Morning all:

Quote Of The Week:

“It is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you.” — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This week was filled with too many waking hours and too few for sleep, too many temperature changes and some time-zone changes. The net result is that I am managing a glorious head cold complete with shot vocal chords. Therefore I should be drinking tea with some lemon and honey; nevertheless it is my trusty mug of java next to me.

I flew out of Indianapolis about the time that the Super Bowl had its kick-off (Indy since Cincinnati – for the second year in a row – is the costliest airport in the nation thanks to the absolute Delta Airlines dominance). In fact, since my travel was fairly last minute Delta wanted $1,000 for travel to Salt Lake City, Southwest did it for $219. Anyway, due to the Super Bowl this normally full flight had about 30 people in it. The woman across the aisle from me was a die-heart Colts fan who was determined to avoid any and all reference to the status or outcome of the game since her Tivo system was recording the whole spectacle. Fifteen minutes into the game the Captain came on the air to announce that the Bears had scored; so much for her efforts.

While I was underway at the annual Bowl party Marcia, Adrianne, and Tevita were doling out the Dutch ‘Bitter Ballen’ I had made early that morning. These were a major hit I was told later.

Thursday evening’s session-two of my Citizen on Patrol training was amazing. We spent almost two hours each on ‘Gangs’ and ‘Illegal Drug Use’. Both instructors were seasoned members of the Cincinnati Police Force, specialists on their subject material, and dynamic presenters. It became quite an eye opener learning how to spot gang activity from that of just some kids loitering on a street corner. Methods on how to address gang activity and at the same time stay out of harms way were discussed. Cincinnati is light on gang activity. Cincinnati has 69 known gangs.

Back in the ‘60’s the Marijuana we played with (smoked but not inhaled) had a THC (the major active chemical) level of 7%, the stuff being distributed today has a THC level of 25% and up to 35%. It is a substantially different drug from that of a few years ago.

From an inventoried locked box was spread out on a table in front of the class all sorts of drug paraphernalia and the actual “stuff”. From Ecstasy, Meth, Heroin, to Crack and Cocaine, we got to see in detail what to watch out for, and how it looks. How it is packaged and distributed. What ‘bits and pieces’ are discarded and easily spotted when walking the neighborhood. For me it was an eye opener.

If my pre-class perception about the training I’d be exposed to would focus mostly on shin splint prevention and the like I was grossly mistaken.

Make it a great week everyone: remember, if you are like me then you are probably much like Johnny Carson: “I was so naive as a kid I used to sneak behind the barn and do nothing.”

Cheers,

Dirk