A POLICEMAN IS A COMPOSITION OF WHAT ALL MEN ARE,
A MINGLING OF SAINT AND
SINNER, DUST AND DEITY.
LESS THAN ONE-HALF OF 1 PERCENT OF POLICEMEN MISFIT THE UNIFORM.
HE, OF ALL MEN, IS AT ONCE THE MOST WANTED AND THE MOST UNWANTED.
HE MUST BE SUCH A DIPLOMAT THAT HE CAN SETTLE DIFFERENCES SO THAT EACH WILL THINK HE WON.
BUT IF A POLICEMAN IS PLEASANT, HE'S A FLIRT; IF HE'S NOT, HE'S A GROUCH.
HE MUST BE ABLE TO START BREATHING, STOP BLEEDING, TIE SPLINTS, AND ABOVE ALL,
BE SURE THE VICTIM GOES HOME WITHOUT A LIMP - OR EXPECT TO BE SUED.
HE MUST KNOW EVERY GUN, DRAW ON THE RUN, AND HIT WHERE IT DOESN'T HURT.
HE MUST BE ABLE TO WHIP TWO MEN TWICE HIS SIZE AND HALF HIS AGE WITHOUT
DAMAGING HIS UNIFORM AND WITHOUT BEING "BRUTAL."
IF YOU HIT HIM, HE'S A COWARD, IF HE HITS YOU, HE'S A BULLY.
HE MUST KNOW WHERE ALL THE SIN IS AND NOT PARTAKE.
THE POLICEMAN MUST BE A MINISTER, A SOCIAL WORKER, A DIPLOMAT, A TOUGH GUY,
AND A GENTLEMAN.
AND OF COURSE, HE'LL HAVE TO BE A GENIUS - FOR HE'LL HAVE
TO FEED AND CLOTHE A FAMILY ON A POLICEMAN'S SALARY.
