TRAGEDY IN LAS VEGAS( CONT’ D)
Two ladies arrived at our command post site and delivered care packages containing sandwiches, snacks, fruit and bottles of water. These were put together by members of their church. They wanted to do something to help and they have, yet they thank us for allowing them to help.
Today I was told some happy news. A dog was found and reunited with his owner. The owner is one of the survivors of the mayhem. The dog is a therapy dog. They became separated during the slaughter.
Sergeant Bernie Moss of the Corpus Christi police department once wrote a story, You’ re Not A Cop Until You Taste Them. It’ s about a time early in his career and being told by an old timer you’ re not a cop until you taste them, and then saying nothing more. One day Bernie handled a horrific event one night and while changing clothes in the locker room he was crying. The old timer came over and put his hand on Bernie’ s shoulder and said,“ Now you’ ve tasted them.”
Tears have a special taste all their own and also have a cathartic effect. I have tasted my tears during this tragic time, but in my case they aren’ t tears of sadness or hurt. They are tears of gratitude for the wonderful people who are trying to help. They are tears for the work the first responders continue doing no matter how terrible. They are tears of thanks for allowing me to help and be part of Las Vegas’ recovery. Eventually, this horrific event will be part of my past, not my present.
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KEITH BETTINGER IS A RETIRED SUFFOLK COUNTY( N. Y.) POLICE OFFICER. HE’ S BEEN WRITING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLICATIONS FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS AND HAS RECEIVED 19 AWARDS FOR HIS ARTICLES, STORIES, POEMS, AND BOOKS. HE HAS A MASTER’ S DEGREE IN HUMAN RELATIONS WITH A MAJOR IN CLINICAL COUNSELING. DURING HIS CAREER HE RECEIVED THE DEPARTMENT’ S BRAVERY MEDAL, SILVER SHIELD AWARD, MERITORIOUS POLICE SERVICE AWARD, SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD, PROFESSIONALIZATION AWARD, DEPARTMENT RECOGNITION AWARD, FIVE HEADQUARTERS COMMENDATIONS AND SIX PRECINCT COMMENDATIONS. HE ALSO WAS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER AND AN INSTRUCTOR ON POST SHOOTING TRAUMA AND CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
KEITH HAS WRITTEN THREE BOOKS, FIGHTING CRIME WITH“ SOME“ DAY AND LENNY, END OF WATCH AND MURDER IN MCHENRY. HE HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED STORIES TO THE FOLLOWING ANTHOLOGIES: I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, COP TALES 2000, CHARITY, TRUE BLUE, TO PROTECT AND SERVE, AND DAD’ S BOW TIE. HE ALSO SHARES
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WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
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FALL 2017