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Curious kids question cops
By Jenni Grubbs, Fort Morgan Times
Original article HERE
The kids who showed up at the Pop Up Community Center at lunchtime Tuesday were full of questions for the four Fort Morgan Police Department members who were there for the most recent Coffee with a Cop session.
Fort Morgan Chief of Public Safety Paul Schultz was the host for the session, and he brought along Community Resource Officer Roger Doll, Sgt. Doug Schossow and Patrol Officer DJ Dunson.
While it took a while for people to show up, they certainly did, with some parents bringing in a few kids, a group of older kids showing up and then English language learners teacher Taylor Jordan brought in quite a few of her students.
The teacher and her students came prepared, with a long list of questions put together for the police officers and chief.
Some of those questions were about what it took to become a police officer, such as the training and background that was needed.
“It’s not required to go to college, but it’s a good idea,” Schultz said, recommending that those interested take law enforcement or social services classes.
What was most important, though, was graduating from high school and learning skills, the chief said, with college also being a smart path for those looking to get into law enforcement.Police officers also do need to go through a police academy program, which is offered at a lot of community colleges and colleges.
Another question on the kids’ list was what the officers do not like about being a cop.
“Some of the families we deal with a lot on the same issues on a very consistent basis,” Dunson said, indicating he did not enjoy not being able to steer people away from disruptive or illegal behaviors.
Doll said he did not like having to miss holiday and birthday celebrations because of having to be on duty.
“Family life sometimes suffers,” he said of the police department’s 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year schedule.
The kids also asked what was meant by a “clean shot” when an officer shoots someone.
Doll explained that after an officer-involved shooting, there is a death investigation to determine the reason the shooting occurred. A big question in such an investigation is whether the officer “had to use that amount of force” to resolve the situation and protect as many other people as possible. When the answer is yes, then it could be considered a “clean shot.”
The kids also asked about the officers’ strengths and weaknesses.
Schossow said his weakness was that he does not like writing people tickets, but “occasionally, I do find pleasure in throwing someone in jail.”
He said that could be a consequence of making a big mistake, whether on purpose or not.
“They’re having a bad day, and sometimes bad days lead to bad choices,” he said of those he takes to jail.
Both the sergeant and Dunson spoke about the meaning of consequences and how one mistake can have major impacts on the lives of a person and others around them.
“I don’t like that part of the job,” Schossow said. “We all make mistakes.”
Dunson spoke specifically about the consequences for a kid found to be in possession of drugs, which was another of the kids’ questions.
“They will get a stern talking to, (useful public service) hours and their parents may have to pay a fine,” the patrol officer said. “We will want to find out where they got it from. Drugs are hurting our community.”
He also spoke about “the funniest thing he has ever seen” while on patrol with FMPD.
“Have you ever seen a drunk guy walking down the street?” Dunson said, calling that “pretty funny” to watch.
Doll said the funniest thing he had seen was when a guy trying to scam an old lady got talked into coming to the bank to get money from her, all while the police were waiting to arrest him.
Dunson also said that one of the coolest things he has experienced while with FMPD was when there was a bank robber in Fort Morgan and he got to see the take-down of the robber happen.
The kids also had a very practical question for the cops: “Do you need a license to ride a bike?” they asked.
Doll explained that Fort Morgan has a rule that the bicycle must be licensed, which is just a sticker from the city, but the rider does not have to have a license.
Getting that sticker to put on the bike is important in case it is ever lost or stolen, Doll said. That way, the police would be able to track down a found or recovered bike’s owner.
The kids also had a question that made all of the police officers and chief laugh a little.
“Is the stereotype of cops loving donuts true?” Doll read off the kids’ list of questions. “It’s all true. We call them power rings, not donuts.”
A grinning Schossow further explained the history behind the stereotype, as well as the nickname for police officers.
“Cop is not a real word,” he said. “If anything, it stands for constable on patrol. In the early years in New York, there were no radios.”
But police officers still needed to have a way to call in to the station or find out what was happening at all hours. In the early mornings, one of the only things that was open were bakeries, where pastries and bread were made overnight and into the morning. And those bakeries made donuts, Schossow said.
The kids also asked if the officers “have to make hard choices.”
Dunson first answered seriously that police officers have to choose what course of action to take in any specific situation that would be “in the person’s best interest to keep them safe,” whether it was using force, going to jail or removing a child from a home.
But then he went back to that all-important topic – donuts – for an example of a hard choice.
“Sometimes we have to choose between vanilla or chocolate donuts,” Dunson said, lightening the mood and getting the group laughing again.
The chief said this Coffee with a Cop session was quite successful, with lots of positive engagement between community members and the police officers sworn to protect them.
“I love supporting the community,” he said. “That’s one of the best parts of this job.”
The next Coffee with a Cop session also will be held at the Pop Up Community Center in downtown Fort Morgan, with an evening session from 4 to 5 p.m. hosted by Sgt. Doug Schossow.
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