How to Keep a Level Head When People Make You See Red
One of the best lessons I learned from policing
I’m sitting in the back of a police car behind the driver. Our prisoner is handcuffed beside me and I have fastened him into his seatbelt.
Standard procedure.
If he kicks off, I can intervene. My main concern wasn’t to prevent his escape, it was to stop him from attacking my colleague PC Gregor Cameron who sat behind the wheel.
My precautions might prevent our prisoner from running away, but they don’t stop him from running off at the mouth.
It’s 2 am. We’ve arrested John, a 45-year-old recidivist offender. He’s a big nasty guy. From an early age, John was a bully, a tough nut. There are many a man battered and bruised by his hands. This time, it was his neighbour, a 75-year-old lady. She is on her way to hospital with a broken nose and possibly more serious injuries.
John doesn’t care. His attention is focused on Gregor. He knows Gregor because Gregor has locked him up on many occasions. He’s adopted a deep hatred for him and this is where his threats get out of hand.
John says, “I know where you stay,” and rhymes off Gregor’s address. Then he describes Gregor’s wife. “She’s just a tiny little thing, with her curly brown…
