Smoke on the Water Ch. 03

*WHANG!* *CLANG!*

Joan started pressing harder, moving faster, trying to flank me, get me moving in one direction, then turning and going in another direction. She overcommitted once, and I got a throw in. She tumbled deftly and was back on her feet.

*WHANG!* *CLANG!*

When is that damn bell going to ring? I thought to myself. And that momentary distraction was too much against the defending Police Boxing Matches Champion. Joan moved in and got a lick on my armor, and when I moved to defend, she executed a nice takedown. But I rolled out of it, almost throwing her in return (I would have thrown Cindy, the way she overcommits), but we both were on our feet in the next instant, and the moment passed as the bell rang to end the 2nd round.

"You're doing great, but she's faster than you." said Teresa, who was my 'second' in my corner, with Cindy acting as Joan's second. "Just stay defensive."

"No doubt." I said. I stood up, as did Joan, and the bell rang for the third and final round. Joan rushed out and swarmed me, like Mike Tyson did to his opponent when he was in his prime. But I was getting my second wind, and the flow of the match was beginning to come together for me.

*WHANG!* *CLANG!* *WHANG!* *CLANG!*

I parried every blow Joan delivered, and the rings of iron on iron filled the gym as we sparred with faster speed and greater urgency. I looked for avenues to attack her, but she just didn't give me a damn thing. But that was okay, I gave her less than nothing to successfully attack me with.

This time, the round went much faster; indeed, I was almost shocked when the bell rang. Rudistan came between us and we went to our corners, then he called us back out.

"By rule, this match is a draw!" Rudistan announced as he raised both our arms. Joan and I turned and bowed to each other, then shook hands in a 'man hug' as the Officers cheered our efforts.

As I stepped out of the ring, I realized that just those nine minutes of personal combat had taken a lot out of me. I felt a level of exhaustion I'd not felt in some time... and realized that was not acceptable for a TCPD Officer, much less a leader of one. I had 'range time' coming... okay, 'gym time'...

And then the group of Officers parted like the Red Sea, and suddenly our Police Chief was standing in front of us. "Well done, both of yooooo." he said. "And now you get take the unannounced drug test with our other Officerzzzz."

Yes, those 12 Officers in workout clothing were actually scheduled to take the drug test, and the Chief sent me and Joan through it, as well.

"Any 37-year-old man that would get into a boxing ring with our resident Amazon Warrior and current PBM Champion definitely needs to be tested for drugzzzz." the Chief said to me as we headed to the bathrooms where the drug tests were being done.

"I entirely agree, Chief." I said wearily. "I entirely agree."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Despite the cold, we sat on the outside deck of the Cop Bar. Its fire pot was going and we were okay. All the Detectives were there, as well as most of the leadership, including the Sheriff and Cindy Ross. Shane O'Brady had also joined us. He'd been in the gym watching the Match, as well, but I had not seen him.

"Sir," said Joan Laurer, "I really appreciate that opportunity to box against you today."

"You earned it." I said. "You solved the fraud cases very well, and made me and the TCPD look good over the whole State."

"I for one was impressed how well you did against the Iron Crowbar." Cindy said to Joan. "He is no slouch, even if he isn't training for the Matches."

Teresa said "I will not get any accolades for asskissing skills for this... but I was impressed that Commander Troy didn't get his ass whipped today. Having said that... congratulations, Joan, you got in the ring with the Iron Crowbar, and did not lose to him. Right, Cindy?"

"Let's ask Claire about that." Cindy fired back.

"I won when he slipped on the floor his first time competing." Claire Michaels said. "I have noooo illusions about what would happen if I had to box him today."

"Now that's how to kiss ass!" the Sheriff said loudly. "Are you paying attention, Ms. Iron Wolf?" Everyone laughed loudly.

"Yes sir." Teresa said.

And the banter continued into the evening as we all relaxed and enjoyed ourselves and celebrated our wins in the cases. The PBM exhibition match with Joan was huge for esprit de corps, even if the Chief wasn't particularly amused at me for doing it. Joan was uniquely rewarded for her success in her case, and I got to measure myself against the TCPD's best... and took full measure of my shortcomings.

I put that in its compartment of the mind and just enjoyed the beer and beef nachos...

Part 19 - Heading Into The Holidays

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, November 23d, from the Channel Two News anchor desk at KXTC studios. "University President Sidney P. Wellman comes under heavy fire for ethics violations!"

After the hard-charging music intro, Bettina began: "A coalition of tenured University professors, including several Department Heads, are threatening to sue the University and the Board of Trustees, angry that swift action has not been taken on the complaints to the University Ethics Board that President Sidney P. Wellman committed ethics violations, if not actual crimes, helping the late Henry R. Wargrave funnel money from illegal arms sales worldwide into the University's coffers!"

Bettina: "Let's go to trusted reporter Amber Harris for more on this important story. Amber!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the athletic blonde reporterette from the spot on University Avenue that overlooks the Clock Tower at the entrance gate to the Campus. "The group of professors are accusing the School and the Trustees of delaying taking action, and using the Holiday period to help Dr. Wellman eventually bury the complaint. They want to force the Ethics Board to meet on the issue, or suspend Dr. Wellman without pay until the issue is resolved."

Amber: "Reached for comment, University Trustee Harold S. Truelove said that the Trustees are planning to take up the matter after the Holidays, when the Winter Semester starts up and when the new Governor is sworn in and the State Legislature is in session. Mr. Truelove strongly complained that the Trustees do not appreciate the professors trying to push the process with threats of lawsuits."

Amber: "I'm here with Dr. Jan Camp, one of the tenured professors that made the original complaint against Dr. Wellman, and who successfully sued the University over ethics issues in the past." (Author's note: 'The French Connection', Ch. 02 for the verdict, earlier stories for the trial.) The camera panned out to show the tall Dr. Jan Camp standing next to the much shorter Amber.

Amber: "Dr. Camp, do you believe you can accomplish the removal of Dr. Wellman through the Courts?"

Jan Camp: "Amber, we seek a hearing with the University Ethics Board to show Sidney Wellman's egregious, unethical conduct and potentially criminal actions. We are only considering legal action to force the Ethics Board to stop dragging its feet and hear the case sooner rather than much, much later, like Wellman wants."

Amber: "Do you intend further action against Dr. Laura Fredricson, whom Dr. Wellman influenced the Ethics Board to find 'not guilty' of ethical and criminal malfeasance?"

Jan Camp: "Everything in due time, Amber. We're concentrating on Sidney Wellman's corruption right now..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Can they go after Laura again?" Deputy Chief Tanya Perlman asked as she, the Sheriff, me, Commander Croyle, Paulina Patterson and the Chief watched and drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room.

"They don't have 'double jeopardy' like the Constitution disallows for those acquitted in Jury trials." Paulina said. "But Laura might could sue for harassment if they keep trying to dredge up new charges for the same old things."

I said "I think their goal is to get Dr. Wellman out, and then say the previous Ethics Board decision was tainted by him, so they should have another one to (air quotes) 're-examine' the accusations against Laura. And like Paulina said, Laura can sue over it. But lawsuits are expensive, and that's Carmela's goal... to drain Laura, and me, financially with never-ending lawsuits."

"So Carmela's behind this?" Teresa asked, no small amount of venom in her voice.

"Oh, fer sure." I replied. "Not that he doesn't have very, very willing help from other Socialist professors that want to enslave Thought and Speech to their agenda on our Nation's college campuses."

Teresa said "I'm just surprised Carmela himself didn't do that interview with Amber."

I said "He and KXTC are trying to keep him behind the scenes, lest people be reminded of the classified FBI papers that are the basis of the complaints against Dr. Wellman."

"Sooooo," said the Chief, "will they win? Will Dr. Wellman be forced out?"

"I hate to say it," said the Sheriff, "but that's going to depend on how the big money supporters feel about it. Val Jared is truly a lame duck right now, but he told me he's getting phone calls left and right from big boosters about it."

"Like he gets on the Mondays after the Bulldogs lose to the Wildcats every year?" Teresa said cattily.

I shook my head sadly. "Unfortunately, accurate remarks like that aren't as much fun without the Green Crowbar here." I said. Paulina laughed, and there was general agreement about that...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1:00pm, Monday, November 23d. The Sheriff and I arrived at the Police Outdoor Range north of Town and even north of the Fire Department Headquarters and Range. Police Officers of both Precincts were in the bleachers. Also present were Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle and Deputy Chief Tanya Muscone, who was driving her 'Tank' today.

The inspections earlier in the morning had not gone well. Several Officers did not have their 'gig lines' straight. Gig lines are the middle of the button down shirt, the edge of the belt, and the zipper of the pants. They are supposed to be in a perfectly straight line, and those who weren't aligned properly were 'gigged'. Six Officers were found to be 'wrong', despite their Precinct Captains's inspection just before mine.

And four Officers's patent leather shoes were not shined to my standard. You better believe you could shave using the mirror finish of my shoes, and anything less was 'not good'. But four Officers looked like they did not even try to shine their shoes, and I made a point to embarrass the Operations Commander with those examples.

And then I tore through the Old Mill and then the Precinct portion of County Jail. It was not good. Actually it was, but I managed to find every little spider web and specks of dust in every corner that was overlooked.

I was a lot happier with the condition of the Officers's equipment, which had gotten a LOT of use over the past year, and thus repaired or new equipment had been issued; Commander Ross's parting gift to the TCPD. Now, at the Range, I'd see if the Officers's weapons were clean and in good condition.

Long benches had been set up, and Uniformed Officers of both Precincts were standing behind them. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Police Commander!" Teresa announced, and I came up to the front next to her.

"Stand at ease!" I said. "Everyone take out your service weapon, clear it, and put it on the bench in front of you." I watched carefully as the Officers did so. And yes, there always was one or two...

I went to the third row, where a very young-looking Rookie Officer was. "Is this weapon cleared, Officer Madison?" I asked him.

"Yes sir." said Madison. I picked up his weapon and pulled the slide back. A bullet cartridge flew out, almost hitting him in the head as it flew over his shoulder.

"Commander Croyle," I said to Teresa, who had followed me, "that could get someone killed." I moved to the fourth row, where a young female Officer was.

"Officer Colquitt," I asked sternly, "is this weapon cleared?"

"Uh..." said Officer Colquitt. She was quaking, literally shivering in front of me. "I think so, sir."

"You think so." I said. I pulled back the slide of her weapon and a cartridge flew out. Officer Colquitt looked like she was about to collapse.

I went back up front. "It happens every time, and sometimes to veteran Officers." I held up my own service weapon and said "You have to eject the magazine first, and only then pull back the slide." I did so. No cartridge flew out because I had not had a round in the chamber. "When you forget to take the magazine out, you're just chambering another round."

"Okay," I continued, "everyone disassemble your service weapon and leave the parts on the bench in front of you." I put on white cloth gloves as I talked. I then went to the front row and began checking weapons for cleanliness, and I knew all the places that they often missed.

By the end of the front row, my gloves were more black than white. "This is not good, Commander." I said to Teresa. I went through the other three rows, and while most weapons were decently clean, a few were not. And Teresa was taking names.

I went back up front. The Sheriff was waiting for me... with white gloves on. "Commander Troy, Commander Croyle, disassemble your service weapons." he ordered. We did so at the table up front that faced the others. The Sheriff inspected our service weapons. Mine was clean; I'd spent all night cleaning it. Teresa's also passed the Sheriff's examination.

"Good job, both of you." the Sheriff said. Addressing everyone, he said "I'm glad to see your leadership is setting a good example for you. Okay, Crowbar, what's next?"

I said to everyone: "It's policy that after you strip down a weapon and clean it, you are supposed to fire it before going on duty with it, to make sure it works. And that is what we're about to do." I went through and selected twelve Officers, and told them to report to Commander Muscone at the target range.

"These twelve either need to requalify or were selected at random." I said. "If you need to requalify, raise your hand." Two Officers raised their hands, and were sent to the line.

"Sir, I need to requalify, also." Tanya Muscone called out. And she did need to; she had not requalified since being promoted. And she'd figured it out, too: it was easier for her to shoot out here than at the indoor range at Police Headquarters. so she'd waited to do it today.

"Get up there, then." I said.

Everyone requalified easily, even though it was outdoors in the wind. And after they were done, Sheriff Griswold and I requalified... me with each hand. And the rest of the assemblage was allowed to fire three rounds each, to make sure their reassembled weapons worked correctly...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tanya said to the group: "Okay, some of you are going to go through the obstacle course." That was the course with the pop-up targets of 'bad guys' and good guys. "But before you do, I am challenging Commander Troy to a competition going through it!"

The Officers cheered loudly, and more loudly as I said "You're on!" I put on my armor, as did Tanya, and we all went over to where the course was, built into the side of the hill that rose up to the ridge upon which The Cabin, Promontory Point, and the University Observatory resided.

It was expected that the ten-target course be completed in sixty seconds. I went first, and correctly fired or held back for all ten targets in 52 seconds. Then Tanya went. Though the Tank could navigate the front part of the trail, it wasn't so stable towards the back, which was uphill. So Tanya had to shoot from farther away at the last three targets. She made it in 59 seconds, and also correctly hit or held back on every target.

The Officers cheered as Tanya and I shook hands. Technically I'd won, but there was no doubt that Commander Muscone had set a standard for everyone to meet, and removed any excuses for failure.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And then came another surprise: Officers were told to choose four-man teams, and would be going through the exercise where a house was cleared, colloquially called the 'Kobayashi Maru' test.

"It's nowhere near as hard as the one we had before." Teresa said. (Author's note: 'Red Squad', Ch. 01.) "Just a standard clearing of a house where drugs are suspected of being." No sooner than she had said that, there was yelling and 'gunfire' from the house on the range. I was watching on my iPad.

After everyone went through, I addressed the assemblage. "Okay, guys, I thought you did well in the overall. Our more experienced Officers, and I'm not sure who those are, did very well. Our less experienced Officers and Rookies, and I do know who they are, were a little less certain." There were some chuckles at that, mostly from the veterans and the leadership.

I said "One of the rookie groups struggled when the bad guys started shooting, and I could see why: they were literally thinking about it, trying to remember what they'd learned at the Academy. And that's why we constantly train on the basics. First, to get that Academy training out of you..." Much laughter at that.

I continued: "... And second, so that the basics are so ingrained in you that you can respond more quickly and solve the unexpected, unusual things. Experience will come over time, but training on the basics, over and over, and taking that training seriously, is the foundation that will make each and every one of you the best Officers you can be on the best Police Force on this earth..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When we got back to Headquarters and I went into my office, Teresa followed me in and came to attention at my desk. "I have no excuse for the condition of this Police Force, sir." she said.

"No you don't." I said. "But it won't be a problem unless it's that bad on Wednesday. Have a seat." We both sat down.

Teresa asked "Did you know the Sheriff was going to inspect your service weapon?"

I replied "I've always expected that either he or the Police Chief would do that, and I've always been ready. And congratulations on your service weapon's condition."

Teresa said "I've always expected that you would do that to me, and I was ready. By the way, everyone loved you and Tanya going through the Obstacle Course. Watching her do that really inspires everyone."

"And she did very well." I said. "I was pretty slow. The winners of the annual competition go through in 30 seconds. But like you said, things like that are great for esprit de corps."

Teresa said "And I like what you said about training on the basics. Gives me something to tell them when I'm drilling the hell out of them."

I said "That came from my military training. As an example, I was at MP OBC at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, when the MP School was there. We were on a field exercise and had stopped for lunch when we saw this group of basic trainees on an exercise. So some of the wiseguys in my class went and ambushed them. The Drill Sergeants loved it; they got in some good 'teachable moments'. And those basic trainees were the better for it, too."

Teresa said "That's the one thing you guys with military experience have... stories. I've heard you, and Julia Rodriguez, and the SWAT Team guys tell stories of their times in the military."

"Does Dr. Cordell tell you any of his stories?" I asked.

"He... he's told me some stories about my father in Viet Nam." Teresa said. "And I suspect that's only because I'm my father's daughter. I doubt he's ever told anyone else those stories. But he's much more reticent to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. He just says he had to take bodies that came out of meat grinders and put them back together again."