A recent event during a tour of duty has inspired me to chronicle journeys through the PLPD. These are my stories:
#1
A Bomb Behind the Bazaar
10-8, my tour had began. I grabbed my Glock, my bandages, and my road gear and set off towards my car alone ready to help out where needed. It was an ordinary day. The air smelled of a fresh city life with dark foreshadowing clouds expanding and disseminating feeling of depression through the skies.
I stepped into my Crown Victoria and started the engine. The car purred as I set off onto the highway. Over the radio a call came out:
"Additional requested, non-emergency, at stop-and-go on City-Highway bridge."
It was our Deputy Chief Chris. Eager to help and even more eager for a promotion I hauled ass to his zone. Upon arrival the scene began to clear out. I directed 4 cars through and then we disbanded the stop. Disappointed at the loss of a chance to prove myself, I slumped on past the Chief to the Bazaar parking lot.
Upon arrival I slowly crept into the the lot and stopped in the far right space. A crowd had amassed in a circle near the entrance so I approached.
"Is everything alright?" I asked. No response.
"Hello guys? Is everything al-" and then I saw it, a small package on the ground simple labeled Nuclear Bomb.
"EVERYBODY GET OUT!" I yelled as I began to shove people away, I pulled out my radio.
"Priority, priority, we have a possible large-scale explosive device labeled 'Nuclear Bomb' in the Bazaar shopping area, request Bomb Squad and full evac!" Then the radio stood silent. Then I stood silent. I watched, unaware of what was about to happen, in shock. And then the medley sang from beyond the Bazaar, a horrible sound of the blues and twos ringing in my ears as the sky lit up the shade of its protector in a bright flash of lights kin only to that of the gods. The timer had begun, and Chris took over.
He spoke with propriety, urgency, and still an assertive voice, "Announce a full evacuation of Bazaar and get me Bomb Squad now! Fire block off all mail entrances and exits to Bazaar and EMS get ready for possible casualties. Garret, tell me what happened."
I quickly approached and explained the whole of the situation. We soon set up and started to wait for the bomb squad. And we waited. And we waited. The timer continued down and we began to loose hope, then I had an idea.
"Chris?" I asked.
"Yes Garret?" he replied, obviously annoyed at the situation.
"I have S.W.A.T. training, I am explosives certified, I can gear up and help out!" I told him.
I looked at Chris and hope sprung to his eyes, he opened his radio, "Let Officer Garret through the block, we're getting Bomb Squad boys." A cheer set out among the brave emergency responders, but the fight was only beginning. I geared up and headed back in. I pulled my armored vehicle close to the bomb so as to control the explosive radius if it went off. I approached the bomb to inspect it.
"I see no radiation but there are definite signs of explosives in here, we're going to have to set off a controlled explosion," I told Chris.
With my words he moved back the lines and prepped the men, I had to stay behind, close up to set it off. I surrounded the device with items meant to shield others from the debris. I got all the cover I could then pulled off a targeted shotgun shell into the center of the device...
Fire flew from it as it engulfed the parking lot, my vehicle began to catch fire and I myself was badly burned. I proceeded to call for Fire Rescue to approach cautiously and put out the fire. My breathing slowed, and slowed, and slowed, and then the orange flames turned to red and black. I felt nothing.
As the finality that is death approached I listened to the fire roar and roar. And then wane. Less and less the fire in my ears died out, I thought this was simply a result of my slow death but then I heard it.
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Buzzzzzz*
BOOM! I was awake, I was ALIVE! The paramedics had revived me on scene. The fire was cleaned up and we began to remove our blocks on scene. The Deputy Chief smiled.
"Good job, Garret," he said. The words rang in my ears over and over. All I ever wanted to do was to serve my city well. I was happy.
That day I was the only one injured. That day I was lucky to set off the device safely before others were harmed. That day we were all lucky. What if it was worse? What is it was even more dangerous. Every single day our Police Department protects each and every one of you from things you don't even know happen, things you could never fathom. I am no hero, I deserve no reward, I was simply lucky enough to be the one who got to prove them self that day. Respect those who put their lives on the line for you, because one day that bomb could be in your front door.
Thank you and God bless the people of Paralake.
Sincerely,
Garret Pierzchajlo
Senior Officer PLPD
#1
A Bomb Behind the Bazaar
10-8, my tour had began. I grabbed my Glock, my bandages, and my road gear and set off towards my car alone ready to help out where needed. It was an ordinary day. The air smelled of a fresh city life with dark foreshadowing clouds expanding and disseminating feeling of depression through the skies.
I stepped into my Crown Victoria and started the engine. The car purred as I set off onto the highway. Over the radio a call came out:
"Additional requested, non-emergency, at stop-and-go on City-Highway bridge."
It was our Deputy Chief Chris. Eager to help and even more eager for a promotion I hauled ass to his zone. Upon arrival the scene began to clear out. I directed 4 cars through and then we disbanded the stop. Disappointed at the loss of a chance to prove myself, I slumped on past the Chief to the Bazaar parking lot.
Upon arrival I slowly crept into the the lot and stopped in the far right space. A crowd had amassed in a circle near the entrance so I approached.
"Is everything alright?" I asked. No response.
"Hello guys? Is everything al-" and then I saw it, a small package on the ground simple labeled Nuclear Bomb.
"EVERYBODY GET OUT!" I yelled as I began to shove people away, I pulled out my radio.
"Priority, priority, we have a possible large-scale explosive device labeled 'Nuclear Bomb' in the Bazaar shopping area, request Bomb Squad and full evac!" Then the radio stood silent. Then I stood silent. I watched, unaware of what was about to happen, in shock. And then the medley sang from beyond the Bazaar, a horrible sound of the blues and twos ringing in my ears as the sky lit up the shade of its protector in a bright flash of lights kin only to that of the gods. The timer had begun, and Chris took over.
He spoke with propriety, urgency, and still an assertive voice, "Announce a full evacuation of Bazaar and get me Bomb Squad now! Fire block off all mail entrances and exits to Bazaar and EMS get ready for possible casualties. Garret, tell me what happened."
I quickly approached and explained the whole of the situation. We soon set up and started to wait for the bomb squad. And we waited. And we waited. The timer continued down and we began to loose hope, then I had an idea.
"Chris?" I asked.
"Yes Garret?" he replied, obviously annoyed at the situation.
"I have S.W.A.T. training, I am explosives certified, I can gear up and help out!" I told him.
I looked at Chris and hope sprung to his eyes, he opened his radio, "Let Officer Garret through the block, we're getting Bomb Squad boys." A cheer set out among the brave emergency responders, but the fight was only beginning. I geared up and headed back in. I pulled my armored vehicle close to the bomb so as to control the explosive radius if it went off. I approached the bomb to inspect it.
"I see no radiation but there are definite signs of explosives in here, we're going to have to set off a controlled explosion," I told Chris.
With my words he moved back the lines and prepped the men, I had to stay behind, close up to set it off. I surrounded the device with items meant to shield others from the debris. I got all the cover I could then pulled off a targeted shotgun shell into the center of the device...
Fire flew from it as it engulfed the parking lot, my vehicle began to catch fire and I myself was badly burned. I proceeded to call for Fire Rescue to approach cautiously and put out the fire. My breathing slowed, and slowed, and slowed, and then the orange flames turned to red and black. I felt nothing.
As the finality that is death approached I listened to the fire roar and roar. And then wane. Less and less the fire in my ears died out, I thought this was simply a result of my slow death but then I heard it.
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Buzzzzzz*
BOOM! I was awake, I was ALIVE! The paramedics had revived me on scene. The fire was cleaned up and we began to remove our blocks on scene. The Deputy Chief smiled.
"Good job, Garret," he said. The words rang in my ears over and over. All I ever wanted to do was to serve my city well. I was happy.
That day I was the only one injured. That day I was lucky to set off the device safely before others were harmed. That day we were all lucky. What if it was worse? What is it was even more dangerous. Every single day our Police Department protects each and every one of you from things you don't even know happen, things you could never fathom. I am no hero, I deserve no reward, I was simply lucky enough to be the one who got to prove them self that day. Respect those who put their lives on the line for you, because one day that bomb could be in your front door.
Thank you and God bless the people of Paralake.
Sincerely,
Garret Pierzchajlo
Senior Officer PLPD
