MISSOURI: Montgomery Archives

From time to time we all need to communicate
with someone about something. Communication
in police service (as in life) is essential. Officers need to understand what is being told to them and the complainant needs to understand the return. Not all the time does that happen. Here
are a few words about communication. If they sound familiar; they might be. Communication in

Bad acts have consequences.  We all know folks who seem to get by with anything and everything and suffer no ill.  What keeps us going is the hope that someday there will be a reckoning.  There will be, we just might not be around to see it.  In the policing game, the consequence for bad acts – crime – is arrest and punishment.  The punishment (or arrest for that matter) may not be swift, but someday. . .

Scammers abound.  Scammers are still out there attempting to separate honest folks from their money and good names.  A local bank official sent me this information, which had been received from another bank branch.  The scam has allegedly been checked by folks who keep track of such things and pronounced valid.  The call sounds official.

For no particular reason, let’s discuss harassment.  I don’t mean sexual harassment, quid pro quo or hostile work environment, since there’s probably not enough room on this page to give that a go; just plain ol’ harassment. 

One of the jobs of government is to protect its citizens.  Another is to serve the people.  Hence we get the term “public service” and “public servant” to label what government does or is supposed to do and who does it.  Public servants come in at least three kinds; elected, appointed, and hired.  All are tasked with serving the citizenry. 

Time was we all knew all our neighbors, their kids, their parents, where they went to school, where they worked, and the like. Time was we knew our kids’ friends, their friends’ parents and grandparents. When I counted someone as a friend, I knew their whole names, their parents and many times their grandparents. Not so much anymore.

Most of us remember Christmas as a time of happiness; family gatherings, presents under the tree, good food, football games and so on. In these tough economic times, there are some families in the area (through no fault of their own) which cannot afford to buy presents for the kids – thus, the topic of this week’s column.

I thought of Dennis Miller a while back. I don’t know why, I just did. Mr. Miller is a comedian and erstwhile sportscaster. (He was the “color-man” on Monday Night Football for a season – and only one – several years ago.) He is the conservative version of Bill Mahr and is kind of famous for his rants. Okay, that’s a long way around to tell you what comes next could be classified as a rant.

I once read a story in a large metropolitan newspaper which got me to thinking (which in itself might be classified as dangerous) about our small town and how it’s not as isolated as it once was. Things which happen in big cities have a way of affecting communities far removed from the metropolis.

What is a bully? We all know what a bully is and most of us have known one or two, but sometimes it’s hard to put a definition into words. Let me define the term: A bully is a person who hurts, frightens, and generally tyrannizes over others who are smaller or weaker. (The word bully at one time meant “a fine fellow” and was a compliment. Not so much these days.)