Swan Police Department

By William Plante

The only female police officer on the force, a dispatcher for ten years, discovered that most of the twelve town troopers were looking for other jobs. Something had to be done, if Black Lake lost any more officers, the state would take charge of law enforcement. She would be out of a job, so would the Mayor in the November election. It was late spring now, not much time to resolve the problem, but how?
Gina had a talk with the mayor. "Mayor, you better turn the police department around, quick. You have only six months or you will be voted out of office."
"I know, what can I do, no young man wants to be on a small-town police forc? They all want to work in a big city with some action. Where will I find men who want this job? Without a police department we're out."
She, "Mayor, I have a solution."
"You do? I want to hear it."
"Replace our entire police requirement of men with females."
"What? Are you insane - where would you find them?"
She, "There are 12 young ladies who have graduated from Western University with degrees in criminology looking for work. They have a far better education in police procedures than our force ever had."
"It won't work. What chief would agree to manage women recruits?"
"No problem, me."
"You, a dispatcher, no experience as a Chief of Police – be realistic."
"What do you mean? When I took over, the chief was delighted, told me to do whatever. The jail cell had a ping-pong table in it. Did you know that? It gave officers something to do when a car was not available. Now the table is gone. Prisoners are in there. My personal car has bars between the front and back seats and the rear inside door and window handles are removed. The town is now collecting fines, double from a few years ago."
"I don't know, have to think about it, talk to the six councilmen."
The mayor called her back, "Good news, you are now Chief of the Black Lake Police Department.”
“Good, first thing, I will change the name to the Swan Police Department.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Plante
• Release date: Nov 19, 2021

William Plante

I write to entertain, laugh at, intrigue and gasp. No shortage of subjects. I lugged my cameras and tripod over oceans through countries; photographed hippos and hips.Bunked down in the ‘talked’ about hotels, drank in 'the water holes'. Met a spectrum of characters; sat in Hemingway’s Ritz chair, drink scotch now.I'm writing days and nights now; tales of suspense and spice. Voila.Read less

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SWAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

INTRIGUE

WD PLANTE

Copyright © 2020, WD PLANTE

all rights reserved.

SWAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

Reporting a robbery on a Sunday in Black Lake? You are screwed, told to call back Monday. The police force of twelve is down to seven. But, not to worry; the odds of being heisted is nil. A kid might ring your doorbell, not much more, that is until recently. A guy was in the resort town, scouting out banks.

Gina Orsini, thirty-one, is worried. She graduated from college ten years ago with a degree in criminology. She made the honor roll, a fortunate achievement; being inclined to make mistakes. You see, her mind is constantly in high gear, must slow down, think it thru.

The young lady joined the police force as a dispatcher, still is, and promoted to Corporal two years ago. She is best on the range, holsters a 9mm automatic; never fired it on duty. Could it be because of her bright smile? It disarms you. Soon, the ray of sunshine may not work, and she will have to pull the trigger.

You should know, police officers were supposed to put in 40 hours a week; however, punched-in times are now all over the place. Gina was concerned. The department was disintegrating. The current chief about to retire is not a big loss. He goes fishing most days, leaving no one in charge. Miss Orsini puts in 50 to 60 hours a week, with no pay for the overtime. That was alright, certain tasks could not be ignored, like the office should never be without coffee.

Four officers are always supposed to be on duty – the dispatcher and duty officer in the office while two squad cars patrol the town; when they are able to function. The marinas have priority – boat parties - you know. Main Street is becoming longer and longer each year. New stores are being put up. We used to walk it at night and check for entries – no more. Now we drive by and look for out of place parked cars.

The Sheriff Department patrols the waterways and has jurisdiction over the areas beyond the city limits – golf courses, ski slopes, extravagant restaurants, and expensive homes. The entire county, except for cities, is the responsibility of the State Police. The town of Black Lake, with its affluent residence’s is shamefully under protected, easy pickings for thefts and possibly a drug operation. It really takes more than twelve officers to do it right. But they take the risk.

Black Lake police were seldom called upon to aid sheriff or state police in their snappy uniforms. The town’s uniforms, or lack thereof, were an embarrassment.

Gina discovered the towns remaining officers were looking for other jobs. Something had to be done, if Black Lake lost any more officers, the state would take charge of law enforcement. She would be out of a job, so would the Mayor in the November election. It was late spring now, not much time to resolve the problem, but how?

Gina had a talk with the mayor. Mayor, you better turn the police department around, quick. You have only six months or you will be voted out of office.

I know, what can I do, no young man wants to be on a small-town police force. They all want to work in a big city with some action. Where will I find men who want this job? Without a police department we're out.

Gina, Mayor, I have a solution.

You do? I want to hear it.

Replace our entire police requirement of men with females.

What? Are you insane - where would you find them?

She, There are 12 young ladies who have graduated from Western University with degrees in criminology looking for work. They have a far better education in police procedures than our force ever had.

It won't work. What chief would agree to manage women recruits?

No problem, me.

You, a dispatcher, no experience as a Chief of Police – be realistic.

Gina, What do you mean, no experience, who do you think has been managing the department in the last few years? Remember when a grocery store was held up. The two robbers, wearing masks, drove away at high speed. I was the one who set up the roadblocks with the state police. I knew where they were headed and put our only two cars in position. Our guys let them drive right by. I was so damn mad.

Yeah, well.

Well, nothing. When I took over, the chief was delighted, told me to do whatever. The jail cell had a ping-pong table in it. Did you know that? It gave officers something to do when a car was not available. Now the table is gone. Prisoners are in there. My personal car has bars between the front and back seats and the rear inside door and window handles are removed. The town is now collecting fines, double from a few years ago.

Mayor, But, you don't have a gun.

I have a gun, a big one, a 9mm automatic. A shot down low creates a spare rectum.

I don't know, have to think about it, talk to the six councilmen.

Want me to come with you? Demonstrate putting six shots down into the bulls-eye.

Better not, the council already has enough ass-holes.

The mayor called Gina back, Good news, you are now Chief Orsini of the Black Lake Police Department. The council had no choice when they learned the six of them would be out of a job. They concluded, an all-woman police force might not be too bad, the cost would be less.

The new chief said, Absolutely not, there will be no fudging on pay scale. It will be the same as every policeman in the big cities with the same benefits and days off. I want a contract in writing by the city legal staff sent to the police department attorney for approval and my signature.

You are chief for 5 minutes and you have a lawyer?

You bet we do; a mean one and that's not all. I want four brand new police cars, flashing lights, shrieking siren, a shot-gun rack and a 12 gage in it. The Federal government will pay for most of it. Remember Mr. Mayor, Black Lake and our county is the fifth wealthiest in the state. Thousands of expensive homes pay atrocious property taxes and expect top-notch protection. I'm going to give it to them.

By the way, I want the latest two-way radio system and in-car computers, plus every officer issued a new 9mm automatic with a case of ammo. No more of those puny revolvers.

The mayor, Sounds like there will be more spare rectums in Black Lake.

No question, and I want all this in writing by tomorrow. We have no time to lose if you and the councilmen want to save your jobs.

The mayor said, One stipulation the council insists on: a 30-day employment trial clause. Things don't work out; everyone can be let go without unemployment compensation.

Make it 60 days, in writing.

OK.

Got him, Gina knew, state statues are written that anyone employed over