The Rundown

When I was a kid, I thought police officers were really scary people.

The intimidating all blue uniform with those guns, handcuffs, T-baton, to a kid, I didn't know they were the good people. I always thought that these police officers would arrest me if I did something naughty. So that's why I was scared of them. And that's why I wanted to become a the bad guy with the gun who shoots innocent people because I thought they were the good cool people.

But now, after becoming a police officer myself, I know that all that is a load of ... ... rubbish.

Police officers are cool man! In fact, we rock!

We've got the best uniform there is. And the best thing is, is that kids are scared of us! whooO!

Ok, fine. That was unnecessary. But really though. In our police uniform, there's a great sense of dominance and superiority when it comes to dealing with civilians.

In the charge office (where they process all the people arrested under our custody), there would be a good handful of people who come through there everyday. And when we escort accused anywhere, there'd always be a clear indication that we as policeman are a lot more cool than the accused in them civilian clothing because the uniform tells them who's boss. Sure, there are cases where the accused would retaliate and completely humiliate the police officer in a fist fight, but we won't go into that.

The point is, I love how I am the police officer in uniform and how the accused is the, so called 'bad guy'. hehe

And what makes it all so much more cool is when we holster all the equipments onto our belts. It makes us look even more intimidating with all these wonderful contraptions which people don't know how to use.

Fine, I also don't know how to use some of them, but that's beside the point.

When I went in for my 3rd shift yesterday, I have to admit that I really wasn't all that 'excited' about going in. I couldn't sleep properly because I knew that the hour was coming for me to get up from bed and prepare myself for a tiresome 12 hours in the Police HQ. It was really hard trying to be positive about where I had to do my shifts because it isn't really pleasant to do what I have to do in there. I tried to look at all the 'possible' things that could be great about this job but really, there wasn't.

It's even worse than a normal person's working life. At least in the office you'd stay in there for like what? 9 hours? Give or take. And of course during that time, you can do whatever you want, as long as you complete your work.

Like for example, one could take multiple toilet breaks by drinking heaps of water. And even if you had to drink water, you'd have to walk somewhere to get it so you could kill even more time by walking from the computer to the water tap. Of course, this is just a suggestion. Not that ... I've done any of that ...

Anyway, with this 12 hr shift, there isn't really a time where you can 'relax'. Everyone has gotta be on their toes. If something goes wrong with the accused, we could all pay the price. That's why this is such a dangerous posting. And to make up for all the dangerous possibilities that could take place in there, they're giving us another $100 for 'risk allowances'. Just so that if anyone asks, the government could always say that they paid us extra money for whatever danger we were put through. Quite convenient I'd say.

I realised how dangerous this job really is when I had to do the night shift last Thursday night. I was the only officer in charge of the lock up and there were 3 guys in the cell. Having that in mind, how does this picture sound?

A 17 year old NSmen looking after 5 accused who were going to be charged in court, alone in a police division lock up with no one around. The closest officers who could reach me to save me if my life was at stake would be some 20 metres away behind 2 metal security doors that would take approximately 30-40 seconds to pass through, provided you were really quick enough to make your way through. I'd say that in 30-40 seconds, I could take down 10 wrestlers with a revolver and possibly a drunken diva ....

..... with my T-baton.

I mean, seriously. Don't you think that this situation could turn nasty? This is only 5 accused. Imagine a whole lock-up filled with people and there's only one or even two police officers in there. And now, imagine if those one police officer was an NSmen. And now, imagine if that NSmen was me. Don't you think it's just a little bit dangerous?

But what's the most we can do? Nothing really. All I'm doing about it is complaining about it on my blog and whoever else comes into my path, but that's about it. Being NSmen, there really isn't much point complaining because whatever you get, you just do. Whether you do a good job of it or not, that's a different story.

The NS guys in there told me, "Whenever someone gives you a job, just say yes. End of story."

One time, my friend said yes and never actually did anything about it. As a result, he got canned big time. Not too sure if I want that happening to me any time soon. Especially when I want to get out of there without much of a record. Notice that I said 'without much' ;P

Anyway, there's a time to complain, and there's a time to do work. I really wasn't all too happy about the whole situation but what could I do? I really didn't know.

That was until some people came to me and gave me some advice I was deprived of hearing - 'Do it for God'. I had completely forgotten that. Really, I had.

I had taken the entire situation into my hands and wondered, 'What can I do?', 'How can I do this?', 'What's the point of me doing this?' Until I heard those few words, I was completely caught in my own self centred world where everything was about me and not about God.

You'd be amazed by how quickly everything becomes so much brighter when God becomes the centre focus. Do it all for God and amazing things will come forth.

But of course I'm not here to be some lecturer about the greatness of God. I'm just trying to say that God was really the turning point in all this. He always has and always will be.

And with this, I went in with a more excited heart to work for God and it was so much better. Yesterday, I was put into the Filer section where I do most of the paperwork filing, and as long as I did it for God, it was all ok. I worked hard, and played hard. Most of the time, I'd end up with nothing else to do because I had finished all the filing work and no one was out in our area causing too much trouble to file any police reports. But then of course, it was a Sunday morning/arvo. People were still in their beds creating who knows how many 'la-la' lands.

So tonight, I must try. Tonight, I'm back in the lock up section where I have to stay awake for the entire night. Let's see how things turn out this time as I venture in a lot more prepared; unlike last time when I went in with nothing but my iPod and a mini What On Earth Am I Here For? book by Rick Warren. That night went by like a snail on a treadmill.

Anyway, if you see me blogging in the next few days, it means I am in the mood to blog and not too tired by the fact that the Singapore National Day is coming up and we as policeman are activated. I really don't hope I have to go but I believe the odds are against me.