Fear Is a Swallow in a Boarded-Up Warehouse

The alert tone startled me as I sipped lukewarm coffee in my patrol car. It was almost 3 AM, and the radio had been quiet for some time. After the alert tone, the dispatcher’s voice reported an alarm at the only gun shop in town. I poured my coffee out the window and sped toward the gun shop a few miles away, located at the rear of a shopping center. The streets were nearly empty, save the occasional deer and skunks foraging the city while people slept. My Sergeant also responded to the alarm call. There was no need to use sirens, as the streets were quiet and we wanted the element of surprise. Burglars sometimes have lookouts, so our approach into the shopping center was surreptitious. We drove our patrol cars in via a dark, rear entrance. Once on scene, we notified dispatch and stealthily walked to the gun shop’s entrance. We found the front door damaged and ajar. With side arms and flashlights drawn, we cautiously peeked inside. All of the display cases were smashed, with shards of glass scattered around the carpet. The Sergeant and I entered the shop, crouching, service weapons at the ready, and painstakingly searched the crime scene. We didn’t know if the burglars were still there. I was a rookie back then, and I could feel my heart pounding. <h2>Fear is a tricky human emotion</h2> Police officers receive a great deal of professional training, to keep them safe in potentially life-threatening situations. <a href="https://medium.com/personal-growth/fear-is-a-swallow-in-a-boarded-up-warehouse-b26d322c4305">Visit Now</a>