School Cop Part 3

Casper the Ghost
It was about 0130 and I heard G. L. (G. L. was a reserve with Santa Clara PD) stated he was foot patrol at San Jose High School. It is a school ''owed by four Hispanic gangs." It isn't a school you take lightly. I was at the other end of our district about 25 miles away. It was quiet for several minutes and then, ''shots fired San Jose High, shots fired!''
Radio tried to contact G. L., no response. I told radio to contact SJPD with that and advise them I would be Code 3 to have them advise when they were 10-97 and I would shut down.
I got to about a mile and hearing nothing I shutdown any way. When I reached the school there were 5 PD units around the admin building with G. L. talking with a sergeant friend of mine.
As I approached the sergeant and he said, ''I didn't shut you down because I wanted to talk with you." We walked down the drive in the direction of the gym. When we were out of ear shot the sergeant said. ''This stinks."
''Is there something you can put your finger on?'' ''No just a gut feeling based on 20 years."
''You know what the court did to guts, right."
''Yes, I do."
''I'll watch him closely, but I guess I'll have to wait for the other shoe to drop."
''Good luck you're going to need it."
Here is what I had for sure, the officer's statement. No contradictory evidence, and a bullet hole in the car. G. L. said he was ok and could complete the shift. I said, ''get back to work."
Things, more or less, seemed to be back to normal. G. L. was on patrol when he got a 10-33 (alarm call) at Olander Elementary. Now alarms in our district are a dime a dozen. They go of any other reason than a burglary. It is a call that is taken halfheartedly. I don't ignore any of them, and you will see why later, but no one rushes to a 10-33.
I heard G. L. go 10-97 and radio acknowledge the call. Awhile later, ''shots fired!'' Two things different this time G. L. had a description and direction of travel, and I was closer. I pulled into the lot and met G. L. there. He was shaken but ok. I had my other unites cruise the neighborhood trying to find the suspect.
G L told me he was checking the buildings to make sure the doors were all secure. The building is styled after a polygon. He was on the northeast corner when he saw a male in his late teens early twenties coming out of the building carrying some things. Like all smart cops he yelled stop and like all dumb crooks he ran. G. L. chased him to the front where the male dropped the school things and kept running. When he reached the street, he stopped, turned and fired a round at G. L. G. L. returned fire.
The flight of the bullets were directed at a house across from the school, and at the school itself. The school was no problem. I was able to check the whole wall easily. The house was another matter, but the owner heard the commotion and was standing in his yard. I walked across the street and introduced myself to the man. I told him what had happened and asked for permission to check his house for an impact point. After a considerable amount of time thinking the matter over, he said, ''NO!''
There is a funny thing in law that says if you are on a public sidewalk, you don't need the owner's permission to look at his house. I went back to my car and got my binoculars and a spotlight. I started to look over the side of his house, that a bullet may have hit. He began to hop around trying to stop me. Finally, he said he was going to call ''the real police."
While he made his call I finished my search. I was back at my car when a PD unite pulled up. It was manned by a friend of mine. He came over and I told him what I had done. He told me the owner was well know to the cops in the area. He asked me what I wanted him to do and I said to tell him you chewed me out and it wont happen again. He just looked at me. I said to think about it 200,031 people hate the police this would make 200,030 now. He began to smile and said, ''I better look serious," and I smiled, my back was to the man.
I told my guys to secure the school. Put the property in the principal's outer office and meet me at our office. When we left all my guys turned left to go to our office. I, on the other hand, turned right passing in front of the aggrieved party. I never looked at him, but I could hear the sizzle of steam, I smiled again.
At the office I told G. L. he would be on paid administrative leave because this shooting would have to be investigated.
Now because of my failing memory I had to call this officer OTD (old timers disease). He also came to me from Santa Clara Reserves and later went to Palo Alto PD where he became a sergeant. I told G. L. that I would have to take his duty weapon badge and ID.
OTO was still a reserve with Santa Clara (I allowed all my reserves to remain active as long as it did not conflict with their primary duties) and he set up a test firing of G. L's weapon. The range master for SCPD performed the test himself. He fired 30 rounds. All the rounds ejected to the right and rear. Two rounds bounced forward about 3 inches, none flew forward and to the left as on the night of the incident.
OTD called me a day later to informed me that he was ready for a face to face with G. L. I asked if I could sit in. He made me swear not to interfere. We met in my office, no one else was in the building.
OTD started the interview by covering all the steps, who was present, the reveres Maranda, time, location, Just like on TV.
About 15 minutes into the interview, G. L. became confused and started changing his story. I had heard enough and spoke up (so much for promises). I said, ''G. here is what I think happened correct me if I am wrong." I then told him how I thought he chased the guy but ran out of steam and thinking it would stop him, G. fired a round in the air, but not the effect he hoped for the guy ran faster. G. looked at both of us and said, ''yes sir."
I ended the interview and told G. that now he had two options. He could resign now or be arrested. He chose to resign. End of story­ NO. two days later he called to inform me he had a brain tumor and thought that would change my opinion. It didn't. End of story- NO. A year or two later I got a call from a San Diego Sheriff's Sergeant.
He was investigating an arson fire in the linen closet at the MGM Grand in San Diego. It seems G. L. was working as a security officer and found and put out a fire saving the hotel millions and untold lives, but to the sergeant, he wasn't buying the story. There was more than the smell fire. I told him about the incident I had and now the story ends. I never heard what happened to the sergeant's case or G. L.