THREAD: it was the first job I got paid for, and I paid a family debt.(/) http://on.wsj.com/2KJeTbj 
@nglinsman @amlivemon @chigrl @RobertMCutler @DukeMarcude @eshow1969

In Italy, there is a famous branch of the Army, the Carabinieri, which has duties of military police and also policing the Country, especially outside towns: (2/) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizzazione_territoriale_dell%27Arma_dei_Carabinieri

Being the Army, it still had in 1986 a sizeable conscript contingent, which was formed by normal conscripts volunteering and passing a selection, about which I remember very little. But on February 6th 1986, your truly was enlisted.(3/)

I had personal reasons: My paternal grandfather was of poor farming stock, five brothers. One remained on the land, three went abroad (to Argentina, which was eldorado then) and my grandfather enlisted. as an adult he had grammar school.(4/)

He worked by day, studied by night, got an additional school level in order to be able to enter NCO school. He was picked and he passed, which meant being plucked out of poverty, and allowing his two sons to study, both medicine. (5/)

He passed away when my father was still in high school. There was a Widows and Orphan association of the service that cared for him and he went on to become a doctor, and later a board member of that organization.(6/)

Yet, as a doctor, he could not enlist. there was a shortage of those and you either did Military medic or nothing. In the end, he did not even have to go. So when I was under conscription there was still this moral debt to be paid, happily and gladly (7/)

All this rambling to say this: there is always a MORAL, more than a legal plane in police work. You are at the ragged edge of the blade, where you meet the weak, the bad, and the downright ugly.(8/)

Being long in the tooth by then (I was older than my Lieutenant, we became friends) I realized that there *is* a common law at the end of the line. The Carabinieri of old knew (and taught) that you must strive to do the "right" thing and BE SEEN to do it. Easier times. (9/)

So when I read this article it touched a chord for me. You are required to take difficult decisions very fast under stress. Those who judge you don't even bother to replicate the same time strain, let alone stress. Imagine a court incident with a ten second countdown. (10/)

Moreover at the time the corp still did Court duty. I heard things said by lawyers that would have gotten an ordinary citizen laughed out of town. So I am not saying "Hug a cop", but try thinking what his job is.