Really?

10/12/31
Afternoon shift (15:30-23:30)

I arrive at the mall and after noticing that the bike guard and my supervisor weren't around, I decided to get changed right away into my uniform. Time is 15:25, I'm not waiting around for the other two. Ballistic vest on, duty belt on, uniform tucked neatly. It's 15:30, on shift. I'm ready for the day.

With the mall closing in two hours, I decided quickly that I should find my supervisor. I called the radio phone and he picked up,

"Security."

"Hey, it's Martin--what's your twenty?" (Location)

"(Insert anchor store name), manager's office. Could you do me a favor and come right here?"

I'm thinking something must have happened, "Yeah copy I'm on my way."

I exit the office, took a left, down the hall and then another right all while thinking about what he must want. The grocery store he was in must have had another shoplifter? Fight which needed mall security's help? I finally arrive at the store after thinking through what was going to happen--yeah all while I was keeping an eye on everybody else, don't worry I can multitask. I enter the grocery store, staff and patrons look at me as I'm entering.

Someone said as I walked past, "Another one."

I turn the corner, and two local law enforcement officers are also entering the office as I do.

I see my supervisor, hearing him, "Yeah officer, I'm just waiting for my partner."

The officer looked at me hearing this, "Yeah, your partner's here."

Sitting in a chair in the middle of the rather nice, cozy looking office was a white male, maybe sixty years of age shaking nervously and rubbing one of his thumbs against the back of his hand. He kept looking around the room, glancing away at whoever stared at him.

My supervisor walked up to me and nodded, "I need you to just watch this guy for now."

I ask, "What'd he do?"

"We're detaining him for a police investigation. The lady standing outside accused him of stealing her wallet. I'll be back to fetch the camera and paper work."

So as I stood there, staring down at the subject, he hunched forward and ran his fingers through his curly white hair.

The officer walked up to him and began to question him.

The man responded with some respect, but obviously the way he was acting showed he wanted out. I stayed near by. He wasn't going anywhere anyways--two LEOs, me, my supervisor who now was back, and the two operation managers of the grocery store.

Upon further questioning, the subject noted his name and date of birth. LEOs ran it, date of birth, as well as the spelling of his name, came back incorrect. They asked him again, he swore he didn't do anything wrong, they asked him one more time,

"I'm a senior citizen! You can't expect me to remember everything."

One of the store managers snickered. I smiled.

"I'm going to ask you again, what your real date of birth is and what the real spelling of your name is. It's New Years Eve, I don't think we want to take you out of here in handcuffs."

He finally gave the real name, but as it already happened, I wrote down the last name he gave in my notepad and had to scratch that out. Then had the officer give me one of his ID cards with ANOTHER way of spelling it. This guy by the way, had no photo ID on him.

My supervisor told me to serve him the ban notice. After filling out the info, I read to the subject that he will no longer be allowed on mall property for twenty-five (25) years. I asked him if he understood.

He snatched the papers from me and left.

Did he learn a lesson? Maybe. Who knows, if he's capable of stealing a mother's wallet, then he can and probably will do it again. I understand if you do such a thing to survive on the streets--but we have our laws. There's a reason why we have them in place--otherwise we'll be killing each other left and right, no one would be equal and we can't progress.

I'm sure the lady did learn a new lesson. That even if you turn your back for a split second and let your guard down, anything can happen. This was the lesson I learned a long time ago.

-HappyMallCop