I’m a copper in Small Town, California.  Population about 7,500.  And while we do have more than one street, and a whole seven stop lights, it doesn’t take too long to cover all 2.2 square miles in a Ford Crown Victoria.  Small Town Police Department (STPD) has 14 full-time sworn police officers:  1 Chief, 1 Captain, 4 Sergeants, 8 Officers.  We also have about 10 reserve officers that can fill holes, cover shifts, or be an extra body when needed.

I’ve been at STPD for about a two and a half years and have loved (almost) every minute of it.  Prior to STPD, I worked at the Large County (population about half a million) Sheriff’s Office.  I was one of about 200 deputy sheriffs for about six months, and a dispatcher for almost two and a half years.

In my time at the Large County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) most of my FTOs had 15+ years on the job.  Even with all that experience, I heard them say on more occasions than I can remember, “Well, I’ve never seen that before.”  No matter how many years you do this job, there is always going to be something new to encounter.  Something weird, something dangerous, something funny, something upsetting, something sad, something inspiring.  No two calls are the same–even when they are–and there will never be a shortage of stories.

Small Town Copper is where I’ll chronicle my own “I’ve never seen that before” moments.  In even my short two years on the street I’ve already checked “Herded Sheep” and “Arrested Twins on the Same Day” off my copper scavenger hunt list.  Besides the wild and crazy, funny and surprising, I will also give you a taste of what the day-to-day is like for your typical small town copper.

I hope you find reading my stories as interesting as I did living them.

– Officer Taylor Andy