Philosophical Man in Blue

When a police officer chronicles their profession, one usually expect a fair amount of cops and robbers, good guys and bad guys. Some action, some drama, some excitement. Not a lot of intense reflection.

Unless you're Phil.

Phil, last name not given, is a patrol officer in Los Angeles. Hardly the easiest city to protect and serve. Yet he does so, taking time to record his thoughts on Twitter and his blog.

Phil writes with a dry wit that at first glance can come off as disaffected, yet upon further review reveals a level of thought seldom seen. He doesn't blog often, but when he does it's a treasure trove of expressed ideas and philosophy. For example:

The content of what I'm writing, the idea I'm toying with, is all expressed in the words you're reading on this page. And yet, imagine if I stripped out every period, comma, and paragraph spacing. Imagine how tedious and frustrating it would be to read without punctuation. Our holidays, whichever we choose, are the punctuation in our years. They are the pauses, the breaths, the dividers and emphasizers in our lives.

Another post talks about the futility of seeking revenge:

I think some people I deal with crave any form of power or control they can find in their own spheres of influence (in fact, this phenomenon takes place in various forms in any class or culture, I'm sure). The victim suffered a lack of control in being victimized, but in stoking the fires of a grudge, they've suddenly transformed it into power. They're the ones pulling their own strings now and the more passion they can wring from the offense, the longer they can keep that illusion of control.

Phil doesn't post very often in his blog: two, maybe three times a month. Each one, though, is a gem. Can't recommend his writing enough.