13 Yr Old Sets Field on Fire with Fireworks, now for the rest of the story...

It would be the perfect ending if the police officer married the Mom, and they could be one big happy family

reply to post by elevatedone

Bless this woman,her son and the officer!

Originally posted by elevatedone
A personal friend of mine sent this today. He gave me permission to share this with you all.

In this day and age there is so much going on this this world, so much uglyness, hate, racism, etc. It's hard to find something good and inspiring to talk about.

Well, read on....

I had to work today and it ended up being a wonderfully satisfying day.. One of those rare days as a police Officer that comes but once in a rare while..

As kids are want to do, a 13 year old boy was playing with fireworks and set a field on fire. That field happened to be State Property and so off I went to investigate.

There he stood...

Crying, disheveled, dirty, woolly blond curls falling into his face and shaking so badly I thought he was going to fall down.. Which he promptly did when he saw my blue lights and I stepped out of the car in my uniform... There he sat.... Guilty as sin...

A few hundred dollars of damage...

Without much conversation, I wanted him scared for the time being, I loaded him up and carted him off to his house.. Not going to talk to a Juvi without his mother present, too many trap doors in that scenario...

I knocked on the 40 year old 14X65 trailer and out his mother came, A wonderfully caring woman, mad as hell, wearing a dress that had seen much better days and fidgeting with her hair in a vain attempt to make herself more presentable.. I would soon look on her as a picture of loveliness... But that is later..

I start talking to the mother and got permission to talk to the boy right after she whacks him on the head..

Yes Officer I was playing with fireworks
Yes Officer I set that field on fire
But Officer I would have put it out, but I could not get over the fence
Yes Officer I ran to that house and called 911 and then stood by so the firetrucks would know where to go
Then Mr. Officer I waited cause I knew you would want to arrest me......

I turned away as you can imagine... Couldn't let the kid see the big bad Officer cry could I?

Talking with him I discovered that it was just him and his Momma, no idea where the father is, ran off and left them when he was 5 years old and not heard from him since..

Momma works odd jobs doing what she can to make some money and gets food stamps and a welfare check.. She looked like she was about ready to just fall down and die.. She had that eternally tired look, if you know what I mean..

Soooo..

I spent an hour or so telling him how proud I was that he acted like a man and did everything right after the field caught fire.. I told him I used to play with fireworks and took him to a safe place by his property where he can play all he wants too and showed him how to do it safe and still have fun..

I hugged him and patted him on the back a dozen times and when I left, he ran to me and hugged me for what seemed like forever, crying of course in relief after all the tension..

I left before I could not see to drive and stopped by the Firehouse and payed the Fire Department bill and I'll make arrangements tomorrow to pay for the damage to the property..

GOD I LOVE MY JOB SOMETIMES...

This officer I call my friend, he is more like a brother. A true inspiration to me.

Outstanding job officer, outstanding.

wow its a relief and makes me darn happy that there are actually some good police officers in this country!!

I can relate with that teen to the point of eery. I was 12 and at a family gathering we, my cousin and I, threw some firecrackers over the fence of the apartment complex into a field..Yea the field in California caught fire. Luckily an uncle was nearby and saw what happened. He climbed out of the pool and hopped the fence. Ran through the thorns and put out the fire.

Bleeding and pissed off he knocked our heads together and said you both should have a brain between you. Then he gave us some bruises to remember the incident.

I have never started an unplanned fire since and never will.

You see this fire developing and see the fact that you are helpless to stop it from spreading. Imagining the family running from flames.

Yes there is more to punishment than the "system" self punishment is often enough to learn by.

That peace officer is sent love and light.

Originally posted by silo13
What a shame it's this kind of story that's the exception and not the rule.

You got that right. Then again, how many of us would have stuck around for punishment?

wow,this officer is an outstanding man where i live the police are not so nice they would have thrown the boy in jail not caring why or how or that he was being a man, bravo

Thats very heart warming what the officer did!!!

Sure nice to read some happy news.

Theres a lot of good people who do beautiful good deeds for others.

I had "run in" with the law when I think i was about 10.

I found a book of matches and I went under a bridge and made a little camp fire,,

well,,shortly after,,

A cop appeared outta thin air on me!
I was frozen in fear!

He said "what the hell are you doing?"

I told him I was cold..

He said "hell!!",,its 93 degrees out here!

well,,he made me put it out,gave me a 2 minute scolding and sent me on my way.

I know kids at times dont realize the dangerous of their actions.

As well,a couple years later I was collecting pretty rocks and the same cop pulled up on me,
he was real nice and never even mentioned my campfire escapade ordeal and we chatted a few minutes about rocks.

There was also this very kind old man at the end of my block..his name was Charley.
I always would get flat tires on my bike and he would always fix them.
And buy me a pop while I watched.


Its real magic when people show kindness and do good deeds!

These few sparks keep life going.

Good thread!

K

Such a touching story! I really enjoy hearing things like this over the bad things cops do. I don't have the highest outlook on today's law enforcers, although I have two great friends that are cops, and family members too. They are all good people and can share many stories similar to this, as well as the bad stories they can tell of fellow officers they view as brutes with a badge.

I have equal respect for this kid who showed amazing character and I don't agree with one poster who said this kid should have been punished more harshly.

S & F to the op for this heart warming thread!

this is the most sappiest post ever. honestly. this site is turning into oprah.

i totally disagree with the premise of your post. like it is some kind of surprise that a kid shows emotional weakness. they are all like that. its a fatherless and motherless society. even if they have fathers and mothers, it does not matter. the father and mother figures these days are totally weak, shadows of themselves to start with.

there is no strength out there. i bet you got a nice hard on from seeing this prototypical little rascal, all "disheveled and dirty" and you standing there in your orcish NWO issued blue uniform.

the subtle narcissism and sadistic/masochistic mentality in your post is eye opening.


enjoying your power over others, orc?

Good morning to you all.

Firstly, I would like to commend the mother for doing a first rate job under such difficult conditions. I only hope that she gets the break and rewards in life that she so obviously deserves.

Secondly, the young man, and I use the word man because he has acted in a manner that would put many adults to shame. Young sir, you have presented yourself in a most admirable manner and I am sure that you will go on to be a man of outstanding moral character and a model citizen.

Last and certainly not least, the Officer. He executed his duty, in my opinion, by the book. He cares for his community and those that reside in it. He provided guidance, security, compassion and an even hand. It is his example and that of those before him that prompted me to serve my Country. If all Law Enforcement Officers and members of our Armed Services conducted themselves in this manner, this world would be a far safer and happier place.
Sir, I salute you.

To the OP. Thank you. You have restored a measure of faith in me and I am in your debt.

[edit on 7/7/2010 by TheLoneArcher]

Without much conversation, I wanted him scared for the time being, I loaded him up and carted him off to his house.. Not going to talk to a Juvi without his mother present, too many trap doors in that scenario...

huh?

in what state?

it's a good story so i won't call BS on it, but i'll say this part raises a stink in my view.

i have loads of experience as a juvenile defense attorney . . . literally thousands of matters . . . and i can't recall a single case where an officer transported a kid away from the scene of a crime so the officer could interview the suspect with his/her parent present.

could it happen occasionally? sure. just saying i personally never saw it. not once.

but this . . .

Not going to talk to a Juvi without his mother present, too many trap doors in that scenario

. . . is a blanket statement of how the 'officer' performs his duty, that's the problem. i'm to believe that this officer's training (and his department's policy) leads him to, as a rule, NOT talk to juvenile offenders w/o a parent present?

because it opens 'trap doors?'

no. it doesn't. it's routinely done and raises zero evidentiary issues down the line.

like i say, it was a good story, in a 'hallmark greeting card' kind of way. i'll let you draw your own conclusions as to its veracity. but it sits on shaky foundation in my opinion.

a great heart warming story definetly a case perferct man for the job of a police man we need more like this man in the police and not the power hungry bulys we usualy hear about

There are some good police officers out there. I think we tend to see the bad side of law enforcement on the news, and we forget that there are good guys out there that wear a badge. They do a job that most of us wouldn't do, and end up in some dangerous situations.

This reminds me of the old show, Andy Griffith. There was a good meaning in that show. Andy didn't follow 100% by the book all the time. He took the time get to know the citizens. They were people to him, not just "criminals" that will in time slip up and get caught, like I'm sure some some cops think.

There are times to speed, there are times to break laws. And I think it's the police officers duty to look at you as an individual, communicate with you, and figure out what the best thing to do is. Being heavy fisted, rigid, and uncompassionate will just have the citizens hating you. That's ruling by fear.

Fear and respect are not the same things.

Troy

This is a tricky thread to reply to, considering the overwhelmingly positive response to the OP, and the fact that the OP is a Super Moderator.

I only count two posts so far that doubt the veracity of the story.
It is a great story, but that's the problem I have with it. It reads too much like a short story.

OP, I do realise that by doubting the story I am casting doubt on your honesty. I can assure you that it is not my intention.

This paragraph in particular makes it seem like the Officer must be taking Creative Writing classes.

I knocked on the 40 year old 14X65 trailer and out his mother came, A wonderfully caring woman, mad as hell, wearing a dress that had seen much better days and fidgeting with her hair in a vain attempt to make herself more presentable.. I would soon look on her as a picture of loveliness... But that is later..

I am trying to picture the scene...
Did the officer know this woman before the incident? How did he know she was a wonderfully caring woman in the moment it meet her?
How far from the trailer park from the burnt field?
Was there a pay-phone handy, or did he use his cellphone to make the call to 911?
What was damaged in that field that would cost a couple of hundred bucks?

Once again. a great story...

Regards

Originally posted by ginandmoregin
this is the most sappiest post ever. honestly. this site is turning into oprah.

i totally disagree with the premise of your post. like it is some kind of surprise that a kid shows emotional weakness. they are all like that. its a fatherless and motherless society. even if they have fathers and mothers, it does not matter. the father and mother figures these days are totally weak, shadows of themselves to start with.

there is no strength out there. i bet you got a nice hard on from seeing this prototypical little rascal, all "disheveled and dirty" and you standing there in your orcish NWO issued blue uniform.

the subtle narcissism and sadistic/masochistic mentality in your post is eye opening.


enjoying your power over others, orc?

Could it be that you are reading way too much into this simple act of kindness by a policeman?

Try and look at this incident another way. YOU or you children were setting off fireworks and accidentaly set fire to some land. The cop turns up on your doorstep and deals with the situation like this one did.

Is that not a lot more compassionate than them throwing the book at the kid, who let's face it has done everything he could to make things right afterwards?

This lad could have ended up with a police record and an even crappier life because of it.

Now picture that being you or your kid.

I don't imagine for a minute that the kid will be getting off lightly, i think his mum will make sure of that, but on this occasion, can you not at least see it was a good thing to do?

If the damage had been more serious, or had caused injury, yes it may have been dealt with differently....but this is just a classic case of a cop using his common sense and people skills.


CX.

reply to post by V1g0r0u5


i don't expect the OP to 'defend' the thread . . . i do believe he/she is passing along info believed to be true

but if you do answer questions, i'd love to know what state this was in. i'd consider moving to a state with such protective policies towards juvenile suspects, for my kid's sake if nothing else.

but again, i don't expect you to defend this thread in any way, it seem like a face value kind of issue to me.

reply to post by pyehouse



I have been in Law Enforcement for 18 years and I have seen all kinds of things in my career. I can understand what you are saying but we all learn different lessons in different ways.

That boy, for his age, took the responsibility for his actions instead of running and not caring. I have seen numerous kids and young adults go to jail for minor things and believe it or not our jail system does not work as it is theoretically supposed to, as in rehabilitation. There are just to many criminals and not enough time for individuality.

As I said though, I have seen kids end up in jail and just not get out of the system; whether it be meeting more criminal contacts because of peer pressure or ending up getting paper (probation and such where you keep ending up back in jail due to violation in things as simple as not being able to pay fines).

I believe this kid made a mistake (because I have a tough time believing no one hasn't one time in their lives), but he owned up to it and I believe just freaking out because of the field fire and the police being involved rehabilitated him. No sense in wasting more tax dollars and getting another kid caught up in the perpetual system so to speak.

In my career I always went by an important motto: fair but firm. In my 18 years I have never been written up and was even deputy of the year in 1998. Integrity is everything. And I believe if more people were strong in their moral beliefs, it would be a better world.

Good for you kid! And also the officer!

~ Noah

Originally posted by V1g0r0u5
This is a tricky thread to reply to, considering the overwhelmingly positive response to the OP, and the fact that the OP is a Super Moderator.

I wouldn't worry about the fact that a Super Moderator started the thread, if anything you will probably find that they will encourage constructive and mature discussion even more in thier thread.

They certainly won't throw thier teddy out of the pram if someone disagrees. Those capes they wear are merely a fashion statement....the Super Mod's aren't as nasty as some think.

CX.

reply to post by elevatedone


They have a word for this in police departments.. what is it? Community policing.. or something like that.. when officers from a community police a community and interact with people like *gasp* they are Human beings..

This kid learned more of a lesson than he ever would have if he had to pay a fine or went to Juvi..

It's only sad that the "bad" officers make the headlines, the killers, the beaters, the tazers and the asshats.. this wouldn't make news.. and sadly it's because of those bad officers that people develop a fear of police, even myself whom have dealt with police as a citizen and professionally...

Regardless though, you have a good friend, and I know he won't get front page news for his actions, but they truly did, and by all accounts still do, make that community a much better place.

reply to post by elevatedone


I'm sorry; I must express extreme doubt to the extent of this story's validity. The tale's obvious intent is of painting the "honorable cop" as a "Super Hero" in the face of reality of the police state we see all about us.

I realize also, that since this "story" is presented by a Super Moderator that calling into question the truthfulness could result in scorn or worse. Nevertheless, where is the source??? We "little people" members are constantly told to quote sources and link to substantiating articles. Here we have a sappy tear jerker of a tale with no sources except somebody, somewhere said something....

In the face of the constant delude of real quotable news reports of cops tazering hitting and clubbing grandmas, kids and the disabled, me thinks what we could have here is an attempt to cleanup the image of cops.


[edit on 7-7-2010 by romanmel]