Wrote by Trooper Michael Eckhardt when he was still at the APD! **Language warning**

This was wrote by Michael Eckhardt on his myspace back when he was still working at the APD. Still true today and is exactly how I feel! Thanks for speaking your mind Mike!



I would really like some feedback on this from everyone if I could. I have noticed recently that due to the local police doing their jobs, people are getting pissed off. There are numerous websites that say there are former law enforcement officers who say legalize all drugs (prove they were really cops,the sites are not from a credible source) stop prohibition, and there are even some who say that the local law enforcement violates peoples rights here locally, and that we are picking on them. They say that there is no victims to drug use, that the ending of prohibition is what will save our nation, and so on. First I would like to say that the argument on prohibition ending would relinquish power from drug lords and dealers to the governments hands would control who is able to get/use the drugs, and keep them out of youngsters hands. First example on this line of BS. PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION. How on earth (if marijuana, meth, cocaine, and so on is legalized if prescription meds, alcohol, and tobacco is a problem with all ages), does one presume that they can control newly legalized things. Oh I know make the laws stricter. NO. Then everyone will bitch about the laws on it being too strict, and that it is now their freedom to use it however they want and at whatever age they want. When people bitch about the legalization of narcotics, they only look at the one side, and that is the side that benefits whatever they want. And as I learned a long time ago, if you want a valid and solid argument, you have to look at both sides. But there are even older people who are still to immature to understand this. I understand they think that it is a victimless crime, and that if they want to get high, that it is their perrogitave. Thats fine and all, but what do you see in most poverty stricken homes, or better yet, WHY they are poor, or they have lost their kids, or their kids have no electricity, no clean clothes, and their teeth are rotted? A majority of the time the parents are addicted to drugs, and their children come second, or not at all, to their chemical dependancy. That is the victim....society, chidren, people who want a safe neighborhood. Drugs are statistically shown to raise crime rates, is associted with guns, rape and so on. Look at alcohol, after prohibition ended, did it really fix anything? look how many deaths there are each year from alcohol related incidents.....now add narcotics to that. It is scary. Also people think there are no hard criminals in Alva. There are. A lot of people simply don't know everything that goes on. They would have to take the time to put down the pipe, and get out into the real world. Work, and be productive people.

My next gripe is simple......why do people think that it is the law enforcement that makes drugs illegal. Evidently their brainis too fucking fried to understand that police enforce the laws, not make them. If they want crap to change, don't accuse the police of being corrupt because your dumass got caught and you don't want to blame yourself, and it is just easier to blame the police. Change the laws by talking to our lawmakers. Once again, police don't make the laws. Police are not perfect either. Thats all I see hear about is that "yeah that dumass cop locked his keys in his car" or " did you see that Officer Joe got into a car wreck, hes supposed to be the one who is making our streets safe". Police are people too. Every human makes mistakes. How many times have you or a close friend locked themselves out of their car? Its because your human. You never hear about the Officer that solved someones problem, or worked an auto accident. Who else would do it? What about the Officer that found your runaway child? What about the one that simply listened to your problem and seemed genuinely concerned? How often fo you hear that? NEVER. Its because people would rather bitch than be thankful for what they do have.

On my final note, if you want to do drugs, fine. Just dont bitch if you get caught. It was your own dumass that got you into the mess, get yourself out. Dont look for anyone to blame but yourself. I am not going to argue that yes there are bad cops out there. ONes that kill, steal, rape and so on......but before calling someone a bad cop, get proof, 9 times out of 10 your going to deal with a good person who is just doing their job.

A job well done

First of all let me start by saying that being a Police Officer is at most time not a very rewarding job. This last week a person had some guns stolen and thru good police work done by several agency the guns have been found and there are people behind bars. It feels really good when things finally work out for the good guys! There are so many times that stolen things are never recovered and the people are never caught and it begins to get you down. You begin to suspect everyone and forget that there are still good people out there. I feel very rewarded this week because of a job well done! I am proud of those who helped, you know who you are!!

My rant about this weather!

Okay so if you live in Oklahoma and watched the news today, you saw the ice storm 2010! What makes me mad about all this is all day long News Channel 4 says that we were getting snow and there was more to come. Well Ryleigh kept hearing that we were getting snow and would run to the window and be disappointed!! Not only that, if there is anything going on in the City we are just out of luck about getting information about us. It just makes me mad! I understand that there are a lot of people in the City and I have no problem with that being there top priority, but at least give us a mention every once in a while and when you do make sure your information is right!

Pictures of 2009

I have made a slideshow of some of my favorite pictures that I have take in 2009. Tell me what you think.

If the slideshow is taking forever to load back out of the blog and then come back. Not real sure why its doing that, but this should help.

Buying some cows

Okay so the next step in my new adventure of being a "farmer" is buying a couple of cows. This should prove to be quite the experience for me, I've never been to a sale.

Anyway I still don't know if anyone looks at this blog, so if you do please leave a comment with your name on this post!

Wish me luck!


--->So I went to the sale and when I got there it was over. The owner said it was his last sale and everyone went home! So NO COWS FOR NOW!

Farmer Ben

So my father-in-law introduced me to home grown beef when I married into the family and I hate to eat anything store bought. That being said, I'm almost out of beef! So Dad and I decided that we would build a corral and buy a couple of calves to feed them out. So I went to Denny and Vickie's (my in-law's house) and helped Dad build the corral. I got to set corner posts, weld steel posts together, stretch barbed wire and even drive the tractor, when I could get Mason away from the wheel. I felt like a real farmer! I would love to have some land of my own (Marissa and I's dream). Anyway I got home tonight and feel like I have really accomplished something! Hopefully I can buy a couple of steers at the sale tomorrow!

Marathon

So for my first post, after the post telling you I am back, I want to tell you about my latest quest. My brother, who runs most every day, has talked me into running the OKC marathon.

If you want to learn more about it the website is http://www.okcmarathon.com/

So anyway I am only running the half and haven't even really committed to that other than giving my brother my word, which I would like to believe is still good for something. So I started running. I ran the first time 01/14/10 and ran 3/4 of a mile before giving in to the pain. It took me 12 minutes. Last night I was bound and determined to run 1.5 miles, which I did and it took me 19 minutes so I am improving. Tonight I am going for 2 miles and would like to see is in around 23 minutes. I will let you know how that goes.

If you are asking yourself, why in the world is he doing this, well I can answer that in a few short words. The number 3 killer of cops is heart attacks. I want to do everything I can do to spend more time with my family even if that means running!

Inspired

Okay so I've been reading thru some other peoples blog including my niece Chels's which is, http://chelseadartlon.wordpress.com/ (side note, she is an amazing writer and you should check her blog out and tell her I sent you) and it inspired me to write my own blog. I told Marissa about wanting to write on a blog again and she said use the one you've already got, so here it goes.

Just so you know a lot of things have changed in my life since the last time I wrote on this blog, such as kids growing up and becoming the Assistance Chief of Police at the Alva Police Department. So my post will more then likely be completely different then they were before. Oh and btw, I am a cop not an English teacher so yes there will be lots of mistakes and there is no need for you to point them out!

He's here!!

and he is quite the big boy!!

10 lbs 2 oz and 22 inches long!!

He is completely different from his older PROUD sister!

39 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's ready to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) Your baby's organs are fully developed and in place, and the outer layers of skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

38 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby has really fattened up. She likely weighs between 6 and 7 1/2 pounds now (boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls), and she's probably between 19 and 20 inches long. She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test with your pinky! Her organs are fully developed and in place, but her lungs and brain — though developed enough for her to function now — will continue to mature right through childhood.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If your baby is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

How your life's changing:
It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. Take it easy through the day — this may be your last opportunity to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too. Though she's crowded, she should still be active.

Swelling of your feet is normal in these last weeks, but if you notice any swelling of your hands or face, sudden weight gain, persistent or severe headaches, blurry vision or spots before your eyes, or upper abdominal pain, call your practitioner right away, because these are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

37 weeks

How your baby's growing: Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.

Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children are born blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

You may be getting a lot more Braxton Hicks contractions now, and they may last longer and be more uncomfortable.

Just a walk down memory lane!

These pictures are from Christmas 2003. Marissa and I drove up to Battleground and spent the Holidays with my Jo, Ash, Chels, and A. We had a great time, I wish we could do it again!

36 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if she isn't in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:
While your baby continues to grow and crowd your internal organs, you may find that you're not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to drop down lower in your pelvis. This dropping — called lightening or engagement — is more likely to happen before labor if this is your first baby. When it does, though, you may feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, making walking increasingly uncomfortable. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs, or as if the baby is going to fall out. (Don't worry, she won't!)

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Be sure to review with your practitioner exactly when and where to call her when you think your labor has started. As a general rule, you should call when you start having regular contractions coming every five minutes for about an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you're not yet 37 weeks and have signs of preterm labor. You should also call without delay if your water breaks (or if you even think you're leaking amniotic fluid), if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity, or if you have any bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying during your final month, when you're more likely to go into labor. In fact, many airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within seven or sometimes 30 days of the flight.

Because I was pushed! Thanks Jess!

Last week Jess reminded me that I haven’t posted in a while so Jess this ones for you.

The question was brought up this last weekend, “how can a merciful, loving God send people to hell.” Well here is my answer to that.

The Bible says that God prepared hell for the devil and his demonic cohorts (Matthew 25:41 ), that He is "...not wishing for any [person] to perish but for all to come to repentance ." ( II Peter 3:9 ), we know this even as little children memorizing (John 3:16) ,”For God so loved the world the He send his only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall not parish but have everlasting life.” God has done everything possible to save us from that terrible, terrible place. Yet in the end God will not violate or overrule the deliberate choice of those who consciously and willfully turn away and reject Him.

God has chosen to give the human race free will, We make our own choices, God is not like the puppet master pulling our strings making us do everything he wants us to do!

God does not send people to hell, as a matter of fact God does everything He can to keep you out of hell. The bible tells us that everyone will hear the message of God and His Love, “no rock will be left unturned.” If a person goes to hell, it is because they have chosen to reject God.

35 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds and is just over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

How your life's changing: Your uterus — now up under your ribs — has expanded to about 15 times its original volume, and you may feel like you've run out of room! If you could peek inside your uterus, you'd see that there's much less amniotic fluid and much more baby in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your internal organs too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and have heartburn and other digestive problems. If you don't have these problems, you're one of the lucky few.

Your doctor or midwife will probably want to start seeing you every week until you deliver. She may ask you to count fetal movements, to track your baby's activity level.

34 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.
How your life's changing: You may be feeling a little fatigued lately, and that's perfectly understandable. Let yourself slow down and save some energy for labor day. If you have to spend a lot of time on your feet, try wearing a maternity belt that supports your abdomen and helps redistribute some of the weight. And if you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, which may cause a temporary (but rapid) drop in your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy when you get up.

Big Girl Bed

Ryleigh's bed was turned into a toddler bed last night since I'm getting too big to be able to lift her over the side of her bed and put her down. She seemed to like it, she crawled back in this morning and said that she was going to take a nap instead of getting dressed.

Exodus 3000

Marissa found a new game and it seems pretty cool. You play like 250 moves per day and earn Mars Dollars that can be transfered to real money and/or prizes. You can also win prizes just by playing the game. Click the banner below and check it out!

33 weeks

How your baby's growing: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. His skin is becoming less red and wrinkled, and while most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined.

How your life's changing: You may be feeling some aches and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can swell, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" end up pinched, creating numbness, tingling, shooting or burning pain, or a dull ache. Try wearing a brace or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or assembly line, for example), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks.

If you're having trouble sleeping at night, try wedging a pillow between your legs and behind your back. If that doesn't help, try sleeping in a semi-upright position, with several pillows behind your head (or sleep in a recliner!). If frequent trips to the bathroom are robbing you of your zz's, cut back on fluids by late afternoon or evening.