I'm fed up with my job!!!!!

[mr9iron]

I am absolutely hating my job right now. I've been stuck on midnights for the last two months and have another two months of this crap to go. It has been absolute hell.!!!! I'm so tired of dealing with drunks and domestic assaults that I want to puke. Most of my ten hour shift every single night entails both of these. In the last 2 weeks I've been assaulted, spit on, couple of car and foot chases, called every name in the book just for starters. I really can't believe some of the things that people do to each other. I think that I am quickly loosing faith in humanity after dealing with all of the garbage that I see on a daily basis. And what gets me the most is that it's usually the same people who cannot manage to live without some sort of police interaction in their lives on a daily basis. I just don't get it. My only thoughts have been that I hope I make it home safely/alive to my wife and sons. Today starts my 10 days of vacation and I'm so looking forward just to spending it with my family. No drama, no whiskey tangos, no more dispatch and no more work related stress. I can't wait to get my tent pitched and head down river in our canoes. Sorry for the rant I just need to vent to some of my friends here at RC.

[BigSkyBart]

bad boys, bad boys
what ya gonna do?

rest & relax, enjoy your time with family, sounds like you've earned it as well as deserve it

[Coral Dilema]

Let me be the first to say Thank you for what you sacrifice on a daily basis for the rest of us. And enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

[dc]

I certainly don't envy the job you do, but am thankful that there are people that will do it.

Have a relaxing vacation with your family.

[Nina51]

i can relate. although i don't have to deal with these scourges until they are sitting in a jail cell, i still experience the sort of burnout you describe, only on a lesser scale.

there are people who aren't happy unless they are causing trouble. jail takes the wind out of their sails temporarily.

enjoy your time off!!!

[Sk8r]

I think a small tourist or fishing town might be a relief, in the way of a job: only silly drunks, mostly afoot, minor pilferage in the winter...
I know the clientele you mean: I used to teach urban high---knew these jewels of the street before they get to the state you so eloquently describe; and at least we got the good ones mixed in with the rest...good ones generally blithely unaware of the underbelly of their small society.

Sounds like change-of-town is in order---same thing as moving from the big-bucks-bennies of the larger schools to a little town: might not be as much money, but living might be quieter.

[mr9iron]

Bart, Coral, DC and Nina, you guys are great. Thanks for the words of encouragement. I planning on sleeping for a couple of hours then were going to start preparing our gear for the trip. So far here is my list:
Tent
Beer
canoes
more beer
sunblock
more beer
Ice for more beer
Books to read to the boys at night

Am I missing anything?

[BigSkyBart]

are you bringing any beer ?

[mr9iron]

Originally posted by BigSkyBart
are you bringing any beer ?

Darn it, I forgot to get beer! Oh, I got to pick up some extra flies so I can catch my fill of trout. I'm so excited about trout fishing with the boys as this will be their first time.

Sk8r, I've thought about giving up the job to become a. Well, I will have to get back to you on that as I'm not sure I would be happy doing anything else.

[Q-ball]

Dude, have a great vacation, it's well deserved. You know what I think of the morons you gotta deal with on a daily basis. You just make sure you get home to yer family safe every time..and if some loser accidentally bumps his head while being escorted into your car, well, sometimes it should be considered a sign from above ya know? Take it easy buddy!

[Nina51]

Originally posted by mr9iron
Bart, Coral, DC and Nina, you guys are great. Thanks for the words of encouragement. I planning on sleeping for a couple of hours then were going to start preparing our gear for the trip. So far here is my list:
Tent
Beer
canoes
more beer
sunblock
more beer
Ice for more beer
Books to read to the boys at night

Am I missing anything?

yes, you are. leave your cell phone at home!

[BigSkyBart]

I'm sure you know about "the dog running across the road" method of quieting a "guest" in your car.
A good friend of mine (retired LT, LASD) used to call that "the screen test"

do you have to seatbelt them in while in the back seat?

again, enjoy the family time!

tip on fishing for relaxation...
tie a rock to the end of your line, cast out, set pole, drink beer
no pesky fish to interupt your well deserved quiet time

[Q-ball]

Originally posted by Nina51
yes, you are. leave your cell phone at home!

Speakin of cell phones...if ya take yer cellphone Vince and yer bored, gimma a call.

[fishmanblue]

What work!!! have a great time with your wife and kids. I just came off a 17 day vac. And don't forget, No electronics!!!!

[Anemone]

Originally posted by mr9iron
I think that I am quickly loosing faith in humanity after dealing with all of the garbage that I see on a daily basis.

Welcome to police work. Especially on Graveyards, you only deal with people who are doing something bad, or who had something bad happen to them. Keep in mind the bad ones are only a very small percentage of the population. The good ones are home asleep during your work shift.

The key is to never become insulated from the good folks in the world. As a cop, we tend to associate with other cops. And what do we have in common? Our jobs (and its unique stress), and that portion of the population we normally deal with. That's not a good group to use to keep you "balanced."

Make sure you get (and stay) involved with folks outside the cop circle. Coach your kids' athletic teams. Join some fitness group not associated with the police (a runnning or cycling club). Get involved in your kids' PTA. Just find something (or several things) to keep you in touch and grounded in the non-cop world.

FWIW,
Kevin

[jpfelix]

i feel your disdain for society. i'm glad you (and your colleagues) are out there. enjoy your time off! may i ask where you are doing your fishing?

keep your head up! remember it could be worse...you could be changing your schedule every week.

[2fishy]

Hugs to you! I hope that the next 10 days are the best! I can't imagine what it is like to do your job!

[mr9iron]

Originally posted by Q-ball
Speakin of cell phones...if ya take yer cellphone Vince and yer bored, gimma a call.

Hey, pm me your number because I put my last cell phone in the wash machine and killed it. Oh yeah, you and michelle and pee wee should pack up and come with us.

BigSkyBart: I'm sure you know about "the dog running across the road" method of quieting a "guest" in your car.

This is what we call waffeling. Nuff said.

Welcome to police work. Especially on Graveyards, you only deal with people who are doing something bad, or who had something bad happen to them. Keep in mind the bad ones are only a very small percentage of the population. The good ones are home asleep during your work shift.

Kevin, thanks for the advice. I was pretty frustrated when I got home so I decided to vent a little. Now that I've had a day away I'm ok. I know not everyone is bad, just the dummies I deal with.

[Aliie]

You hate your job but we are glad that youu are such a good guy and do such a good job. I'm sorry that people are making you hate your job......this is the reason I stay away from people and stick to keyboards. I gave up years ago on them.

Please enjoy your vacation and family time and it'll make all the bad things go away, for a while. Thank you for doing a job that is underpaid and many times thanksless. You coppers ROCK!!!

[dkh0331]

What river you floatin? I've floated a lot of rivers in MO/AR in years past.

[Q-ball]

Originally posted by mr9iron
Hey, pm me your number because I put my last cell phone in the wash machine and killed it. Oh yeah, you and michelle and pee wee should pack up and come with us.

Not sure about your phone, but Cingular recommends against that for my phone

[Nanook]

Thanks for all you do! Kevin is right in the fact that this is a small percentage of the population and that keeping in contact with the other percentage is wise.

What river you floating?

[BigSkyBart]

Originally posted by Aliie
......this is the reason I stay away from people and stick to keyboards. I gave up years ago on them.

so, what are we, chopped liver?



mr9,

rest, relax & enjoy your family time!

[batguano]

9iron:

Take your break, relax, recreate (literally)! Then come on back and hit the street with a renewed vigor. Afterall, I can't make a living doing my job if you don't do yours!

[BrianD]

He must already be on the river. Geesh, there are so many good floating rivers in Missouri, he could be gone for months trying each one.

Kevin, that was one impressive post I am glad you are still able to see the good in the world. If I saw everything you guys see on a daily basis, I am sure I would be jaded.