Update: Scroll to the bottom to see an update to this blog post...
Okay, so maybe that title is a bit harsh, and who am I really to be talking about how to be or not to be anything cop-related in the first place? Fine, maybe it isn't my place, but then again, this is MY blog. So if you want to continue reading, perhaps this will all make sense by the end.
Tonight I was at Outback Steakhouse by Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, GA with my parents, sister and son. This restaurant sits grouped with a few others in a shopping center and there is a single parking deck for all of them. There was also a Dunwoody Police Car stationed at the front of the parking garage with a buzz cut red headed officer who was deeply engrossed in something on his phone when we passed by, on our way in to find a parking place.
My sister was driving, and she turned to the left saying "let's just try our luck over here," as we headed into a no-exit corner of the lot that happened to be on the lowest level of the parking garage. There were several cars parked, nothing looked out of the ordinary, and we chose a spot maybe 4 from the dead end of cement wall. We walked into the restaurant, passing the Dunwoody officer on our way out of the garage, and not really thinking about anything parking related.
Enter crazy rain storms, hail, thunder, lightning, massive winds and all around bad weather. While we ate we talked about how hard the rain was falling, and we made jokes about my mother's new sandals possibly being ruined. We took our time with eating b/c we were in no rush to head back out in the storm, least of all the walking to our cars part.
Then it became clear we had to go, as my son was getting restless and the relaxation of the evening was coming to an end. My sister and I went to get the car (a mini-van) while my mother waited inside the restaurant for us so she didn't have to go out in the rain while wearing her new shoes. My step-dad drove separately. As we entered the parking garage, the Dunwoody officer was still sitting in his car, just staring at his phone, oblivious to the folks walking past him and certainly not giving off much of a "I'm here to serve and protect" vibe. It was much more of a "When the hell is my shift over?" vibe. Just sayin' yall.
Okay, so we get close to the van and we notice there is basically a zero-entry swimming pool of rainwater that has collected in this corner of the parking garage. The rain is still pouring, and this "pool" is steadily becoming deeper. On the driver's side of my sister's van was about 3 inches of standing water. Further down in the corner is a car that is submerged in water almost up to the passenger side door that we could see and most definitely higher on the driver's side. Holy crap! This parking garage was flooding and this car was going to be destroyed! My sister and I decide we need to do something! Think quick! What do we do? Oh wait, we can tell that cop we saw! Yes, a cop will be able to do something. He certainly at least needs to know about this! My sister splashes in to her driver's side, and she has to back out before we can even put my son in his carseat. She puts him in while I run up to the entrance of the garage to talk to the officer.
As I approach the vehicle, the officer is still pecking away at his phone. I lean down and speak to him through the passenger side window.
Hello sir, just want to let you know there is a car seriously under water, it is flooding down there, we thought maybe you could do something to help. No response.
For real, it is like, going to be ruined, this car, I mean, bad. This time he just pierces his lips together and unenthusiastically shakes his head and shrugs. So I go on...
Can't you like, oh I don't know, look up his license plate and see who the car belongs to? Maybe try to locate them in one of the restaur... He cuts me off with another slow head shake and "I don't give a crap" eyes.
Huh, okay, well thanks for nothing...and I walk back to my sister's van. Once I am in the van, we talk some more and we decide he really needs to do SOMETHING, and maybe his brain just isn't working, so perhaps we could give him some ideas. As we pull up to exit the garage I get out of the van again and approach the officer's passenger side window. He is clearly annoyed. I say couldn't you get a tow truck in here and at least salvage the guy's car? No. It would be cheaper for him to pay for the tow than to have his car ruined! No, I can't do that. Okay, well can you do something? Anything? No. Shrug. Pierced lips. Slow disinterested head shake.
So my sister chimes in, and we ask him about calling property management. He finally gets out of his car. Now look, I can't remember verbatim what was said, but this officer tells us that he works for property management and that God controls the rain, not property management. He says something along the lines of when it rains it always floods somewhere and he doesn't control the rain. Several times he reminds us that he has NO CONTROL over the rain. Really? Because apparently we thought he did. Hah.
In this conversation with my sister and I thinking of all the options and resources to help salvage this drowning car, this officer flat out admits to us that he is aware that when it rains it floods in that corner of the parking garage. We take that to mean that if he is aware and he works for property management and property management is not doing anything to prevent cars from parking there during storms, well, that means there is a serious case of negligence going on here. We even suggest to him something about getting a simple sign: Warning: This area may flood in heavy rains; park at your own risk. Hello??? Use your noggin! Oh, he does...shaking his head again and reminding us that God controls the rain.
I say a few choice words along the lines of "you suck," and he flaps his ego feathers, still not showing any sign that he cares one bit about the poor guy's car stuck in the ever-expanding parking lot oasis. My sister and I drive out of the garage to go pick up our mother. When we get there our mother is on the phone and needs a few minutes to finish a conversation. So we chat more about how lame this cop is, and then we decide to go back and take pics of the water logged vehicle and the Dunwoody police car. Now they are posted for the facebook world to see. Dunwoody Police Car #153 by the way...
So here is what bugs me: if you can't do anything in a sticky situation, especially if the YOU is a police officer, sworn to serve and protect, at least give a crap. At least express concern for the public's interest. Go down there and block off the area with a cone or something. I mean, this is unsafe! A kid could drown. Someone could get hurt trying to swim into their car. I'm not kidding. Stop letting people drive in that area - it is a dead end anyway! They are bound to have to drive through some of that water no matter what, even if just to get back to the entrance! Stop surfing the web on your phone and start doing your job, even if right now that job is just to be a security guard in a busy parking deck. Contact Property Management, the fire department, whatever. Since when does a police officer need a reason to tow a car? That is ridiculous. The car is going to start floating and bump into other cars soon. Legal or not, use your brain dude, and get that car moved! And I'd like to know the real legal ramifications of getting a tow truck out there. That swimming car is a danger! Just CARE! THAT is how NOT to be a sucky cop.
In all seriousness, if that was my car I would be suing for negligence. The management of that parking deck absolutely should have a sign posted acknowledging the flood zone and warning people to park at their own risk. But even if tonight was the first time this ever happened, that officer should have been more proactive. He's a cop. He can speed any time he wants and flash a gun. There is NO REASON he could not have ventured into the 3 or 4 restaurants around there and tried to find the poor owner of that unfortunate vehicle. I am certain there is nothing illegal about that.
The most frustrating part of my experience with this officer was his attitude towards me and my sister. Even if he didn't want to help, or if he TRULY was not in a position to do so, he could have shown some level of compassion and concern for the situation. He could have been more polite, even just slightly. He could have lied to us even! I'm so sorry ladies, I've tried to locate that car's owner and I have not had any luck. He could have acted shocked even if he wasn't. That is pretty crazy, let me see what I can do! Then we could have driven off and he could have easily gone back to his cell phone without giving it another thought, the two nosey women appeased and on their merry way. There are a million ways he could have reacted that would have been more appropriate, but instead he was just a jerk. And that is just my G rated opinion.
So cops out there, I am not going to group you all with this guy in the sucky department. I have faith that you are out there working hard to keep us safe. I don't believe that one bad apple spoils the bunch...but people, if you happen to come across the Dunwoody Police car #153 with front plate #1439, and if the officer driving it is a tall buzz cut, red-headed dude, just don't expect too much. At least not in the way of help.
That's my rant for tonight. Peace out.
Update: Today I went to The Chastain School's Spring Fling Festival where police, fire and ambulance crews were there with rescue vehicles on display. I spoke with a very kind Sandy Springs Fireman and asked him if there was any legal reason why a car could not be towed at the authority of police if posing a danger in a public place, and he confirmed my belief. He said that in the event of a flooding parking garage in a public place, had the fire department been called they would have moved the car as part of standard search and rescue efforts. He did not bad mouth the cop, but he did make a general snide statement about Dekalb County Police. I don't know if the different departments have beef with each other, but next time I see a flooding car in a parking garage, I think I'll skip the cops and call the fire department instead! Today I am glad I live in Sandy Springs!
