PAX Centurion - Fall 2017

Page 46 • PAX CENTURION • Fall 2017 617-989-BPPA (2772) A fter over six months of training at the Boston Police Academy, the 56 new recruits of class 56-16 spread over the districts to begin their careers as police officers. They are young enthusiastic men and woman ready to embark on hopefully long careers. One of the many things our excellent academy staff will impart on these new recruits is advice in order to prepare them for some of the things their district training officers will do or say. Certainly, one thing they will say is that we as training officers will at one point tell them “forget what they taught you in the academy, ‘cause out here it's different.”While that may be partially true, it was something I planned not to say, as I wanted to let the recruit I was training to experience this for him/herself and formulate his/her own opinion. What I didn't know was that within two hours of my assigned recruit’s first night on the job, she was going to get an awakening to a scenario she didn't expect about life “on the streets”. That after six months of envisioning and wondering about how exciting her first shift was going to be, she instead would be rocking back and forth on her heels while we guarded a prisoner at theTufts Medical Center Emergency Room. Six months of defensive tactics, weekly quizzes, level 1’s and 2’s, morning runs and PT, getting yelled at – sir, yes sirs; ma’am, yes ma’am; push-ups, sit-ups, motivational speeches about how awesome being a cop was going to be!?!?!? Right???All this came to a screeching halt two hours into her first shift as a police officer, as she stood with me in the Emergency Roomwhile we guarded a prisoner. I’m sure that if he didn't get arrested the day before for home invasion, he would most certainly have brought himself to the hospital because of his altered mental status.Wait, that was his first trip. He definitely would have not forgotten to come to the ER to address his chest pain. I’m sorry, I was not there for that trip either. That was his second trip earlier that day; my mistake. This trip, he most certainly would have realized how his life went south and decided to tell the booking officers that he “didn't want to live anymore.”Yeah, that's it. Oh, and his feet hurt. Thats right. That was why he went to the ER for the third time.Yes, the third time in 18 hours after being arrested on a Friday afternoon. I'm sure if the DK01 didn't grab him and he got away, he was heading right to the nearest medical facility to tackle all of these ailments. That's enough sarcasm for now…. What was difficult for me was explaining the rationale for bringing a prisoner, who everyone, including the prisoner himself, knows is faking, to the hospital to satisfy his goal of getting out of the cell and laying in a hospital bed for a few hours before heading back to station with his body recharged with IV fluids, graham crackers and gingerale. I guess It’s not difficult explaining the reason why we immediately call for EMS transport to the hospital; its LIABILITY plain and simple. A prisoner really attempts to kill himself and the book is rewritten. I understand, “it is what it is.”We have to abide by the rules that are currently in place. I also understand not all of the prisoners awaiting court the next day or after the weekend ARE faking. Obviously some have medical conditions that require them taking medicine or treating an injury that occurred before or during the arrest. That’s a small percentage of the trips. Most arrested know how to play the system to their advantage, what the “keywords” are that will automatically get them out of the cell and have them laying comfortably on a hospital bed while an ER doctor (mostly students) ask them in a cheery voice, “So, what brings you in here today?” Fast turnaround for Police Academy Graduates Excuse me while I roll me eyes. Also, pretending not to see the two policemen standing there and the fact that their “patient” is in handcuffs and sometimes shackles. Maybe some reading this are thinking “stop whining,” it’s part of the job so just suck it the eff up and do it. We all have to at some point. Believe me, that's how I get through each hospital trip. Saying to myself, “just get through it.” Don’t be pissy at the prisoner for manipulating the system, or in some cases (not a lot, but the feeling IS there) nurses and doctors who barely acknowledge your presence or who do acknowledge you but look at you with contempt as if it is your fault that the prisoner is in this predicament. There are a few reasons why this last trip caused me to start typing away here. One was trying to explain to a young recruit that this is unfortunately something they don't teach you in the academy. Two, the unbelievable cost that occurs with each trip to the ER that would in my humble opinion would 100% not happen if the person was not incarcerated and was free to walk themselves in for treatment. The absolute biggest reason is Officer safety, which I will get to in a minute. With manpower at a all-time low, minimum staffing levels being decreased (at least in D4 they were), call volume at an all- time high (no more call screening) all across the city with the population in city’s districts skyrocketing, patrol districts are being spread ridiculously thin. With some dispatchers acting like the Ron Burgundy’s of the dispatch world reading whatever is on the teleprompter, if you will. An actual call was dispatched to a rapid in D4 for, wait for it…. Crickets chirping. Not making that up and sorry but I just went off the rails for a minute. Point is, with all of these issues, rapids across the city, I’ll speak for D4, A1, and C6 for certinly being tied up with prisoners at the hospitals on top of everything else. DS’s in the past hired overtime for this if a prisoner had a lengthy stay, but now there is already tons of forced ordering going on and this practice is just not an option for the supervisors anymore. These three to some times 72 hour hospital stays are taxing an already taxed patrol force. The medical cost that this situation creates is not a drop in the bucket either. I'm not going to drop exact cost/numbers here but let’s just take the typical ER visit for a prisoner. 1,200 ambulance run. Initial patient assessment, IV fluids, x-rays, blood tests, urine tests, EKG’s, Snacks!! Don't forget the snacks...how about things that don't have price tag on it; the time taken away from “real patients.” Doctors, nurses, technicians, volunteers, hospital security. And while we’re at it, throw in an EEG test because we may as well have someone's goddam head examined for allowing this waste to continue. Oh yeah, I forgot that I have never had one ER registration coordinator ask what medical coverage they have. Why? Because we are picking this tab up. Add that cost times three for the prisoner that went to the ER for the triple, recently. Not to mention that he dropkicked a television monitor when he knew the heart problem gig was up after the EKG. So, he had to go with the “I’m crazy” road and violently flailed around screaming until he managed to get his leg over the stretcher and damaged the monitor. Oscar-worthy... I left the safety of the officers, nurses, doctors, civilians, etc. last, but it is the most important issue here. We know our jobs are inherently dangerous, “we signed up for this right?” Gun calls, domestics, bar fights, traffic stops, unknown calls for service, EDP’s. The list is endless about how a simple call could turn disastrous. Its part of the job. We can't plan for what we don't know; we only By Daniel O’Donnell, Boston Police Academy