Did a "Ride-A-Long" With My Rookie Policeman Son on a Visit to Ohio. Ken Ham's Creation Museum, too

With his Chief's permission I did a "Ride-A-Long" with my rookie policeman son.

As a new, official, part-time officer with a small Ohio village (town) police department, he is an unpaid volunteer, though officially hired. He's mid-20s.

Like other young officers he is gaining valuable experience, while working a "day job" also, at a large retail chain, to put food on the table.

The rules for the ride-a-long are strict. Under no circumstances was I to interfere in any way with the police work.

After a few minor pull-overs, he got a rather important and interesting call.

Parents, with an over-the-counter marijuana testing kit, had found a positive test on their 13 year old son. They seemed to want the police to "do something."

As we headed to the address, my son said there are calls where he does not know exactly what to do - kind of play-it-by-ear situations.

It was a touchy situation, with parents upset, with some risk of some physical altercations, an unruly 13 year old, younger children looking out of the windows.

My son wisely called for "assistance." One sheriff deputy arrived, then another.

I can understand the parent's deep concern not only for their young son, but for the bad precedent he might set in the eyes of the younger children.

We guessed that they wanted their son arrested, to teach him a lesson.

But, in the end, the parents were advised to go to the courthouse, on the next business day, and file "unruly child" charges against their 13 son. How very very sad!

I do have one other "war story" from my "ride-a-long" that I share at the end of this web page.

I could not help but compare this sad situation with the pride and thanksgiving I rightfully have in my own successful son sitting next to me in that patrol car.

I mentioned in the title that we toured Ken Ham's superb Creation Museum near Cincinnati, OH, while there.

My son, his wife and their own young son, and my wife and I made the tour.

Mr. Ham personally addressed us in an audience session.

He said, that very sadly, 2/3 of young folks grow up to leave the church.

Someone said that some later return, but this is still a horrible attrition rate.

His main argument -- parents and churches, MUST NOT just tell kids "bible stories."

We MUST teach kids the tremendous scientific evidences and arguments that prove to them that these are not just "stories," but are indeed, historical facts and truths.

We MUST win them to the realization that we are giving them THE TRUTH, -- NOT, -- just Dad and Mom's religion.

I thank God we were able to do this with our five, now grown up and successful children. See my page - How Well Did I Do Raising My Kids?

Ken Ham also mentioned their homeschooling curriculum which incorporates Bible and Creation Science, together. Ken Ham is founder and president of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum.

Parents must make every effort to keep kids away from evil, corrupting, company, and media including public schools.

New Testament passage 1 Corinthians 15 shows that bad company corrupts good morals:

³²If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

³³Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (Communications means bad company be it media, persons, or whatever)

³⁴Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Psalm 1 stresses the tremendous benefits of a strong intake of God's word and avoiding all forms of bad company and teachings:

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

²But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

³And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

⁴The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

By God's grace we were able to home-school, but I realise many folks cannot.

But, it is imperative that parents make every effort to minimize their child's contact with evil people and teachings.

I am still trying to figure out if I should Pray and Trust God? OR Buy ID Theft Protection, & Home Security System?

But here's a thought I had during an incident during the ride-a-long with my police officer son.

On the ride-a-long a call came in that a "duress alarm" was being recieved from someone's residence.

On the radio I heard the dispatcher in the background talking to his supervisor who said, well, call the alarm company.

I'm thinking OH NO! -- They are going to take the time to determine if the alarm is likely real or a system bug.

I'm thinking -- if I had a home security system - and it signals trouble in my house - to the authorities - exactly what response will I get?

Seemed like perhaps 5 minutes, maybe even 10 before before they finally decided to send my son to check out the situation.

It seemed like 5-10 miles to the location.

Of course it was a golden opportunity for my son to "stomp on it," put the peddle to the metal, lights flashing -- no siren because this was 2 am in this sleepy rural country - the PD doesn't want to wake folks up.

Any way, the live-in house sitter had let the dog out to do its business, without de-activating the alarm.

So, no burgler, or home invasion, but -- I though again about home secuity systems.

With more and more folks putting in security systems, one must wonder if $ strapped PDs, like small town, OH, or big cities for that matter, will have the resources to respond in a timely manner, or will even bother.

My wife got an interesting tip off the TV -- always have your car keys on the bed stand -- that way, if you have a prowler, you can hit your car's horn honking button on your key chain -- a thought -- to scare the guy away.

The Old Testament passage Proverbs chapter 3:5,6 is one of my favorites:

⁵Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

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