In 2007, we moved our family about a mile, one neighborhood over. Even though it was a short move, it took us across the line from the Village of Ossining to the Village of Briarcliff Manor. When you're me, you don't really expect to have many experiences with the police, aside from civic or social events. You don't expect them to be on the job on your property, but once not long after we moved here, they did.
My home office has a window on the side and rear of my home. If someone jumps my fence, I can see it. A few months after we moved here, I saw a pair of legs walk by the side window. Strange. The fence was locked. Then, another pair. I only saw legs, which had my mind racing. Who was swarming my yard with my kids playing back there? I was outside in a heartbeat, and to my relief, it was not an interloper or kidnapper, it was a pair of police officers. They both had their hands on their hips, looking perplexed, as my 2 oldest children excitedly talked to them (real police officers right in our yard! exclaimed Luke, then 6).
I was perplexed also. It got put together quickly Evidently, the department had received a call from someone out of state who had called my number by accident. Our 3 year old was screaming at the top of his lungs when the call came in, and somehow the party at the other end heard the screaming and called the police for fear that they had witnessed some sort of abuse over the phone. Since ringing the bell would have only given a criminal or kidnapper warning, they jumped the fence anticipating the worst. The screamer, Gregory, then ambled up to me and put his arms up to be picked up.
Assured that it was all an innocent thing, they thanked me and left.
I was struck by their professionalism. I appreciated their approach, because, even in this idyllic suburb, if there was foul play, they wanted to be ready. Three years later, that day sticks with me. They were ready for criminals, and they ended up patting my kids on the head. Briarcliff Manor has great police.
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