Whisper by Ray Shay

Whisper   
By Ray Shay   

  

Recently, after finishing Chelsea's Run in Balboa Park our family walked over to Jimmy Carter's Mexican Restaurant at Fifth and Palm Ave.  As we approached the restaurant, I saw a mentally disturbed man wandering in the middle of the parking lot of the 7-11 store across the street.  

He abruptly pulled off his jacket and threw it to the ground before yelling obscenities at his invisible demons.  It was not long before SDPD arrived and placed the man into custody. While the man sat handcuffed in the rear seat of the police car, I talked with one of the young officers. 

The officer said one of their biggest issues lately, are people ingesting methamphetamine from Mexico which is laced with some unknown chemicals.  It results in persons exhibiting symptoms similar to PCP abuse.    

As he spoke, I recalled the dangers of PCP.  I then thought of SDPD Officer Mike Anaya who was only on the force for about nine months, when a PCP suspect overpowered him and killed him with his own duty weapon. 

Officer Michael Anaya (Click here to read his story)

PCP (phencyclidine) or "Angel Dust" as they call it, is a powerful sedative which was originally used to tranquilize elephants.  When I was on patrol in the cheaper areas of this city, the drug was frequently referred to as, "poor man's cocaine."  

I sometimes testified in San Diego Municipal Court as an expert on PCP abuse.  It only meant I knew slightly more than an average citizen and I had documented experience and specialized training in this hallucinogenic drug.  

Before gathering our family to head home, I cautioned the police officers to be safe. A common departing comment between cops, even a retired one and the next generation of law enforcement officers.  A friendly reminder that each moment they are wearing a badge, they are a target.

As I drove down I-163 to Mission Valley, I thought back to my countless encounters of people under the influence of PCP.  I then found myself squeezing the steering wheel as I thought to myself, I should have told those young officers to whisper.  It could save their lives. 

 

With most police critical incidents, you learn that either you or the violent suspect is in charge. That is why when guns are drawn or tempers flair, officers take command by saying, "San Diego Police," in a loud, authoritative voice.  New officers are reminded to practice this skill so they can take command of situations quickly.  

We also learned through experience, it was often best to slide to the other end of the spectrum and coax suspects into custody if they were under the influence of PCP.  You want to step into their often hallucinogenic episode softly and quietly. Every officer in the early 1980's learned to roll up to 11550 (b) scenes with no siren or emergency lights flashing and definitely never to screech their tires when stopping.

A sudden loud noise, quick move or lack of patience could result in the person suddenly turning violent. Since they feel no pain, seem to have super human strength and are likely hallucinating, the only thing that could stop them was sheer body weight. It would result in the proverbial "dog pile" while you try to gain control and apply handcuffs.  The entire time you keep one arm across your holster, securing your duty weapon to prevent the situation from turning deadly.  

Our sons still ask me to tell the story of the man on the roof.  It was just after shift change, about four in the afternoon when the radio call came out at 2800 Logan Avenue.  The reporting party said a large man who was likely high on PCP, was standing on his roof. If I didn't mention it, he was standing on the roof his car and the man was completely naked.  

I think I was the third unit to arrive on the scene.  The man was a giant.  The roof of the car was partially caved in and he stood broadly with both arms high in the air with his fists tightly clenched.  He looked at me and proclaimed, "I am God."

PCP can come in solid, powder or liquid form. It is most frequently found in liquid form and tobacco or marijuana cigarettes are "dipped" in the substance and then it is ingested by smoking.

Looking into his eyes you could see the "blank stare" appearance which is common with the drug. The drug also makes a person run hot and that is why they are frequently found naked.

The other symptoms of being under the influence of PCP is muscle rigidity, a strong chemical odor on their breath, hallucinations and finally PCP is one of the few things that can actually cause their eyes to display vertical nystagmus.  It simple terms, their eyes will bounce up and down similar to the old video "Pong" or "Breakout." Now, I am really dating myself.

As I looked at the man, I realized even if I had half the Department here, we could not likely physically restrain him.  I knew we had to talk him into handcuffs. That is where the whisper came in.  I recall engaging him in my softest voice, "God, everything is OK.  Why don't you just come down and talk to me?"

He glanced slowly around at the gathering neighbors, the owner of the car who kept repeating, "he is on my car!' and the additional police cars who kept quietly rolling up.  I think I mustered a smile as I waved him towards me and repeated that everything was OK. He stared at me for about thirty seconds and then to everyone's relief he slowly lowered his arms and stepped off the roof and walked across the hood of the car as it dented below his heavy weight. He reminded me of the incredible Hulk as he stepped on to the black asphalt with his huge bare feet. 

I whispered again, "Everything is OK." I could feel the heat radiating off of his body. Several officers quietly eased his hands behind his back and applied the standard double sets of handcuffs. One to hold him and the second to make sure the first set did not break.

As I continued our drive back home with my family, I wondered if I should even this story.  I know the eWeekly has wide readership including many police officers, but most of my readers sit in gate guarded communities or in expensive homes with HOA's and neatly manicured front yards. I know it will likely ruffle some feathers, but I hope the second group sees this article as educational.

If PCP or methamphetamine laced with chemicals is making a come back, I think you should know about it. Talking to experts in the field of narcotic prevention, they emphasize the importance of parents paying attention to their children, interacting with them frequently and be their parent and not necessarily only their best friend. Finally, don't wait too long to ask for professional help if you discover there is a problem. 

Enjoy your week, as we are all so fortunate to have peacekeepers like Officer Mike Anaya and so many others on the job to protect us and help safeguard our children.

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved

The Stinky Trash Can by Ray Shay

The Stinky Trash Can 

By Ray Shay   

  
We had a standing rule in our car that while driving our children to their competitive sporting events, they could select the music. Their song choices have been broad and varied and I think they have enjoyed the freedom to select what they wanted to hear.

That rule suddenly changed last Saturday morning while I was driving one of our sons to play a cross town rival. I thought I heard the singer drop the, "n-word."  My suspicions proved correct when the singer said it once again, and by the third time, I reached over and turned the radio off.
My son was surprised and started to argue about his Fifth Amendment rights, my earlier promises they could play whatever music they wanted, and his final argument was, "all the popular songs use that word."  I know it was a visceral reaction, when I looked him in the eye and said songs using that word will never be played in our car.

After a few minutes he said, "fine." He then played a song with the weirdest set of sounds I had ever heard.  As we pulled into the high school parking lot and he reached into the back seat to grab his gear, I commented on his selection. He replied dryly before shutting the door, "It is the same song without the words."

As I watched him walk away I thought about my parents and my mom specifically who often told us seven kids, "You don't have to stick your head in a trash can to know it stinks."  I knew I had to find a way to re-approach our adolescent son and try to convince him why that word was off limits. By doing so, I knew I would have to tell him why I hate that word so much ...

 
It was the late 1960's when I first recall anyone using the "n-word." Thankfully my parents were way ahead of the curve on the importance of equality and what was right and wrong.  

I remember I was about nine or ten years old when a friend of mine called some dark holiday nuts a racist nickname.  I did not realize it was improper and naively thought that was just what people called them. 

I recall walking on to our front porch holding a basket of those dark, long nuts when I asked my father if he wanted any.  His response was quick and immediate.  I suddenly found myself lying on the ground with the basket and those dark nuts scattered around me. He made it clear the, "n-word" was never to be used.

  

When I became a police officer, I encountered racist people. They always turned my stomach. Despite what some people may say or what you see on national news, I never once saw a sworn law enforcement officer act in a racist manner.  It never would have been tolerated by his or her peers, or the San Diego Police Department.

Agent Thomas Riggs

Later in the day, I was again alone with my son.  I told him what happened on my front porch, a very long time ago.  I then asked him to think of two of his best friends while I told him a story about two fellow SDPD Police Officers named Agent Thomas Riggs and Officer Donovan Jacobs.  

I summarized how they conducted a traffic stop where a highly trained martial artist named Sagon Penn turned uncooperative and ultimately began fighting Officer Donovan Jacobs.

Within a matter of seconds he disarmed Officer Jacobs and shot him in the neck (partially paralyzing him).  Penn then used the same gun to shoot Agent Tom Riggs three times and then walked over to the marked police car and shot the female, civilian ride along, twice.  Penn then removed Agent Riggs handgun from his duty belt as he lay dying on the dirt driveway and stole the police car, running over Officer Jacobs as he fled the scene. 

  

Click here to read more about the incident.
Penn's Defense Attorney alleged at the subsequent trials that somewhere in the confrontation that terrible word was used. I don't believe it, but that is what defense attorney's do.  They represent their clients best interests and it was in his best interest to leverage that hateful word.

I still recall that sunny June day in 1985 when Sagon Penn was cleared of all charges and walked out of jail a free man. After I loaded my shotgun and placed it in the electronic dashboard mount of my patrol car, I just sat there for a few minutes with the air conditioning on full speed.  I kept asking myself how that could have happened?

I spoke with our son privately and then we discussed the use of that word as a family.  They figured it out.  I hope our sons never forget the importance of equality and staying out of the trash can of bigotry and hate.

I did not have the heart to tell our children that Tom and his wife Colleen had an infant son named "Adam" when he was killed in the line of duty.  Another example of a Police Officer who never had the enjoyment of seeing his child compete in team sports or the opportunity to help his son identify what is right and what is wrong in this big, complex world.

I can only hope that one day that hate filled word will leave our lexicon.


Enjoy your week,

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved