Ramblings, Code-seven, part 2

In 1984, I promoted to Senior Lead Officer which meant I had to work day watch or nights. I hated nights because I never saw my wife and kids. My dog even started barking at me when I came home. I left for work before by wife and kids got home from school and when I got home sometime after midnight everyone was sleep. There were times I was tempted to eat a box of Thin Mint cookies with a beer on the hood of my car in front of my house.

Now that’s fine dining!

Day watch had everything open and the choices were endless if you beat the lunch crowds. You see we were timed for our code-seven.  Patrol officers were given twenty-three minutes to eat! That’s right—23 whole minutes. I figured that some command officer came to that number by timing himself in the police administration cafeteria. That’s fine if you’re seated right away and your waitress takes your order in thirty-five seconds and your food is delivered right away. Hell, on a busy night it could take twenty-three minutes just to give your order at those popular greasy spoon eating spots. Time yourself at your next dinner and get up after twenty-three minutes. Later, someone came to their senses and changed the code-seven time to forty-five minutes. You might even have time for a second cup of coffee or go to the bathroom.

Next, women and  interrupted code-sevens!

Hal