Thanks, mate. Good to be back.

int:
A 10-hour shift, and I got involved in:
* 2 stolen cars
* a threat of property damage or injury (a code 242)
* three, count 'em, three 5150s: people who needed police support to be strapped in and committed to mental health facilities against their will
- one of them who got out of her 5150 hold and had to be arrested for "terrorist threats", known as a 422: unqualified death threats against her sister with a clear intent to kill
* a 14-year-old runaway who looked like 20
* a runaway vehicle from a hit and run
* meth packets in the back of a vehicle
* and breaking up a make-out session in a tot lot where someone thought the girl was way, way younger than the guy (and what she actually was)
It was a pretty busy day. Gotta say, though -- not all cops are the same. But these people were really cool. I think people forget how much the police force can be a social program: people in the most destitute family and economic situations end up requiring the most attention (the regulars). Some of their own volition, of course. Some whose lives are screwed up to no avail (many of the mental health cases of family members, etc.).
On my brother's beat, he spent a lot of time on foot in neighborhoods of cramped apartments with a lot of Spanish-speakers. You can see how it's required to be effective -- you really have to integrate in and, basically, not be a dick. That would absolutely backfire.
Since my brother is over 2m tall, muscular, has black belts in ninjitsu, and is a genuinely affable guy, he's pretty effective at it since he's clearly not in it for the ego trip or power grab or anything. It was really cool to experience that.
And, btw, I got out of my own jaywalking ticket on Tuesday.