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Crocs on the highway, native riots--daily routine!
By GINA GALLO
of TheColumnists.com
For cops on this side of the world, ‘to serve and protect’ is a promise they’ve sworn to uphold each time they hit the streets. But imagine, once you get there, doing a tour of duty that might include nightmare-sized crocodiles snoozing in the middle of the highway....or at least, until a succession of speeding semis turns them into road kill the size of Rhode Island.
Or how about mediating a bar brawl that zooms from zero to ugly in the time it takes to toss back a few lagers...and a few bar patrons directly through the window.
And just to keep things interesting, add in an Aboriginal riot, but in this case, the rioters’ weapons of choice are tomahawks and spears. Any one of these incidents would be enough to have any cop wannabe opt for a different career choice, but for Mick Warren, it’s all in a night’s work.
As a supervisor of general duties (patrol) for the Queensland Police, Mick has not only been there, done that, but keeps on doing it, providing the authentic thunder from down under required to keep the peace and turn chaos into calm. Not an easy task, considering that the average Queensland cop’s beat is much different than his American counterparts.
Instead of a few square miles of residential community, a strip of commercial shops and the random Dunkin’ Donuts on the typical U.S. metro beat, cops in Mick’s department face a daunting challenge each night. The massive sprawl of Queensland’s rugged terrain means that many cops patrol remote areas so extensive, calling for back-up becomes an exercise in defying the odds.
While a cop’s call for help requires instance response, there’s too much distance between units for any kind of immediate assistance. And in the event of a life-threatening situation, Mick says that means you’re out there alone with your heart in your throat and your ass on the line. Not the kind of odds anyone would want to consider, much less face on a nightly basis.
But Mick handles the action--and the stress, with the same off-hand aplomb of a true professional. He knows the risks and chooses to ignore fear, or at least, keep it on a back burner. His years of experience have taught him what every cop must learn as gospel: Once you’re out on the beat, there are no second guesses, no time to acknowledge anything but the immediate, moments in time that require absolute focus and attention.
And although fear is often the silent partner that can hitch a ride on any beat, there’s no time, and no advantage to indulge that demon.
A cop’s job is clearly a gamble with frightening odds, but Mick says he’s stacked the deck in his favor. He comes from a police family, the fourth generation to be counted as Australia’s finest. And since he married Lee, a Queensland constable, he has the added support of a wife as colleague, one who faces and understands the same career challenges.
Proudly passing along a photo of their
four-year old son Oscar, Mick says,
“This may be our fifth generation of police, who knows?
His decision, of course. Lee and I will support him in whatever
he chooses. But considering the family history, it’s definitely
in the blood. We’ll be proud of him no matter what. For
now, though,
the best thing we can teach him is the responsibility of doing
the right thing. In our family, that’s always been about
taking care of other people.”
Even if it means facing down the dangers every night, toughing out the fights and brawls...and the rioting Aborigines. But in the spirit of police fraternity, Mick is willing to disclose a little secret that he believes gives him the survivor’s edge. He tells me about the prayer card he carries in his uniform hat, one that accompanies him on every tour of duty.
It’s St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of warriors, cops and defenders of the weak. The painting shows the mighty angel brandishing an upraised sword in one hand and sheltering some children with his other. A prayer card very similar to the one cops around the world carry...and exactly like the one that was tucked in my own uniform hat for 17 years. Every time I was sent where angels fear to tread, it reminded me that I was working on their side even when I couldn’t hear the rustle of wings over my own pounding heart.
In Australia, the Police celebrate September 29th, the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, on what they call Police Remembrance Day. Assembled police troops march in military precision, honoring their fallen officers as crowds watch the parade, showing their support with blue honor ribbons. A celebration that’s at once somber and awe-inspiring as these dress-blue angels pray for their lost members, and for continued blessings from the most powerful archangel in the firmament.
Although there are some who might dismiss it as superstition, Mick, his family and police officers around the world understand that other truth that's part of a cop’s gospel: Policing is a team sport and an act of faith. Promising to serve and protect is only the beginning. The hardest part is learning that each night is a leap of faith that requires a lot of heart, a lot of focus, and as much back-up as possible. Preferably, the kind of celestial muscle that’s only a prayer away, bigger than a Queensland patrol beat and small enough to be tucked into a uniform hat.
©2005 by Gina Gallo. The illustration is composed from elements in IMSI's Master Clips Collection, 1895 Francisco Blvd. E., San Rafael, CA, 94901-5506, USA. This column first posted Oct. 7, 2005.
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