Tales From the Badge - The Cop With A Heart

Cops with hearts wear uniforms and badges with pride. They believe in rules, they honor the system, judges, decisions, juries.

And sometimes they just give people, kids, everyday folks, a break.

Lynn made many arrests. Some were bitter and dangerous, and some were people who just made a mistake, or were even wrongly ignorant and not even deserving of the arrest. He didn't write the warrants, though he did build many cases. Fewer still, were innocent, but had to be brought in due to arrest warrants he was required to serve.

The courts try to figure it all out, but we're the first to admit that sometimes they get it wrong.

Once in a while, a cop with a heart will decide that the person in front of him would learn from the break, and maybe the family would be able to get through another day deservingly so, if he or she was allowed to just go home.

Speeding, ranting, arguing and disturbing the peace, being intoxicated but not normally, littering, making illegal stops or turns, and sometimes hanging out with a crowd doing something they shouldn't all might get an ass chewin' and a break, if Lynn was the cop on the beat.

He made enemies if he had to, responded with force if his split second judgement said to, but more often than not, he'd have coffee with you the next time he saw you, and ask about your family.

During the oil boom and the oil flop in the 80's, he served papers on the rich,and poor alike. He kept their confidences, even when they turned on him over issues days, weeks, or years later.

One day, I was feeling really down. Lonely, out of sorts and exhausted. I had spent the last 4.5 years getting my degree and working several jobs, fostering kids, and adopting 2 babies. I was bone tired and discouraged; had lost contact with friends and family; college, kids and critters had taken all my time.

Depression was around the corner. I told Lynn I felt inferior to all in that little town who seemed to have so much, would I ever fit in?

Well, it was a low moment and ridiculous. But when you're feeling the pain, it seems to carry great urgency.

It was 2:00a.m. in the morning, and he told our 14 year old son we were taking a late night drive and to lock the doors, we'd be back soon. Lynn got me a chocolate milkshake at the all night dairy, and we drove the streets.

Now who can feel sad drinking a chocolate milkshake and driving around with a handsome guy when you're a young married couple? It was hard.

He talked as we drove, telling me a few secrets about low people in high places.

• The powerful married, local banker who had sex with his newest side-kick-honey in the lobby of his bank many nights a week.
• The local oil man who had molested his step daughter for years, even though the townsfolk recently voted him "Man of the Year."
• A big powerful farmer who kicked his dog out of the airplane at 5000 feet because he threw up. Yeah, I wanted to do the same to that guy when I heard that.
• A rich construction man, who's son hated him and eventually accidentally shot himself in the head. It really was an accident...but the gun was supposed to be unloaded. Money didn't prevent that heartache.
• A powerful city mayor, who was thought to be taking kickbacks and bribes for low contract bids.
• An insurance salesman, popular at one time, until he was arrested and lost his license for taking premiums but not sending them in to the company.
• It went on for an hour.

I didn't necessarily feel better, but I no longer felt inferior.

A cop with a heart, isn't afraid to show it. He never loses faith in his job and his own family. He gives others a break.

-I'm Marisue, telling the stories of a cop's wife's life.

For more on the cop with a heart, go here.