Jimmy returned to the police station and, after reporting back from his leave, continued his mundane studies. For someone like Jimmy, stable and uneventful days were the best kind.
During work hours, he stayed on call at the station, ready to offer support while also having ample time to study. If he felt tired, he could practice his reloading skills. Jimmy really loved these days; the harsh sunlight couldn't reach him, the air conditioning was on full blast, and no other job was this relaxing.
After work, whether it was working out or going out for leisure, Jimmy gradually became more like a local. In his spare time, he revisited the military boxing and combat skills he'd briefly learned in his previous life. Although he hadn't mastered them initially, now as a police officer, some degree of physical prowess was necessary for his safety.
As the police department divided into different divisions, headquarters didn't need to worry about issues that the divisions could handle, so Jimmy hadn't even seen Cage and the others lately.
By October, the weather started to cool down as autumn arrived. The number of officers in each division had increased, and some of the new officers who had undergone practical training had started to patrol independently.
For veteran officers like Jimmy, the biggest benefit was having enough staff for shifts, allowing their work hours to slowly return to the normal 40 hours per week; that is, 8-10 hours per day, not exceeding 12 hours, and 4-5 days per week. They had more rest than before, though of course, the downside was that their overtime pay was reduced.
Previously, the standard work week was 40 hours, but the actual hours worked could be 60 or more. Jimmy used to work 12-hour shifts, 5-6 days a week. Any hours worked beyond that were paid as overtime, usually at 1.5 times the rate.
Moreover, night shift police officers earned slightly more than day shift officers—a difference of about 5% to 10%, depending on the police department. Thus, many officers were willing to work overtime or adjust their schedules to earn extra.
Called back for overtime after hours, the rules varied depending on the length of time since the last shift or before the next one began. Here are two examples, not universal but generally applicable:
One, if Jimmy worked the evening shift, starting at 6 PM, and then was asked to come back to the station after 2 PM for overtime until 4 PM, the overtime hours would be calculated directly from 2 PM to 6 PM.
Second, if Jimmy worked the day shift and got off at 6 PM, then was called back at 8 PM and worked until midnight, the overtime hours would be directly calculated from 6 PM to midnight.
Jimmy was earning extra income, so he really didn't want to volunteer for overtime just for the sake of extra pay. However, since his current role was with the Support Team, his working hours were naturally longer than others—this was passive overtime, about which Jimmy didn't complain. When he wasn't out supporting others, his job was incredibly easy, which he really enjoyed.
Lately, Jimmy's calls to duty were mostly mundane matters such as assisting the State Police with highway stops or supporting other officers at crime scenes. This was normal for police work.
According to statistics, violent crime cases only accounted for 4-5% of police work. The rest of the time was spent responding to 911 calls or on routine patrol, dealing with day-to-day matters and non-violent cases.
Violent crimes included murder, rape, shootings, kidnappings, and other serious offenses.
For cases that Patrol Officers could handle on their own, Jimmy was rarely needed for support. Recently, there weren't many shooting incidents, and the on-site officers or nearby support could handle them, so Jimmy didn't even get a chance to fire his weapon.
Since transitioning to a support role, Jimmy's paperwork had significantly decreased, but he had to do many more tasks than when he was a Patrol Officer.
These past few days, Jimmy was tragically stuck in a duty rotation at the local county court, where the Court Police (under the jurisdiction of the County Sheriff's Office, not the Federal Court Police) were short-staffed. So, Jimmy was dragged out to temporarily undertake the court's security tasks, including handling prisoner transfers that Court Police usually managed.
Those who frequently watch American dramas might have seen courtroom scenes with many Court Police standing around, maintaining order, escorting suspects in and out. Jimmy didn't need to enter the courtroom; his task was to handle security outside the courtroom, somewhat echoing the role of security at our local courts.
People who came to the courthouse were of all sorts: defendants attending hearings, their families and friends, spectators, and legal professionals like lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and juries…
These days had really opened Jimmy's eyes. The people he met while patrolling the streets or helping others handle cases were nothing compared to those he saw at the court.
He had encountered more than a few guys who, despite wearing suits, couldn't hide their scumbag aura.
There were others who went crazy in court, causing disturbances.
Some even smuggled drugs into the courtroom…
And some brought guns into the courtroom…
There were even bizarre cases where someone attacked Court Police and then tried to escape…
Apart from keeping Jimmy and his colleagues on their toes, these individuals failed to escape and ended up facing additional charges.
As the only Asian officer in the county police department, Jimmy was quite well-known within the police community. At least during his time at the court, there were no conflicts among the officers.
But it was different for those attending court hearings. Some scumbags daringly threw out discriminatory words or made offensive gestures right to his face. Jimmy didn't hold back; he promptly detained them and handed them over to the temporary court staff from the prosecutor's office. Though it wasn't very effective, at least it added charges, necessitating higher bail or a few more days of 'free accommodation.'
In public, Jimmy couldn't resort to much underhand stuff. Hoping to encounter them while on patrol was unrealistic since he wasn't patrolling anymore.
Of course, as a police officer, Jimmy still possessed all the authority of the police, including handing out traffic tickets when he was bored.
Being a Court Police officer was indeed a tough job, far less comfortable than when he was a Patrol Officer. When his rotation in the circuit court finally ended, Jimmy promptly returned to the police station, determined never to do such thing again.
If there were such security duties again, even swapping with someone from another division would do. It was better to roam the streets looking for troublemakers than to watch those scumbags in court, especially given the vulture-like lawyers who often managed to get sentences reduced or even secure acquittals.
Police attitudes towards lawyers were hardly friendly, since their work naturally put them on opposite sides.