What I experienced before becoming a Rookie Cop (part 1)

My name is not important. Nor is the City I worked in. I was obsessed with becoming a cop since the age of about 4. I would run around with the plastic handcuffs, the plastic badge, the plastic gun, and the leather ID badge. I wanted to be Dan Aykroyd in Dragnet. I loved the movie. I can't believe my parents let me watch it when I was so young. I wasn't Joe Friday I was Dan Aykroyd. I loved the Police, Police cars, anything with Police on it. At the age of 15 after my dad died I joined the Police Explorers. It is a group of young individuals who aspire to become cops who are lead by Explorer Liasions or Advisors who help shape the children. I learned everything. How to process a crime scene, how to conduct an accident investigation, how to quell a riot and help victims of domestic abuse, how to handcuff, how to search a building, person, or vehicle. I went on countless ride-alongs. I had a uniform, a name tag, everything but a gun and baton. I loved the feeling of pulling potential criminals over and educating the public, and watching how tickets were issued for traffic offences. Running radar...I did it all. I even got to hold the shotgun when I was 18 ( a senior in High School)as we raced to the scene of a shots fired call. My Explorer Advisor had me enter as many plates (license plates) into the system in case any of the vehicles driving by us may have been involved (it was 0200 in the morning and not much traffic). I remember my Explorer Advisor killing the lights about 2 blocks before we got on scene and him telling me to unlock the shotgun and if ''I am leaving the keys in the ignition, if shit hits the fan, you know what to do''. I remember slumping down in the seat ready to jump into the drivers seat or shoot it out. My Explorer Advisor gave the all clear a few minutes later and it turned out later that this was an unintentional suicide. A young pizza delivery man came home and they were partying and held the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. The gun was loaded and he died instantly. Man this was awesome.....this was my career.