I enjoy going after warrant arrests. I might like them because there is very little paperwork to go with them... but I think I like warrant arrests because I enjoy the chase. Some people like duck hunting; some people like deer hunting; I like people hunting - I just normally don't shoot them.
So the other day I was out looking for a particular someone who had a warrant. A family member called and told us where this guy was (not uncommon). I checked the history and his warrant was a failure to appear $300 warrant - nothing big at all. In the notes it showed something about the original charge may have been resisting so I'm thinking this one might be fun.
I get there and one other officer is already waiting. Now its two of us waiting for our third who will watch the back while we knock on the door. After a couple minutes of waiting I'm getting impatient so I walk around to the back of the complex to see if it is even possible for this guy to bail out the back. I see two windows in the back and on a quick examination only one opens and it pretty small... its an apartment complex, I should have known better.
I walked back around front and say screw it, knock. One knock, two knocks and I hear things moving inside but no answer at the door. I think to myself "Shit, he's trying it through that little window!" Right then the third officer arrives and I stick my head out a side door and tell him which windows to watch, he confirms and I turn to go back to the door and not two steps later I hear "POLICE! GET ON THE FUCKING GROUND!!!" I bolted outside knowing if someone ran I'd be chaser. I round the corner just as the kid is sitting in the snow and putting his hands on his head.
Fast forward some paperwork and a ride to the jail. I'm about to walk him into the jail but I pause to have this conversation with him.
Me: "$300 warrant; why the fuck did you want to run from us?"
Knucklehead: "I got scared."
Me: "Let me explain something to you. You came stumbling out of that window and lost you balance. Your hands were flying every where while you tried to right yourself. You may by putting your hand on the ground but to us it looks like you're going for a gun. The cop that had the gun pointed at you shoots you and kills you. That shit happens all the time. An investigation is held and it is discovered you were unarmed but the cop believed you were a threat. You know what we do? We laugh at your stupid ass - Over a $300 warrant! Now do you see why it is stupid to bail out the window?"
Knucklehead: "Oh, yeah."
Me: "Alright, what are you going to do next time the Po-Po comes knockin' at your door?"
Knucklehead: "Answer it."
Me: "Right on; let's go get you checked in."
So I spent today hunting for some felons that are thought to reside on my side of town... I didn't find them so I started running every license plate I could find. I thought I had a felon and initiated a stop once some other officers showed up. Instead it was the felons son who was driving. When I told him why I stopped him he said "You know where my father is!?" hoping we could tell him. I then explained we stopped the truck because we don't know where his father is and that is why there is still an active warrant for his arrest. So I arrested the son. And impounded the truck.
Alright, I didn't just arbitrarily arrest the son... he was driving with his license revoked, that is why I arrested him. I love this job.
