Think About Rainbows and Lollipops!

Am I enjoying the citizen academy of the Anoka County Sheriff's office? Yes, yes I am.  Would I ever consider a career in law enforcement? No.  Oh, hell no.  Would I even marry a person involved in law enforcement?  No, no I would not.  The sacrifice seems enormous to me now. Now that I know more about the crime in Anoka County, I am a changed person. This week in the citizen academy we learned about the CID division - criminal investigative division.  How are the crimes investigated?  Arson, murder, sexual assault, felony level child abuse or vulnerable adult abuse, drugs, and human trafficking. Was I engaged in this education? Yes. Was I fascinated?  Yes.  Did I raise my hand to ask questions?  Yes.  Am I happy thinking about it? No.  Could I sleep after this second class?  No. Driving home in a rainstorm is nothing compared to the knowledge I was given in this class.  We stay late for a case study about a murder/arson case.  Fascinating!  Who quotes Kevin McAllister when the judge asks, "Do you have any last words before sentencing?"  An Anoka County resident, merely a few blocks from the Sheriff's office, does.  "This is my house.  I have to defend it."  He quotes Kevin from Home Alone? To solve a tenant, landowner dispute!  Seriously, who can sleep knowing this terrible, terrible side of humanity? To meet the actual people who interviewed this fellow and who combed his house for evidence is an honor.  Lucky for me, this guy is behind bars for life.  It could be he has mental problems.  But to throw gas on a tenant and light him on fire - Wow.  I learned that the American people are greedy. We comprise 5% of the world's population yet consume 80% of the legally available opiod pain relievers.  It is not wonder heroin is a huge problem.  Drugs are a problem but sex trafficking is another.  Twelve  year old girl children are picked up from school, sold three times that evening and dropped off at the end of their block to go home and do it all again tomorrow.  Exploiting children is a business commodity.  Money is made.  Big money.  A sheriff puts an ad on Craigslist advertising a 13  year old girls for a mere 30 minutes and 8 grown men show up at the door, knowing the girl is 13, ready to pay for the priviledge?  This is a very, very difficult class.  I hear sirens at night and wonder who is driving? What are they going to face?  Will they be okay?  Forfeiture - some agencies will take your car if you drive while intoxiacated and others won't.  If they do get your car, the laws on how they can spend those profits are very limited.  Any of the proceeds can not be spent on salaries. Remember years ago when the Gang Strike Force got into trouble? In the long run, maybe that was a good thing. If all the salary of a gang strike force is spent on salary the result can not be good.  Am I outside my comfort zone? Yes; and that is good for me.  Am I looking forward to next week when I get to go inside the jail? Yes, except for the pat down I can expect now that I have an artificial hip.  This class is life changing.  I'm glad I signed up.