Different ride, same gig

Last Thursday, we hosted our annual luncheon for LPD retirees.  It was a great turnout, the biggest yet.  There were several new faces, including Officer Willie Wichman, who motored up from St. Louis, only to be caught in a downpour just 10 blocks from HQ.  I hadn’t seen him in at least 20 years, so it was great to catch up after he had dried out. 

After fried chicken and hot dogs, I felt obligated to say a few words—although I know that everyone really wants to enjoy their desert and conversation more than they want to listen to a wet-behind-the-ears upstart like me, so I kept it short.  I told them about a few goings-on, including our deployment of more hybrid vehicles in the fleet.  For a group that cut their teeth on big block Mopars, the thought of a 4-banger with a backup from a electric motor is probably a bit odd.  The ride may be different, but the gig remains the same, and at it’s core police work has barely changed.  Many of our retirees could grab a Bic and have at it without any problem.

You can’t help but smile to see the lineup room filled with men and women who devoted their professional lives to public service, back in the bosom of the Lincoln Police Department, enjoying some fellowship and a slice of pie.