The Wire, the Shield, the Camas Cop

There's a place, down the road, for having meandering conversations with our children about the complex relationship between cops, community, and crime. 

In the meantime...

I love the concept of cops walking a beat. Interacting daily with citizens, including kids, in a way that gets people
comfortable simply approaching and having conversations with people in uniform, instead of waiting until there's an emergency and everyone's stress level is hyper-activated.

So we saw a Camas patrol car sitting in the plaza parking lot, and Johannes asked if he had a gun, and if he put robbers in jail.

Let's go ask him.
I said.

We walked over and I stealthily sneaked up -

JUST KIDDING!

- we carefully, slowly walked toward the car. His window was down, and I asked if my son could take a look inside the car.

"Of course," Officer Langman said. He stepped out and let us take a look. Computer, radio, all kinds of cool-looking stuff, but of course the main point of fascination was the massive rifle stocked between the seats.

"Do you put robbers in jail?"
Johannes asked.

- " I sure do. Robbers and drunk drivers."

"Oh."

We chatted for another minute, and we waved goodbye, and then I pretended to hop in the driver's seat and -

OF COURSE I DIDN'T!

- we said thanks for chatting and for letting us check out your car, and waved goodbye.

I don't think people should feel, or need to feel intimidated about chatting with uniforms. Chatting with no agenda, for no particular reason.

Thanks, Officer Langman, for being friendly to a young boy.

Children remember stuff like that.