Blog of the Blogs

Where do we go from here?

Interesting time on the blogging front recently. I, like the officer at Yor Nicked! have had an email from the bbc, as I would presume has every police blogger! For me, anonymity is key, so when I'm asked if I'm willing to be contacted I have to say that I don't live up to my pseudoname - I'm a mouse, not a man!

With all the doom and gloom settling about, I wanted to lighten the atmosphere a little and tell some of the funny stories that I've encountered. Of course, that would sort of blow the anonymity I spoke about out the water! I'm still going to post a story though, but this has never happened to me. Its a police 'urban legend' - every officer knows someone who knows someone who this has happened to. Whether it ever really has is another question... In the spirit of the urban legend though, I'll write it as the story of a friend.

Its a little known fact that a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher is a tool of many uses. One of its less documented uses is the fact that if you fire it into the face of a dog, the fear from the sound combined with the dog taking a breath means that you will have one instantly unconcious dog. Now, I'm not advocating animal cruelty, so please don't try this! The reason I mention it is simply for the story...

You see, my friend was a relatively new officer, who was off on one of his first drugs warrants. The house had some fairly specfic intelligence, which had resulted in the van of 8 officers being fully kitted out in riot kit, shields ready to go. The house they were attacking had two entrances - front and rear. The front was a UPVC door, bolted, and with a cage behind it. The rear seemed more vulnerable on paper - a wooden door, with seemingly no cage behind it. The plan was therefore formulated to enter through the back.
On arrival though, there was a problem. In the rear yard of the premises there was a huge Rottweiler, a particulary savage looking beast which gave the impression that anything entering the yard would quickly be eviscerated. Not wanting to slink off back to the police station, a plan was quickly formulated. On the riot van was a CO2 fire extinguisher, and one of the older officers suggested that this could be used to knock out the dog. He assured his fellow officers that he had seen an extinguisher used in the past, and they worked really well. One lucky officer could be armed with this, and be designated to take out the dog whilst everyone else ran for the door. With the dog out of play, the warrant could then be executed.
My friend, as the youngest in service was suitably volunteered to take the extinguisher. Young and keen, he didn't want to show any fear, so took it with relish. The rear gate was put in, and my mate was first through it. As the officers ran for the door, he ran towards the Rotty ushering a war cry. His fellow officers stared aghast at him as he raised the extinguisher to face the dog, and smashed it down onto the dogs head, promptly knocking it out cold.

Whilst everyone else couldn't help but pause, my mate turned to them and said "You're right, it does work well!"

posted by A non mouse