry in the shadows, preparing for the coming day. A constant chatter in the treetops joins the morning concert, while butterflies dance in the advancing light.

    

 

                                                                                                Go to Beyond the Badge 2013 and 2012