The joy of the job

When a police officer gets shot on the job it makes national news. ( as it should) Sadly many people in my job are assaulted everyday but know one really hears about it. Below I posted the whole story because I believe it deserves to be shared.

I don't carry or have the authority for a gun on the job. The weapon I have is a baton and my feet for running. I often hope I can out run a bad guy or run one over with my truck.

December 2, 2009
Update: Baltimore animal control officer shot on job
Peter Hermann of our Baltimore Crime Beat blog has this update about the city animal control officer shot last night while trying to help a dog:
A 37-year-old animal control officer was shot and wounded Tuesday night shortly after he had investigated a report that dogs were being kept illegally in a South Baltimore house and after he had seized a dog from a house in a separate call at another location, according to city officials.
Jermaine Barnes, who has been on the job four years, was treated at Maryland Shock Trauma Center for a gunshot wound to his hand and released. Mayor Sheila Dixon visited him while he was at the hospital.
Police haven’t made any arrests, but the city’s chief police spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, said detectives “are trying to figure out if it was related to the course of his duty or if it was random gunfire.”
Interim Health Commissioner Olivia D. Farrow issued a statement saying that Barnes had seized an animal from a house and then, about 7 p.m., had responded to an anonymous call that someone was keeping five dogs in a house in the 700 block of Pontiac Ave. in Brooklyn. City code requires anyone having two or more dogs have a kennel license.
But Barnes found no dogs at the address and drove around to the 800 block of E. Patapsco Ave. “and was filling out paperwork when he was shot.” Police said the driver’s side window was shattered and that Barnes was hit in the hand.
Authorities did not divulge other details about the call on Pontiac Ave. or say whether anyone was home or whether Barnes had spoken to anyone. But Farrow’s statement says that “officers undergo customer service training on how to mediate disputes and avoid physical confrontations.”
The statement added, “It is a dangerous job, but a necessary one in order to protect public welfare” by ensuring that pets are properly vaccinated, dangerous animals are caught and hurt or endangered animals are rescued.
Bob Anderson, director of the city’s Bureau of Animal Control, refused to comment.