And there it was - today...
Today I was travelling out to my property to check what the winds had done, and as I was turning right in the roundabout to go out of town a Falcon ute cane flying in from the opposite direction just before I turned. As I looked at it I thought that he was keen to get in before me, and I was secretly impressed that he had a vehicle that performed and wasn't afraid to use it. Prob about 20m before the roundabout there was smoke coming off his rears, though they weren't locked. I assumed he'd done this before judging by his entry speed which would have been about 100km/h when he actually came into the round about. Despite washing off speed it was hooting fast and the tyres were deforming as they do on the race track, but I do the same roundabout at 60km/h in the Disco with 33's, 4" and a steel ARB rack. As he's come in and the rear wheel smoke never stopped, and as he changed direction from left to right as if to go straight through the back came around. I thought he was going to slide sideways into the gutter and flip it. The rear kept coming around and it jumped the gutter thankfully, exiting backwards before took out a sign with the rear end.
I took the out of town exit and pulled over onto the side of the road and as I check the mirrors a police car on the picks (brakes) pulled up nosed into his direction but still in the round about. The officer jumped out with his pistol aimed directly at the ute - I couldn't hear what was said. It was at this time that I suddenly had reservations about getting out of the car, and it then dawned on me that if I did get out that I could get shot by whoever was in the ute and that there was clearly a problem with the driver that could have been anything. The policeman approached the ute with his pistol, handcuffed and removed the driver onto the ground between the police car and the ute and then walked back to his car. A black 4WD stopped at the roundabout to presumably help and I assumed saw the whole thing also, though I'm not sure what was said, or what decisions were made, but he then drove off. It was then that I realised that this copper was by himself dealing with this situation and that he must have called for backup or given a location. This all just happened in what seemed like a split second. An unmarked car then pulled up when I then got out to walk up to the scene. By the time I'd crossed the highway and was half way there another unmarked pulled up.
The ute driver was on his red P's. He was young, had dyed hair, was on his knees and was handcuffed. He was no doubt considering how much trouble he was in, whos fault it was, how many police there was, what was going to happen and how his life was about to change as he stared straight ahead. His girlfriend sat motionless in the passengers seat looking stunned and probably wondering what had happened while glad to be alive.
As I walked up one of the first to arrive backup policeman asked if he could help me. I said I saw the lot, it happened right in front of me and explained briefly what happened. He took my details on his hand and will probably go back to the station and wash them - that his call. He told me that they'd call me later and to go and calm down a bit. That surprised me as I don't react like that. As I walked back, it was stunning to see the skids. 2 perfectly formed marks which I couldn't see the beginning of coming directly into and through the roundabout. Such a schoolboy error.
Anyway I walked back to the Disco and headed out to my property while reflecting a little on the situation and also some of the comments that were in this thread.
The copper that was in pursuit was on his own as far as I know.
That copper had the balls to get out and approach someone that was clearly irrational where anything could have happened.
That copper had no idea if he was going to get shot back at and was completely unprotected and had no offsider. He risked absolutely everything that related to him, be it material, family and his one and only life.
That copper dealt with the situation appropriately.
While this was happening I sat in the car, watching through the mirror, not getting out because I didn't know what was going to happen or if I would be in mortal danger.
There were comments in this thread about this kid in Melbourne that got shot, saying that the capsicum spray didn't work and they should have used battons rather than shooting him. I disagreed with that thought, but this whole incident really drove it home to me that these officers are putting absolutely everything on the line to keep you and me safe from this type of crap and there is absolutely no reason why they should have to go through ****y little stages of dealing with the situation and esculating their personal risk to do the job. The risk is already way too high - like waaaay too high. ok, they choose to do it, but we need them to do it.
We sit here in the comfort of our houses in front of computers and chat about what they should of done and how they could have done it better. The media would present it as "Police pull pistol on sweet teenage couple" and all of that type of thing trying to present a hard done by kiddie story when infact he was not at all, while those that keep the place safe get slammed once again.
Although occasionally some of us have to wear one, I take my hat off to them and have now realised that despite knowing what they do, I really had no appreciation of the significance of the personal commitment to what they are doing.
