"Run Forest Run"

As part of my duties I am required to perform field checks on the inmates on my house arrest program. It is really one of the duties that is on the more entertaining side. People have the oddest and craziest reactions to when an officer shows up at the house.

One nice summer day I was out with one of my female partners and I was near one of the houses of a guy we will call "John" for the sake of this story. At the time of this field check I was driving a dark green undercover Crown Victoria Interceptor. Now not having a light bar did help a bit but the spotlight, push bar and antennas gave it away. So as we roll up to Johns house the first thing I notice was all the empty beer cases. I first thing upon this observation is to grab my portable breath test machine and a spare tube. We walk up to the door and knock a few times until a female comes to the door. I ask to speak with John and they say he is out of town. I proceed to identify myself visually as well as verbally and they say he left town. Now these people on house arrest sign papers allowing us to search their house at anytime. I ask the female her name and she gives me the old "none ya" response. ( "none ya" meaning none of your business for those non smart ass types ). I then proceed to tell her I thought I must have met her brother last week. She did not find it funny but still moved out of the way of the door to allow a search. I looked for his house arrest equipment and it was as placed originally. He had a GPS unit and it was still in the house. Just as a side not I also have a receiver in my car that tells me the ankle monitor is in the area. Which it did indicate when I arrived. After a quick search of the house and no contact with John I decide it is time to call in some more support. I went around to the back of the house while my partner called for back-up and noticed the back door ajar. So as you can guess this guy had been drinking and when we showed up bolted out the back door as we came to the front. I just couldn't fathom why someone would risk so much for drinking. Needless to say we chased him around for several hours until we got word he was seen on a local reservation.

So a few weeks later and lots of work goes in to this escape artist. ( not that it was tough ) He gets caught riding around with some friends who were all drunk and high. Now John is looking at 35 months for escape all for drinking and might have lost 10 days of his good time. He was to be released in less than a week! I will never understand that kind of desperation.