Cops and Robbers

   Does anyone else enjoy "Cops" as much as I do? Perhaps it's the warm, fuzzy feeling I get inside from knowing the bad guys always get locked up at the end, or maybe just the sheer, voyeuristic fun of watching crackheads get Tasered. Either way, I never pass up an opportunity to watch the boys in blue in action.

  Without fail, there's always a shirtless guy smoking a cigarette who insists he does NOT have any drugs on him....that he knows about. Then the cops FIND the drugs. Then he insists those CAN'T be his drugs, the police must have planted them in his pocket...happens to you and I all the time, right?
   So without getting preachy, I'd like to express part of my worldview; call it the Vollie's unified theory of awesomeness. Namely, this: don't end up on Cops.
   Easy, right? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that most of you out there in internet land have never been in jail, let alone on the hit TV show. Most of us have never done meth, beat our wives in a drunken rampage, or ripped off our shirts so we could fight the guy with a Taser. However....have you ever had a beer or three too many and figured you were fine to drive home? Said something stupid, offensive, and loud while you were out with your buddies? The issue we, as firefighters, run into is this: we are not civilians. Once you join a fire department, especially as a volunteer, you are now living the life of a public safety professional. When you cut off someone at an intersection while in your POV with blue lights and scanner antennas all over it, you're not Average Joe A-hole any more...you are a Class A, A-hole FIREFIGHTER. Whether you realize it or not, everything you do can, and just might turn into, a public liability. When you throw that FD t-shirt on, you become someone that the public should respect; you are now representing your department, your town, and the fire service in general.
   The public used to admire the fire service. The firehouse used to be the hub of activity in small towns all over this country of ours. Ever wonder why it's not anymore?  This is why....
    Ex Volunteer Arrested On Child Porn Charges
   And this....
   Volunteer Firefighter Arrested For DUI
   And this...
   Firefighter Arrested For Arson

   Notice anything about that first headline? "Ex-volunteer".....even after you leave your department, your identity is tied up with the fire service. And there is nothing that ruins our image in the public eye better than incidents like the headlines above.
   So take pride in your department, your position, and most of all, in yourselves!! Think twice before getting behind the wheel after a few drinks. Think three times before driving like a moron in your truck with the "FD" decals all over it. Remember, we are special; we are held to a higher standard, and represent something much greater than ourselves. Go forth and celebrate life, but always, ALWAYS remember you are a firefighter. Oh, and also....don't end up on Cops :)