# Officers Poem



## Guest (Dec 15, 2003)

A buddy E-mailed this to me and I thought it was interesting,so I figured I would share it.


THE LOUSY COP

The Author of this artical was Trooper Mitchell Brown of the Virginia State Police. He was killed in the line of duty two months after writing this artical. 

Well, Mr. Citizen, its seems you've figured me out. I seem to fit neatly into the category where you've placed me. 
I'm stereotyped, standardized, characterized, classified, grouped and always typical. Unfortunately, the reverse is true.. I can never figure you out. 

From birth you teach your children that I'm the bogeyman, then you're shocked when they identify with my traditional enemy.. the criminal! 

You accuse me of coddling criminals...... until I catch your kids doing wrong. 

You may take an hour for lunch and several coffee breaks each day, but point me out as a loafer for having one cup. 

You pride yourself on your manners, but think nothing of disrupting my meals with your troubles. 

You raise hell with the guy who cuts you off in traffic, but let me catch you doing the same thing and I'm picking on you. You know the traffic laws..... but you've never gotten a single ticket you deserve. 

You shout "Foul" if you observe me driving fast to a call, but raise the roof if I take more then ten seconds to respond to your complaint. 

You call it part of my job if someone strikes me, but call it police brutality if Istrike back. 

You wouldn't think of telling your dentist how to pull a tooth or your doctor how to take out an appendix, yet your always willing to give me pointers on the law. 

You talk to me in a manner that would get you a bloody nose from anyone else, but expect me to take it with out batting an eye. 

You yell something's got to be done to fight crime, but you can't be bothered to get involved. 

You have no use for me at all, but of corse its OK if I change a flat for wife, deliver your child in the back of the patrol car, or perhaps save your son's life with mouth to mouth breathing, or work many hours overtime looking for your lost duaghter. 

So, Mr. Citizen, you can stand there on your soapbox and rant and rave about the way I do my work, calling me every name in the book, but never stop to think that your property, family, or maybe even your life depends on me or one of my buddies. 

Yes, Mr. Citizen, it's me .... the lousy cop!


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## Gil (Jun 15, 1998)

*Mitchell Brown???*

Mitchell Brown??? Many say no such person ever worked for the VSP

Origins: Whether or not this essay was actually written by a policeman (or accurately reflects the public image of the cop on the beat), the glurgirific coda has been made up for added poignancy. According to both the Virginia State Police and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial office, there is no record of a Mitchell Brown having served with the Virginia State Police, much less having been killed in the line of duty.

In December 1999, Bill Johnson of the Denver Rocky Mountain News ran the piece in his column, attributing it to Trooper Mitchell Brown of the Virginia State Police. He printed a retraction a couple of days later when it turned out there was no such officer with that law enforcement agency. Mr. Johnson had received the piece from a police friend of his who in turn had gotten it in e-mail. Mr. Johnson didn't originate "Lousy Cop" but was responsible for disseminating it to an even larger audience.

One of our readers mentions seeing this piece in his U.S. Air Force base's newsletter in the mid-1990s.

Last updated: 27 July 2001 
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/police.htm

Still some good reading.


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## Irishpride (May 5, 2002)

I can't remember if I got this from this forum but this is my favorite:

_A COP ON THE TAKE_
First he takes.... the oath
Now look at what else he takes:
He takes...It in stride when people call him pig
He takes...his lousy paycheck realizing he'll never be rich.
He takes... a second job sometimes to make ends meet and support his family.
He takes...Time to stop and talk to children.
He takes...your verbal abuse while giving you a ticket you really deserved.
He takes...on creeps you would be afraid to even look at.
He takes... time away from his family to keep you safe.
He takes... your injured kid to the hospital
He takes...the graveyard shift because it his turn.
He takes...his life into his hands daily
He takes...you home when your car breaks down.
He takes..time to explain why both headlights have to work.
He takes.. the job no one else wants---telling you your loved one has died.
He takes.. criminals to jail
He takes... in sights that would make you cry.
Sometimes he cries too, but he takes it anyway because someone has to.
He takes... memories to bed each night that you couldn't bear for even one day.
He takes...time to explain to his family why he can not make the ball game his child is in and why he has to work on the holiday when other parents are off.
Sometimes, he takes a bullet.
And yes, occasionally he may take a free cup of coffee.
If he is lucky he takes retirement.
Then one day he pays for all he has taken, and God takes him.


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## Pancakeman (May 18, 2003)

I am looking for the poem "NEVER TO BE TAKEN BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR I RIDE ALONE"

I have been looking for this peom for thirty years I think it is from the Mass State Police? :?: 

Any Information will be helpful


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