63 lines
3.5 KiB
Plaintext
63 lines
3.5 KiB
Plaintext
-- L O S T o n P A T R O L --
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Anyone can get lost on patrol from time to time, it happens to the
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best of us...Veteran and rookie alike. Even Daniel Boone, while exploring
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the unknown forests and the fertile meadows of Kentucky once wandered
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around for five days and nights without having the slightest idea where he
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was and had a tough time getting back to Wilderness Road and Main Street.
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Police officers are no different and have been known to find
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themselves 'a mite bewildered' or totally disorientated when trying to get
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back to headquarters in time to go off duty. Should you ever find
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yourself lost while on patrol, it is important for you to know what to do
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and how to act professionally in such a situation.
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The main thing is to stay calm, take it easy and don't panic! Stay
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off the radio no matter how much you want to call in a "Mayday!Mayday!"
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Attempt to reason your way out. Search for the major highway, flip a coin
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and decide which direction to follow, Never talk to strangers, they are
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probably lost, too. Try to remember where you were last. Recall the
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exact moment when you were not lost. Think things out, plan ahead.
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Try to remember the telephone number at headquarters, if not, call the
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operator and she may be able to help you out. Never admit that you are a
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police officer, no matter how tough an interrogator she is. Utilize your
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Miranda rights. Never stray from your patrol car, there could be lions
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and tigers and bears out there in the darkness.
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While on patrol it is wise and proper procedure for patrol units to
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travel in packs, there's safety in numbers. Form a convoy whenever
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possible, stay together at all times. Eat together and sleep together.
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However, should you become separated, always let them find you. There are
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always more of them and only one of you, so your chances of being found
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are much better! Remember, and have faith, that if someone wakes up and
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discovers that you are missing, he or she may try to find you.
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Always play the odds, continue driving only if you are sure no one
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will find you. Follow the cardinal rule, never run off in the darkness
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screaming like a woman in labor, it's bad for our image. Think positive.
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Humming helps, or count as high as you can, then start all over. Think of
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a color, a favorite teacher, friendly butterflies, your dark closet, or
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that special blanket that you sleep with at home.
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Keep in mind that you have a badge, a gun, extra ammo, a nightstick,
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a pocket knife. a new police car, a full tank of gas, a spare tire and
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jack, a First Aid kit, and if you're lucky a map. Ask yourself, "What
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would John Wayne do in this situation?" Use your initiative and Academy
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training
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If you think that you will not be found before your tour of duty
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ends, simply kick off your shoes and snuggle up comfortably on the front
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seat. Surer than sure, a supervisor will come upon you when he wakes up.
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In the event you have to leave the car for any reason, to look for
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food, water, or the coffee truck, leave your roof lights on, just in case.
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Better yet, never go out on patrol alone until you have developed basic
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pathfinding skills or until you have been on the job for at least ten
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years and have committed to memory a minimum of seven travel routes back
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to headquarters.
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Remember, any police officer can become lost on patrol, but only a
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rookie is late going off duty!
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