Helicopter

Apparently CA Cop and I don't live in the safest of areas. Not that there are any real safe havens in the bay area. But when a fellow officer remarks that "you couldn't pay me to live there", well, then you know your city is not viewed in the highest regards. I looked up the stats and noticed that we are averaging at least 1 homicide per month, a couple rapes per month, burglaries deep into the double digits, and on it goes.  The high school we graduated from has had a couple shootings already this school year. You get the picture.

But this is where we both were raised. This is where our families are. Heck, it might be what gave CA Cop just the right amount of street smarts to perform his job well, and to be able relate to the people he comes in contact with.

At any rate, it was a conscious decision that CA Cop and I made to purchase a home here.  We looked into other cities, spent countless hours looking at real estate information in nearby towns. Ultimately, we just decided that we loved having our kids so close to so many loving family members. CA Cop carefully selected our neighborhood, which included talking to local officers, driving by at all hours of the day and night while our house was in escrow, and of course prayer.  So, I guess I do feel mostly safe where we are at. He signed us up for a nice burglar alarm contract, one of those fancy wireless kind. I turn the motion detector on downstairs before I go to bed each night. This is nice to have, especially when he worked nights.

Last night, the kids were tucked tightly in their respective bed and crib and CA Cop had retreated to our bedroom.  I was making his lunch for the next day.  The ghetto bird (I dropped that term just to prove my "street cred") began buzzing overhead... And continued.  Seriously loud.  I started peering into my backyard expecting to see a spot light, it sounded like it was directly above us. I finished making his lunch, turned on the alarm, and headed upstairs. It had been 20 minutes and it was still circling.

That's when I remembered.  I had downloaded a police scanner app onto my phone. Perfect. I love technology. I snuggled in next to CA Cop with the warm glow of my cell phone's LED screen lighting our faces and the comforting sounds of the police scanner as the officers directed the helicopter which backyards to fly over, searching for the armed suspect.

I was thinking about the men and women whose voices I heard on that scanner, away from their families, protecting mine. I was thinking about the dispatchers and the level of alertness they had to be on to help protect those officers and direct their backup where to go. I didn't quite comprehend how huge of a role the dispatchers played in the safety of my husband each day, until I heard it firsthand as they assisted someone else's husband.  Thank you.

We stayed that way. Long after the helicopter had been called off. Long after numerous suspects had been apprehended for various crimes. Listening to the scanner. Me, occasionally asking questions about what the various codes were. Him, commenting on the numerous, unceasing calls. 

And curled up together we dozed off........just like that......listening to the police scanner.....So, there you have it, just a little glimpse into our home life.