After a few strenuous workdays, I had a sort of shift that most cops dream to have every so often; nothing seemed to be happening in the town that night. No one getting robbed, no one fighting or no one calling for help. It started out as a very good night. The whole shift got together to grab dinner and we all parked next to each other and watched something entertaining. While we were doing so a lady ran up to us and with a thick southern dialect started screaming “you got to arrest him!” The three of us looked at her confused until SGT. Collin spoke up “who? And what are you talking about?” The lady took a deep breath and said “my sister’s boyfriend beat her black and blue and you guys need to arrest him. He is right there.” The lady then pointed to a house across the street from where we were parked. Colin looked at the lady and asked the question we were all thinking “where is your sister?” The lady looked at us and said “oh she went to mama’s house.” We all looked at the lady and she just stared back at us confused as to why we were not kicking in the door to arrest her sister’s boyfriend. Colin then said, “ we can’t arrest this guy until we speak to your sister about the incident and get some proof.” The lady huffed, walked a few feet away, and made a phone call. I could hear her on the phone saying “no, you got to come back. I know but they need to talk to you for some reason. I don’t know but you’ve got to come back.”
This incident was pushed to the back of my head and the shift continued as peacefully as it had started until roughly 1 am. The same lady returned with her sister, Mary. Mary didn’t have to say a word for any of us to believe her. Her left eye was swollen shut and her neck was covered in bruises. The crazy thing is that even with all of her injuries, Mary still had her confidence and wore a slight smile on her face. Not one of arrogance but one of a warrior who just fought for her life and won. We called for EMS immediately to check on Mary before she began with her side of the story.
Mary said that after work she brought food for her boyfriend, Bubba, and her children. Bubba wasn’t the biological father of the kids. Bubba came home from work later that night and was particularly in a good mood. He helped bathe one of the kids but also kept bothering the young boy causing him to cry. Bubba began to curse at the child and told him that he was a Bi&$@ like his mother. When Mary told Bubba to stop, he began to curse at her but left. After Mary comforted her son she set up the dinner table and gave the two children and Bubba the dinner she brought home. Apparently Bubba didn’t like the wings or maybe it was the flavor they were seasoned in he became upset. Bubba decided that the kids’ food was a better option for him.. When the children told him to stop Bubba began to curse at them. Mary had enough this time. She got up and told Bubba that he should not talk to her children that way and that he should leave their food alone. Bubba then punched Mary once in the face and choked her until she was unconscious. Mary regained consciousness and observed Bubba walking back to the bedroom. She grabbed her children and ran away. Mary then said something I will never forget. She said that Bubba could do whatever he wanted to her and that was not the first time this jerk put his hands on her. But once the kids are involved, Mary will not let it go.
We all stared at Mary in shock. Colin and Ofc Aaron walked out of the room to handle some paperwork and I was left alone with Mary. She just smiled at me. Through all the bruises and trauma that she had just gone through, she still had a warm smile. Mary said I’m happy I stood up for my kids. I told Mary that it was amazing that she had done so but I also tried to warn her that if she keeps living under such conditions that she possibly won’t be able to take care of the children someday. Mary looked at me with determination and said that she was ready for a change. When Colin got back to the room Mary, still with the same warm smile, said “Bubba is in our bed asleep and I have a key to get in.”
About 3 minutes later we were at the front of Mary’s house with our guns drawn. Mary unlocked the door and walked away. Quietly we made a beeline through the dark house straight to the master bedroom. When we got there we saw a man sound asleep under the covers. How someone could sleep after doing such terrible things to a woman is beyond me but Bubba seemed to be fast asleep. We first surrounded him then obnoxiously started screaming “police! let me see your hands!” Bubba opened his eyes and he saw three angry cops, two guns, and a taser. Bubba yelled out “whoa, whoa whoa!” And threw his hands up but didn’t get out of bed. We then began yelling for Bubba to get out of bed. He looked at us and said, “uhh I’m naked.” We rolled Bubba over and put him in handcuffs. We then threw some underwear on Bubba and drove him to jail. On the ride to the jail Bubba didn’t deny what happened he kept his mouth shut about this incident. He was extremely compliant and called everyone sir. Including me even though I was about 10 years younger than him. While driving Bubba to the jail I made it clear not to come back to Mary’s house. He said that he lived there and I told him not anymore.
After that night I never saw Bubba again but I did see Mary occasionally. She always runs up and thanks me for that night and gives me updates on her children. Always with that warm smile. In this line of work, we often see mankind at their worst and we rarely see people after an arrest or a terrible incident. Seeing Mary always brings me joy because I am able to see the positive impact that my actions caused on someone’s life.
Originally posted on my blog (https://ourstoriesfrombehindthebadge.wordpress.com/)
