when i was 16, i got pulled over on the road next to ohop lake. I was doing over 70, it was a 35 mph limit. The cop let me go,(i had a loaded 12 gauge behind the seat he never saw) He had every right to hang me and didn't. and i am thankful. 12 years later, I am taking my girlfriend (now my wife) down to pt defiance for a picknick. in a 3/4 ton chevy. Im going down pearl just past N30th. its downhill, i dont even have my foot on the gas. I see a cop waiting to turn on to pearl, don't even think about it. He pulls me over. He comes to the car and says "license" I said "what did i.." he says "LICENSE ***HOLE NOW" Gigi starts praying immediately. And i panick. I start looking for my license, finally i say, "I guess i don't have it." He looks down in disgust and puts his hand on his gun and says "Your doin 50 in a 35 and you don't even have a f'n license? outa the truck s***head!" I am bewildered I say "officer, I'm sorry..." "YOUR F'N RIGHT YOUR SORRY, GET YOUR ASS IN THE CAR ....NOW!" he puts me in the back. He asks me my name, I tell him. dob, i tell him. Address i tell him. He called in on the radio, then while waiting for a response he reams me, I finally said, "look, i made a mistake, im not a criminal, just write me a ticket and lets get this over with." of course he says "oh, Smart ass eh? I can just take you downtown..." then he gets the radio call back and it lets him know i have no record, and i do have a valid license. By this time i feel he might smack me or something, the nervous energy was intense. He finally looks at me in the mirror and says" I don't know why, but im gonna let you go." I said thank you. When i got back in the truck Gigi was bawling and praising God. I started to feel sorry for the cop. What a crappy job. He was at least 55 yrs old. This was back in '93 when hilltop was so terrible,I just kept thinking, "man, these guys are stressed, I wonder what happens to the poor guys who don't have someone praying for them like i did."

Having said all that, I must say that even though cops have rough days, If they can't remember their job is to serve and protect, they need to find another job.