One of the owners of a gas station where I worked had a great relationship with all the officers. We spent a bit of our free time at the gas station replenishing or buying a snack and so we got to know some of the staff well. The owner’s name was Adam. Adam’s staff had yearly turnover and one day he hired a young man by the name of Frank to work as a clerk in the store. Frank always seemed a little out of place and he moved very slowly, but he was very pleasant and nice to customers. But soon the other employees began to complain about Frank. They kept saying that he was extremely lazy and that he would always smoke weed which would make the whole place reek of the smell. Apparently Frank made note of our schedule and he was able to make sure that the scent was gone by the time the police came by.
One night around 11:30, I received an alarm call at a house not too far of a distance from the gas station. I parked a few houses down and slowly approached the house in question by foot. As I got closer, I saw a car parked in the driveway. The lights of the car were off but I could hear that idling engine humming. I drew my gun and approached the car. I quietly approached the vehicle and saw two individuals in the car. When the driver turned his head, I immediately recognized him. I put my gun away, inhaled deeply and knocked on the driver side window. The window rolled down and Frank yelled “Josh! What’s up man?” And as soon as the window rolled down, this strong smell of marijuana just hit me smack in the nostrils. “What are you doing at some random house Frank?” I asked him. Frank then pointed to the female sitting next to him and said it’s her house.” The girl said “hi I’m Ariel and yeah this is my house.” “Hey Ariel. Do you have an ID on you?” I asked her. “Uhh no. Why would I have my ID at my own house?” was her reply. “Well why would you be parked in the driveway of your house and not inside of it with the alarm going off? I quipped back. Look I can’t just take your word that you live here.” I said. “Frank, do me a favor and get out of the car.”
When Frank got out I asked him “where is the weed in the car man? I can smell it.” Frank reached into his pocket and with shaking hands handed me a blunt. “Thank you Frank. I’m going to search your car now.” Frank turned pale and said “No bro no bro. Don’t do that. That’s all the weed. Don’t look in the car.” Yelled Frank. “Frank, take a breath. I’m going to look through the car but I need you to just calm down.” I said. Frank then began to run back and forth screaming “no bro, no bro, no bro!” I grabbed Frank and pinned him to the car. “Calm down!” I yelled as I got Frank in handcuffs. Once the handcuffs went on he calmed down and I told Frank to sit down. I then asked Ariel to come out of the car. She took one step out of the vehicle, stood up and it felt like she just kept on going. Frank was about 5’8 Ariel must have been at least 6’1.
Just as I was about to search the car a lady came running from the house. She walked over and said, “ Hi Officer. Umm what is going on?” Then she looked and saw Ariel and began to scream. “What are you doing and who is this man?” “He is my friend, mom.” Responded Ariel. Then the lady yelled “you already lost your basketball scholarship and got pregnant. You just never learn, do you! You are doing the same stuff that got you sent back home!” The lady walked up to Ariel’s face and continued to scream. Once she finished she pointed at Frank and said “I want this man off my property and away from my daughter.” “Yes ma’am. I will handle that as soon as I finish searching the car. I searched the vehicle and in the trunk was a bunch more weed. I took Frank to jail and I told Anthony about the situation. He was disappointed in Frank and thanked me for my work. Anthony said that he was going to give Frank one more chance. A few weeks went by and this time Frank was caught by another officer in possession of drugs. This time, Anthony fired him and reasoned that losing Frank wasn’t upsetting since he caused too many problems.
Posted here first [https://ourstoriesfrombehindthebadge.wordpress.com/2022/02/20/24-7/]
