Good Morning

[LA/NYvolunteer]

Happy Monday....(I had a DMV employee greet me that way once in Yonkers...to this day that woman is on my s---list)

My name is Alex and I live in West Los Angeles. Born in Rockland County, NY and grew up in the Bronx. Re-located to the west coast for work in 2008. In Los Angeles since 07/10 (I own a film/theater production company...in L.A....go figure.) Law Enforcement has always fascinated me although I can say my views shifted radically in one afternoon 10 years ago. I was a prototypical, ignorant teenager with no responsibilities less life experience with my Yankee fitted and my "F--- the police" attitude. I wasn't a gang member, thug, criminal, addict, or any of those negative labels that become attached to people. Then one Tuesday morning the principal called the entire school into the gym on 77th and York to tell us "a plane hit the World Trade Center..."she could not finish that sentence without her assistant leaning down to tell her, "they're gone. They're both gone."
My homeroom teacher (Greg) slamming a door and flying down the stairs is an image that sticks for whatever reason. His Father was a FDNY Battalion Chief in Harlem. I guess Greg already felt what ultimately proved true....he had already seen his Father for the last time. Countless kids burst out in tears, unable to obtain any information about their moms, dads, aunts, uncles, or any other person in lower manhattan that morning.
My uncle at the time was an executive with Soloman, Smith, Barney whose offices were the top several floors of WTC #7. I watched that building go down with my own eyes looking south from the roof of my friend's building on 38th and 1st (U.N. Plaza). My uncle was in Manhasset playing golf that day. However, a small group of cops, all about 10-12 years older than me with whom I'd spent half my childhood responded Code 3 like everyone else. They were dispatched to WTC2 to aid in the evacuations. All killed in the line, 09/11/2001.
I'm not one for sentiment or righteousness to be honest, but I am merely stating an indisputable fact that hundreds upon hundreds of emergency service personnel did as they swore when they willingly sacrificed their lives to uphold their oath and protect human life. I am young enough that I still have the opportunity to become a sworn MOS if I can either dump my company or make enough money to not actually work at it. Right now it's just not in my cards. In the meantime I'm here to learn, support and express my admiration any way I can. Although I've learned a lot about penal law and police procedure, I know where to draw the line ensuring I don't lead anyone to believe I'm anything other than a civilian. Civic responsibility does not equal authority. If it did, I'd be a vigilante while impersonating. Instead I make films and lead a normal life. Better to do these things and show my gratitude here than at 3:30am on a Wednesday when I'm trying to convince the CHP Deputy that an LAPD officer would let me off with a warning for my tires being too bald. He would then say something derogatory about the LAPD and life would go on plus a fix it ticket. Speaking of citations, I have a word of advice (not legal advice) for all the non-LEOs here. Learn the law, do your best not to break it, be TRUTHFUL, courteous, and respectful and you wont have to worry. But don't complain about your tax dollars going to waste meanwhile an ADW two blocks away is becoming a DOA and the nearest Police Officer is busy dealing with you. That's what 9/11 made me understand. I have submitted my volunteer application to the LASD since they're in the jurisdictional middle of the hierarchy and the other agencies hate them equally
Thank you for allowing me to post here and best of luck to everyone. Most of all BE SAFE.


-Alex
90035