The Cop That Cried

The LA Times wouldn't publish this story. It was too politically incorrect. The woman I was writing about wasn't a hero. She was just a normal person trying to do a tough job.

I subsequently sent it to the San Jose Mercury News, telling the editor it was a Times' reject. "What???" he said after reading the story. "Are they nuts?"

Actually yes, that's one of the reasons I'm not working there anymore.

I liked the cop who was the focus of my story. She was sweet, vulnerable and really too nice to be a cop. After my story came out, they called her into the chief's office and reamed her out for getting drunk and shooting off her gun at night. Later, she retired, which was a good thing. The police department was no place for her. She should have been out teaching kids, raising babies or making good things happen in the world.