The Cop at Lunch
Have you ever been sitting in a restaurant, minding your own business, when in walks a Lyon County deputy on his lunch break? You watch him struggling to squeeze into a booth. He barely fits with that belly and kevlar vest filled with cop gear. Once he gets awkwardly settled, you might see him scan the room with a stoic gaze. What’s going on in his head?
What if I told you I had an inside scoop on Lyon County deputies?
That Belly
Too many donuts, right?
Actually, the truth may be a bit deeper than over consumption or lack of exercise. In fact, the officer you’re watching read the restaurant menu, probably puts in more physical labor than you do on a daily basis. The vest alone, is pretty hot & heavy. So what’s going on?
Deep inside the brain of this officer, there’s a little part called the Amygdala. Its job is to regulate the fight or flight response, which is crucial for his line of work. In milliseconds, it can activate heart, eyes, hands, and feet to act in response to any threat. It’s what makes us all plant our feet and quickly turn around to face something, such as a sound of a text book unexpectedly hitting the floor of a quiet room.
As great as it is at keeping the officer alive in intense situations, cortisol comes with a price. Those many dangerous interactions over the years all created their own neural pathways. Unlike the ones created in 9th grade Algebra, the connections were made suddenly, and much stronger than anything learned in a classroom. This is the cause of countless triggers the deputy has to deal with at all times. If he previously served in the military, he has that added mental baggage to go with it. His sympathetic nervous system is hooked to a car battery.
WARNING: Cortisol can cause increased appetite, especially for high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar foods. Cortisol can cause the body to store fat in the abdominal area, also known as visceral fat, leading to cardiovascular disease. Cortisol can lead to insulin resistance, which makes it harder for the body to regulate blood sugar, increasing fat storage and weight gain. Chronic cortisol exposure can lead to muscle breakdown, which can slow metabolism and make it easier to gain weight. Other side effect include, but are not limited to: anxiety, depression, irritability, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, insomnia, reduced libido, slow wound healing, increased susceptibility to infections, pain and stiffness in the joints, kyphosis (hunching of the upper back), and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Considering the numerous cases of traumatic situations this deputy has dealt with over his career (or even earlier that day), it’s nearly impossible to shut off all those neural pathways that have hijacked his nervous system. Without routine self-care, all the experiences can pile up, and he could even become one of the 200 law enforcement officers who take their own lives every year.
As you see the Deputy finish up his lunch break, you see a random citizen approach his table to thank him for his service and offer to cover the lunch bill. The waitress seemed to give him extra attention. Dude probably gets a regular discount for the badge!
The officer struggles to wiggle himself and his gear back out of the restaurant booth then makes his way out of the dining room. Just short of the door, you see another random citizen stop him to to give a little speech about how he appreciates his service. You notice the officer’s response seems almost annoyed, as he nods at the stranger and makes his way out the door. Perhaps even all of these repetitive shows of appreciation can be a nuisance too. Considering he could be soon tasked with tackling and cuffing just about anyone at any time, coupled with the fact few people could even fathom what he’s really sacrificed over the years, the superficial praise is probably irritating. The free lunch however, is always appreciated. We all gotta eat!
As the officer drives off, paranoid NPC’s are driving at or below the speed limit. As NPC’s worry the law man is watching them drive, the officer is more likely talking to dispatch, and glancing at the cases showing up his laptop screen while he gets annoyed at you driving too slowly in the fast lane. He’s in Fernley right now, and he’s got stuff to do in Yerington… GTFO of his way!
M.O.S.T. of What I Know
In my short career as a community health worker contracted to Lyon County’s Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST), I got to spend some hours in the back of a deputy’s vehicle as we went to meet people in their lowest times. While I certainly didn’t get enough on-the-job experience to make me an expert on anything, I did gain a better understanding of what it’s like for sworn officers.
In 2024, I participated in Crisis Intervention Training at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, where I spent a week in a class filled with assorted levels of sworn officers from multiple counties. From those days of presentations, exercises, and candid conversations that I’d never experience anywhere else, my biggest takeaway was how many burdens and fears they carry. They’ve seen things, and they know that every day at work could be their last. They are the ones who have to face the monsters of society, and something as simple as opening a little Tupperware container with fentanyl dust in it could send them to the grave.
On top of it all, cops are not allowed to have panic attacks or breakdowns. One moment of weakness could mean the end of a career, and they are tested with every call they answer. As an added bonus, they get d-bags who’ll drive all the way from San Fransisco to be provocative, shoving cameras in their face, hoping to catch a deputy slipping for their YouTube channel.
What Can We Citizens Do?
Want to take some burden off those who protect and serve? BE GOOD. Don’t get drunk in public, keep your hands to yourselves, and don’t drive like an idiot. Really we all would appreciate that.
If you do slip up and get in trouble, even at the point you are being detained, be cooperative. Realize this officer is a human being who is looking forward to a beer and BBQ on his or her day off, just like you. They may not be your friend at that moment, but there is no need to escalate. If you’re going to jail, don’t be a raging A-hole about it.
Don’t call dispatch every time your neighbor plays his music too loudly in his garage. There are only so many deputies on shift at any given time, and there is a lot of miles between towns. Don’t call them over your pissing match, unless the neighbor dude starts waving a chainsaw around. In fact, I’d call as soon as you see him pull the starter rope.
Read Sheriff Pope’s weekly messages. He has been doing a great job of keeping the public informed through social media the whole time he’s been in office. Nobody likes everyone, so I’m sure someone would disagree, but he’s done an outstanding job all around from my perspective.
For Real Though, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
“I could never do what you do.” Officers, I’m sure you hear this a lot, so go ahead and roll your eyes as I say it. The C.I.T. classes gave me a glimpse of what you deal with, along with what you carry while off-duty. I admire those who hold it together, and I understand for those who couldn’t.
Take care of yourselves. Thank you for taking care of us.
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