Greatest moment in law enforcement?

[CharlesInCharge23]

War stories. You can take 'em or leave 'em but as a young recruit looking through the looking glass, I look up to older/retired officers and their stories. in the academy, we've heard everything: what went well, what was a train wreck and everything in between.

The question I pose for the seasoned officers in this forum is; What was your greatest moment in law enforcement? What was a moment that made you look back and smile and made you proud to choose THIS profession over any other? I'm sure there may be many but I'm just curious if you all wouldn't mind sharing some with us. Thank you!

[CCCSD]

Retirement.

[Iowa #1603]

In the 1980's I was one of the advisors for our Explorer group. Ours was not affiliated with the Boy Scouts but was sponsored by our agency. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of neat kids and mentor them for a couple years.

Shortly after I left the agency and moved away.

A few years ago I started getting involved in social media and connected with a lot of people from my past ---lots of old High School mates, college friends and co-workers from the last 30 odd years.............and finally accepted that I needed to get onto facebook.

I joined facebook and a few months later I had a friend request from a name I didn't recognize.....but it included a message that he was a former Explorer.

Jerry re-introduced himself to me and stated that even though he never got into Law Enforcement after high school myself and the other advisor had left a very strong "stamp" on his character. He continued to state some specific instances and reminisces.

Since the explorer days I have had a career that spanned 38+ and counting years----worked at 3 specific jobs, with MANY assignments including guarding Pope John Paul II . I performed cliff rescues, paramedic duty, investigative jobs, saved lives, and had daily conversations with murderers, robbers and rapists.

Looking back, nothing really equals being a role model who was able to mold a young persons life.

[Name Taken]

Edited.....

[ateamer]

On patrol, heard multiple gunshots. (My window was rolled down even though it was in the low 40s. The deputy in the car ahead never heard a thing.). Turned down the street, saw two G's walking fast, and they foot bailed when I lit them up. One threw a gun, tripped and fell, was captured by the other deputy. I set a perimeter and they caught the secnd suspect exactly where I predicted he'd exit.

The primary had shot at a dropout, missed, and struck a passing car, missing the lady driving by only three inches.

The primary pled to 13 years, eight months. I'll be retired before he can even dream about parole.

[Lady Blue]

I don't know about the greatest, but the most memorable was when we were working a major accident when an urgent code brown situation arose for a colleague. Watching him start unfastening keepers, and dropping his duty belt while heading for a little privacy inside the woodline while everyone else was rolling with laughter was priceless. When you gotta go you gotta go, but there will be hell to pay if anyone else is around.

[MCAPO]

Without going too much into specifics - however....I supervise what many have considered the worst of the worsts. The boogeymen. Except, often times... these boogeymen gain the trust of adults all around. Only to get closer to their younger, smaller, innocent ones. Then they destroy their innocence, they try to destroy their existence. They are caught, they are prosecuted, they are released -
They are now watched. For lifetime.

Every time a search takes place, every time we find damning evidence on these boogeymen. WE put them back to a place where Boogeymen cannot feel comfortable - ever.

One specific - months of trial. Child sex-trafficking pimp...put him away for a long time. When and if he gets out.....we'll continue to watch...every movement, every moment.

that to me...and everything else, is always a great moment.

[CruiserClass]

Finding a kidnapped child and talking the suspect down without anyone getting hurt. Probably-the-daddy decided he was going to show Momma, threw her through a glass door (cutting her up and breaking her shoulder in the process) and snatched the kid up and ran. I was right place/right time and saw him in an alley within 5 minutes of dispatch. He was armed and had the kid in his arms. I was still new, probably two years on at that point. I talked him down as a partner showed up, convinced him to give up the kid, then the gun, then he allowed me to take him into custody without a fight.

I've still got the thank you card on my office wall.

[CCCSD]

Writing such a solid child molest case that the suspect fled the state and offed himself, stating in his note that he knew he was going to prison for a long time and couldn't face it.

While on FTO, getting a homicide, catching the suspect returning to the scene, arresting, and writing the report which put him away. All with minimal to zero input/Assistance from my "FTO."

[ateamer]

Writing such a solid child molest case that the suspect fled the state and offed himself, stating in his note that he knew he was going to prison for a long time and couldn't face it.

While on FTO, getting a homicide, catching the suspect returning to the scene, arresting, and writing the report which put him away. All with minimal to zero input/Assistance from my "FTO."

Was that the killing with a couple different deadly instruments plus a TV set?

[CCCSD]

Yep. All mine. --- didn't do a lick of work, didn't even help me take the suspects into custody.
And it was a screwdriver, not several instruments. TV was an overkill...

[swat_op506]

Finding this thread. OMG, my life is complete.

OK, that was sarcastic-
But in 22 years, my best are a composite of MANY events, people, and weird-but-true moments- too many to put down here.

[ateamer]

Yep. All mine. --- didn't do a lick of work, didn't even help me take the suspects into custody.
And it was a screwdriver, not several instruments. TV was an overkill...

Surprised that that particular FTO actually left his couch to go to a call.

[CCCSD]

Bwahahahaaa! NAILED IT!

[Hanmo]

Finding a homeless man in a bathroom on Christmas eve and getting him to a homeless shelter. That or a horse thief I arrested.