Working the midnight shift on Christmas Eve can be a time to reflect on family, life
While patrolling on the midnight shift on Christmas Eve, an officer’s mind will wander. Thankfully, not many calls for service come in. In years past, bars and restaurants closed early due to the ban on alcohol sales.
For many citizens, Christmas Eve is a time for family and reading "The Night Before Christmas" to the wee ones who will have a difficult time falling asleep.
Christmas Eve is lonely in a police car driving through deserted streets. An officer will reflect on the community he or she serves. Their hope is that everyone is snug and warm in their homes and are enjoying the warmth of family, friends and peace.
Officers also realize the grim reality that while most of the city sleeps comfortably, some sleep out in the cold. They sleep in tents, boxes, under highway overpasses, and one slept in a cemetery for years. These are the homeless that for their own reasons — drinking, drugs or just not wanting to live by the rules of the house — would rather not sleep in shelters.
A number of tent cities exist in Ann Arbor. There is a large one in the woods north of the Amtrak station, one between South Maple Road and I-94, another between South State and South Industrial and others scattered about the “City of Trees.” The hopes of the officers on patrol are that these less fortunate will be safe and somehow warm during Christmas Eve.
Officers who are lucky enough to be riding with a partner will tell stories of holidays past and the best gifts they received as kids. Whether riding with a partner or alone, the officer’s thoughts will always drift toward home. They think of family.
It is a night for taking stock and being thankful for family, friends and having a job in these tough times. The officers will think of the family members or friends who have their own struggles. Officers’ good thoughts, prayers and hopes for a brighter future will be silently channeled to those in need by the officer as the patrol car wheels keep turning.
Officers will think of the sacrifices their own families (and all the families of “shift” workers) must endure. For instance, Christmas “mornings” with children must sometimes be advanced or delayed based on the parent’s work schedule.
Patrolling on the holidays can be a time to reflect.
File photo
For some officers who have not been lucky with domestic tranquility, this night can be extremely lonely. For them, it is a comfort to be working. They can meet with brothers and sisters throughout the shift for a cup of coffee and some laughs to get through the night. Laughter is the best medicine for loneliness, especially on Christmas Eve.
The officer will rationalize it's just good to have a job, and things could be much worse. If the officer is cold, he or she can turn on the car heater. About this time, the officer will pray for our troops deployed all over the world, but more importantly for those in forward combat areas.
They will think of how uncomfortable those soldiers might be on their Christmas Eve. How uncomfortable and cold the soldiers were at Valley Forge, the Civil War, in the trenches in World War I, in the foxholes in World War II at the Battle of the Bulge, in Korea, Vietnam (maybe not cold but wet), in Iraq and Afghanistan. Put in that perspective — can any of us with jobs stateside complain? The officer’s car heater feels mighty toasty in comparison.
While the patrol car wheels keep rolling, invariably the officer will scan the sky for Santa and more precisely Rudolph’s red nose streaking across the sky. The officer will remember similar searches as a child sneaking out of bed and peeking out the bedroom windows. The chances of seeing St. Nick and his reindeer are slim, but the officers will still look. Then the warm thoughts of home, family and Christmases past will return.
A police car is not a bad place to be on a Christmas Eve. Just a radio transmission away is a brother or sister in like circumstances who just might enjoy a hot chocolate or coffee and some company. The holiday season it is all about togetherness and appreciating your family at home and your friends at work. Enjoy brothers and sisters and stay safe.
Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors.
Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
Boo Radley
Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 1:48 p.m.
Happy Holidays to you, Rich. I enjoy your columns and look forward to reading them throughout the upcoming new year. Best wishes for a safe and happy New Year.
dawnster
Sat, Dec 25, 2010 : 6:34 a.m.
Very nice column! I enjoyed my night with hot chocolate, reflection, and laughter! Seems that you know what you're talking about! :)
Mike
Fri, Dec 24, 2010 : 9:12 a.m.
Rich old friend, hope you keep up the articles in the new year. We'll have to have breakfast again to compare stories. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Merry Christmas to all of our brothers and sisters in the the military and public safety who watch out for us year round.
tdw
Fri, Dec 24, 2010 : 7:27 a.m.
Merry Christmas Mr Kinsey ( can't call you Rich out of respest )If my dad could remeber he would say the same ( Duane Weber ). @UMgoblue My dad is also a AAPD retire Who ever he is wish him a Merry Christmas on my familys behalf
RJA
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 10:58 p.m.
Great story Rich! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and family. My only grand-daughter (30 years old) is an RN in Neo at Childrens Hospital in Detroit. Un-married, no children. She spent a week in Mo. with her Mom and brother. Yesterday (22nd.) she spent early Christmas with me. She went back to her job today, A 12 hr. shift. She will work now through Christmas and the New year. Of course she gets paid well, but allows other nurses to spend this time with their children. (and she loves her job) I could not be more proud of her. A big THANK YOU to all those in the Medical Field, our Firefighters, EMT's and Police. Merry Christmas to all readers.
sbbuilder
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.
Well, the people we visit specifically ask for candles. They like the large, fat kind because they last much longer. Is it safe? Are they inviting a fire inside their tents? The concern they have is freezing every night, not burning up. But of course, if you had been visiting these people, you would already know all of this. The candles are cheaper than batteries, they also double as miniature stoves to heat up canned goods, they provide light, etc. Lastly, these people are not stupid. They understand the dangers inherent in having a flame in a confined space. Many have been creative in putting together places to secure candles. If someone has a better idea to provide heat for these people, please chime in. Many also ask for small backpacks to use for carting stuff back and forth in their daily rounds.
DFSmith
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 4:30 p.m.
Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New 2011 to you and your's, Rich. Keep up the great work. BTW, I will talk to Ed V. or Stephanie Murray, and I will submit to them a couple of questions that pertain to your area of expertise.
Rich Kinsey
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 2:53 p.m.
Happy Holidays one and all. Before anyone comments, there should be a comma after Valley Forge in order to separate it from the Civil War. Believe me I know it was in the Revolutionary War. My mother-in-law (who is great) is directly descended from Revoutionary War General Hugh Mercer and she would be shocked if I made such an error. Sorry about that. My warmest wishes to everyone who reads these columns and a very humble THANK YOU. Happy Holidays and all the Best in 2011. Rich Kinsey
Sonya
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 2:24 p.m.
I always enjoy Semper cop but I think this is my favorite. Thank you!
pawky
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 2:04 p.m.
Thanks to those that protect & serve.
DFSmith
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 1:48 p.m.
@DavidB- were you a cop too? But, even if you werent, Thanks for your positive comment.
David Briegel
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 12:01 p.m.
DFSmith, My reaction precisely. Flashlights, not candles. I used to enjoy working on Christmas. Fairly light duty and parties in all the different dept's and units. The multi-cultural feasts for the Holiday meal. And then another when I got home. And then I got New Years Eve and NY OFF! And, when the opportunity arises, it really is rewarding to help others in need on the Holiday. Talk about the "spirit" of the day!
DFSmith
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 11:08 a.m.
@sbbuilder- an open candle inside a small, tent made of synthetic material is an invitation to disaster. And to some of the other commenters, cant y'all quit complaining if only because it supposed to be the season for goodwill and cheer?
UMGoBlue
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 10:48 a.m.
"Officers will think of the sacrifices their own families (and all the families of shift workers) must endure. For instance, Christmas mornings with children must sometimes be advanced or delayed based on the parents work schedule." I am the daughter of a retired Ann Arbor Police Officer, and remember as a kid having to wake up at 4 a.m. to open gifts on Christmas morning because my father's shift started very early. It was a bummer having to go back to bed, not being able to play with the new toys until later! But I'm proud of my dad and appreciate the job he held for so long, and am glad to know a lot of his retired "brothers and sisters", many who have gone back to work protecting people, in one way or another, while being "retired".
nowayjose
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 10:19 a.m.
Thank you Mich48103 for pointing out the police aren't the only ones working. Until you mentioned that I was under the impression they were. This is just one person's take on having to work on Christmas and being away from his family. If you want to write a story about how great it is to work in a hospital on christmas, you should do that.
michigan48103
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 9:13 a.m.
Christmas EVE and Christmas Day is a wonderful day to work, the Police is not the only people that work on that day. Working in the Medical Field during most of my life, it is more money and less work. Holiday pay and over time is wonderful during the holiday, the Police might work a few more hours but when working the Holidays, it is worth it when you get paid.
sbbuilder
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 8:05 a.m.
If you want to help these unfortunate fellow human beings, take a bag full of candles and pass them around. They keep the small tents warm, and last most of the night. Bring the kids with you, and have them help. Candles are an expensive item for these folks, but they sure appreciate them. Merry Christmas.
flyingsquirrel
Thu, Dec 23, 2010 : 7:08 a.m.
Lovely article. Merry Christmas!