STORY BEHIND THE POEM CHALKED
.
It was a typical training day. Jim
Ann and his squad were up at the range for firearms training and qualification.
Jeff Harris is one of the force options instructors.
Both are veteran police officers.
.
The drill as it was designed, is to simulate an
attack by a person with an edged weapon (ie a
knife) and it graphically illustrates the twenty-one foot minimum safety
distance for possible survival. Jeff
would be holding a piece of kids sidewalk chalk to show where his victim
would have been stabbed. Jim had his
service weapon, a .40 calibre Beretta pistol.
The gun was loaded with “simunition”,
which is training ammunition filled with a small paint ball.
.
Jeff was all padded up in something called a FIST suit, designed to protect
him from the paint balls he would be hit with.
Jeff was to charge at Jim from twenty one feet away and try to “stab”
him with the chalk. Jim meanwhile
had to start with gun holstered and snapped.
He then had to draw and fire twice, meanwhile remembering to get
out of Jeff’s way.
.
They stood staring at each other for a few seconds.
Clint Eastwood (Dirty Harry) facing the bad guy.
Jeff came charging forward with his arm outstretched holding the
chalk. Jim drew and fired twice, but
unfortunately didn’t get out of the way.
The “point” of the chalk drove into Jim’s chest at the shoulder joint,
tearing the muscle and putting Jim off work for six to eight weeks.
.
His squad, of course, being the caring compassionate types that we all are,
began to tease Jim unmercifully about getting hurt by chalk.
The story was relayed to me, the poem
was born and hopefully will bring a smile to Jim’s face as he goes through
rehab to mend the torn shoulder.
.
.