Behind the Badge - Sorry Kid
Sorry, Kid
District Game Warden Jerad Bluem
On a summer afternoon, I found myself at the Alkaline Lake boat ramp. It was a typical day of both boat safety and fishing compliance checks. A boat pulled out of the water and a compliance check was conducted. This father and son team had caught their walleye for the day and were on the up and up with their boat safety equipment. The son, being rather young, was pretty shy. As his father was strapping down the boat for transport, he prompted his son to ask what a game warden does. The young man was blunt and to the point. “So, what do you do?”
I took the time and explained in detail that we are the police of the hunting, fishing and trapping world. I explained it is our job to protect those resources so that someday he could take his son fishing at this same lake. His eyes lit up and suddenly was no longer shy or quiet. He had all kinds of questions about the job and my duty belt. After I answered all those questions he asked where my police car was? I pointed across the parking lot to my new, fully outfitted patrol truck. I had just picked it up within the last two weeks. His eyes got even bigger and he asked his dad If he could go see it? His dad asked if that would be OK and I agreed. He especially wanted to see the lights and hear the siren.
I had him stand back a little bit and hit the switch for the lights. The light on the control panel lit up but there were no lights. I reactivated the same switch with the same result … NO LIGHTS! I had him plug his ears and pushed the button for the siren. NO SIREN! By now I was losing the smile, and you could tell the youngster was becoming suspicious of when this show was going to start? I couldn’t explain it.
The truck was new and I had just tested all these systems. With my head hung low and a badge sticker in my hand, I had to face the music. I walked up and explained to both dad and son it was a new truck, and something had gone wrong. Neither system was working. Dad understood but the youngster did not. He looked me right in the eyes and said, “I thought you were a real police officer!” Crushed I handed him the sticker and pled my case. It seemed to help a bit, and everyone walked away with a greater understanding of what a game warden does.
As they left, I must have frantically flipped that switch a hundred times hoping for the lights to turn on. They didn’t and an appointment was made to correct the wiring issue. By now he’s likely a teenager and has hopefully forgiven me. It’s my hope the education provided that day about what we do outweighs the lights and sirens not working and hope that young man is still out enjoying the great outdoors.