Christian Family Services Ministry

2-19-2024 – A Word to the Wise – July 22, 1st watch Element 313

Summertime is when officers tend to get the most calls. Serious, dangerous calls for service. South Dallas seems worse than most during the hot summer days. Mix that with a full Moon and you have an explosion of calls.

It is 12 midnight and detail is very short. There are a lot of officers off tonight. We are 2 man, element 313.

We no more than get out of the drive when the radio dispatcher starts “313, 4114 (cutting) man stab in the chest your authorized code 3.” ‘Received.’

I hit the lights and siren. Adrenalin immediately kicks in with the immediate surge of activity. Traffic is slow for this time of night. The call is only 10 blocks from the station. Arriving we find the man’s common-law wife has stabbed him in the chest with a butcher knife. He is lying in a pool of blood somewhat calm about the whole affair.

Blood is everywhere and the wife is dancing around screaming how sorry she is please forgive me. I handcuffed her anyway.

DFD the (Fire Department EMT) arrivals and surprise he refuses medical care and of course prosecution. I uncuffed her and she threw her arms around him.

What a way to start the evening.

Leaving that call we stopped to write a report but just as quickly came two more disturbances calls which turns out to be N3, or no complainant.

Finally, there is a break and we take the time to write the reports up.

At 2:30 A.M. we are at Forest Av. (Now MLK) which is located in the middle of South Dallas. “313 (Signal 15) code 3 assist the officer 2000 block Hatcher Street. “On comes the lights and siren and the insistent speed. There is no traffic this time so we got there quickly. No other officers were assigned or showed up which is strange but then most of them are out or going to jail with their own prisoners.

Arriving, we find the officer in a fight with two suspects. I jump out and immediately knock one down and handcuff him. The other suspect is arrested as well. Seems the officer had stopped them after observing a handgun in one of their pockets. The pair did not like being stopped by the police and started to argue. About that time the suspect’s hand went to his rear pocket. The officer called for cover and the fight was on.

Next dispatch sends us to a burglary call in the Grove. Then just as suddenly “313 disregard that call 313 Signal 15 officer needs assistance your authorized code 3”. The call is in the project a highly dangerous location. In the past officers have received many serious calls in this particular project housing area and it is a known gang area.

Again, we arrive just in time to help bring a suspect under control who is assaulting the officer. He was a huge man with prison tattoos all over. He is slinging the officer around like a rag doll. The four of us tackled him. He is so big it takes two sets of handcuffs to bind him.

We return to the car, clear and the emergency signal goes off again. ‘313 your code 3 on an officer shot.’ Your authorized code 3. “Received” we know the officer and familiar with the store. It has been held up many times. Unsure of the situation we accelerate as fast as we can. The streets are empty thankfully.

When we arrive, we find the off-duty officer still in uniform who had been shot sitting on the ground. He told us he was late getting off and had to stop and buy milk for his baby. The Off-duty officer had walked into a 7 11 store in- the middle of a robbery. He is shot in the chest. As he relates it he had no idea what was going on when he entered the store. The suspect immediately sees him and turns his weapon in his direction. At this point the officer immediately draws his service weapon and fires. The suspect’s bullet hits him in the chest swinging him around. Fortunately, he has his vest on, and it absorbs the blow. We call for a supervisor and the homicide investigator assigned to officer involved shootings.

We finally clear the scene; and again, almost immediately “ 313 you’re your authorized code a man in a vehicle is having heart attack (4116). “ We arrive and help him out of the vehicle get him on the ground. He is semi-conscious. No one else is in the car. We find the wife’s address and phone and call and notify her that he is going to the hospital. She tells us she will come and get the vehicle so we will not have to tow it. DFD arrives and takes him to the hospital. We clear and prepare for more. But it is rather quiet for the moment.

A little later we join up with 311 and head for a known house of prostitution on Birmingham Ave. to look for a known felon.

Inside we see a black male having sex with a prostitute on a mattress on the floor. We shine our lights on the two and ask his name. He is not who we are looking for. The prostitute is laying there with a $10 bill in her hand, totally unconcerned. Neither miss a beat.

We leave and the end of the watch approaches. This is my first visit to this place but not my last. Mattresses on the floors with sheets hanging down. Huge boxes of condoms in one room, boxes of Kotex, and toilet paper in another. The smell, I guess we will leave that subject for another day. Sometimes you wonder just where is the Lord? Does he see? Does hear?