It’s called respect and it’s fading fast . . .
Many more moons ago than I can possibly count, I had quite the heavy foot (and not by virtue of my weight – just to clarify that matter). I always contributed it to genetics since my dad drove in the first Daytona 500, not as an owner by any stretch of the imagination but as a driver. I loved nothing more than riding with him when he was ‘airing out’ a motor. Back in the day, that was the cure all for all these add-ins to gas, along with ‘cleaners and boosters’ you can buy for your vehicle now. I knew every state trooper in Jackson and surrounding counties and yes, they knew me. They also had known my dad before he passed away in 1968, mainly because he had worked on most of their vehicles (both personal and their FHP automobiles). And although my dad was far from perfect, one thing he never wavered from was respect for those in authority, “They’ve earned that respect and you give it to them until they (not their co-workers or another department) have given you reason not to do so.
When I first got my license, it seemed like I lived with a blue light behind me (and yes, I have improved). One Sunday evening a friend and I were going from my house on the Greenwood Highway to her house in town. Her family was making homemade ice cream at her house. We approached what I thought was a yield sign but found out all too quickly, it had turned to a stop sign. I approached the intersection (at Highway 90 and the little road from Highway 71 to 90 (between Beeline and the former Verizon). Seeing no cars, I zoomed on through – after all HOMEMADE ice cream awaited us. And here we go – BLUE LIGHTS! I’m like CROAK, what did I do? A very familiar face comes to my driver’s side window and says, “Let me see your license, please.” No, “Prissie, Shelia, Ms. Cloud, nothing, just ‘let me see your license please.” I retrieved my license and handed them to the trooper with a question (imagine that?), “Trooper Finch, what did I do?” In his always official voice, “See that stop sign back there? I had it put there two weeks ago because of what you just did. You can’t be watching what’s in front of you if you’re looking to your left to see if you can speed into a major highway. I’m giving you this reminder to help you.” And, with that, he presented me a ticket which I paid.
It’s funny how things stick in your mind from moons and moons ago, but to this day, I stop at that stop sign (and we all know I am prone to go through a red light without a second thought – but not a stop sign). Trooper Ed Finch treated everyone equally, no matter what – he never wanted to give the impression one person was more influential than the other. During this same time frame, I had occasion to be in another law enforcement officer’s house, J. J. McCrary. I opened the cabinet to get something and saw all this liquor and looked at J. J. and said, “I never asked you but do you drink? And if you don’t why so much alcohol?” He looked me straight in the face and said, “Everyone always assumes a law enforcement officer drinks but I can’t sit on a bar stool tonight with someone and arrest them tomorrow night for an alcohol related offense and feel right about it, so I don’t touch the stuff. People give it to me at Christmas and it goes in the cabinet.”
We have present day good guys too. Way too many to name but Eddie Elmore with Florida Highway Patrol comes to mind. He is consistent, much like Ed Finch and J. J. McCrary. Mike Guy with Florida Fish and Game (it may be called something else now but you know what I mean) is another fair and consistent LEO. Now retired Duane Davis and no longer with us, Aaron Creel and Allen Finch with the sheriff’s department would go the extra mile for anyone willing to help themselves. Hayes Baggett and Tyler Scarborough with the Marianna Police Department come to mind for always there for the citizens of Marianna.. Officers who are in a position of probation or supervision of probation are blessed with fine officers also, Stacey Goodson and Tim Ham are consistent in their job. My point in all of this is to remind everyone law enforcement officers are human, just like you and me. They have a job to do, just like we do.
Some of us have jobs that don’t have an unpleasant side to them, but a lot of us do. I love covering great ballgames, awesome accomplishments of our kids, and just feel good stories that make everyone smile. But then there’s the other side of the story- the crimes, the fatal or life-changing accidents that I’m called to report, the city and county government issues that sometimes are unpleasant through really no fault of anyone besides a lack of funding which can only change if taxes are increased and that brings frustration to those who are already struggling with a budget. If you truly want to know who’s doing what going on with your county or city government show up for their meetings – they’re open to the public! But, no matter what, give someone working to make things better for your or keep you safe the respect they deserve until they prove otherwise and when you ask why – it’s called respect and it’s the right thing to do. In a time when everyone is looking for change, make sure you know what you are wishing for because sometimes the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind and I offer my apologies to the awesome English teachers I had in my years at MHS for the “ain’t” because although it’s part of the English language today, it wasn’t in my day and it won’t be until I’m six feet under and I have 18 years before that can happen! That’s enough from Prissie this week.
