To start off, yes, I was a cop in my last job. I got into law enforcement when I felt there was nothing out there for me after I got out of the Marine Corps. I wanted to help people again. It was always my thing.

Well, at my first PD (police department) I heard over the radio of a 92yr old female in cardiac arrest. She was a block away from me and EMS was about 10min out. I rushed over (never having done CPR before in real life) and had an adrenaline dump like you wouldn’t believe. Training kicked in and I took over for her home care nurse (who actually didn’t know how to do CPR (still don’t understand that part)). After what felt like an eternity of chest compressions, breaking her sternum and ribs (it feels like crackers under jelly) I actually managed to resuscitate her and get her heart beating again. Her eyes opened and she gave out a hard gasp for air. I was floored and overwhelmed with joy. The firemen and EMS arrived and everyone was patting me on the back. Cool. Good moment in my life. PD refused to recognize me for the life saving award, even after my partner put a recommendation in for it.

Next, I happened to see a 3yr old run in front of an 18 wheeler while his mom was struggling with 2 full hands of beach toys and accessories. I jumped out of my patrol vehicle and grabbed the kid, pulling him back from the middle of the road in time before the truck passed. Mom just scolded the child and they kept walking… not even a thank you.

At the next PD I went to, I was on night shift and came across a truck, parked weirdly in an empty parking lot around 11pm. The driver door was open too so I pulled up to make sure everything was ok. I came across a man who was slumped over, discoloration in his skin and drooling. His breathing was in that agonal state (just before someone dies). I called in EMS immediately and they were actually up the road on a car wreck and able to come to me in about a minute. The man was saved I found out the next day.

I would be fired a week later from that second PD for “failing to adapt” in my FTO (field training officer” phase, as a rookie. Why? Because I was too sympathetic to people with weed on them at traffic stops and not sympathetic enough to the rich locals who thought they were above the law and voted our chief in with their deep pockets books. I was a liability apparently.

Not once did I ever get told by my supervisor or chief or anyone that I had saved someone’s life or been given an atta boy pat on the back from them.

It hurt. I get being selfless and doing the right thing but why was it that when it came to life and death situations where I prevented a catastrophe, they just looked away? This shit has bugged me for years.

I now work in a very stress free job and actually get complimented on my work by not only customers but also my bosses.

I hate politicians and I’ll tell you right now, police chiefs are politicians and 99% of all the officers in beach towns are trying to fuck over each other to make themselves look better. They never have your back. Fuck them! That’s what I got for caring about people and having common sense.