9.10.11

Before I made the move to Phoenix PD (about 7 years ago), I went on a ride-along with a good friend of mine, Amber. I went to the academy with Amber and she worked in Phoenix on a 3rd shift squad.  I was very excited to go with her...since I knew my move was coming very soon I wanted to get a glimpse of my future.  We ate dinner that night at a 24 hour pizza place at 16th street and Glendale.  One of the guys on Amber's squad ate with us.  His name was Chris Stone...he had been on several calls with us that night and was someone I could see myself being good friends with.  He was just a likable, funny guy.


After the ride-along, I was invited to go out with Amber and her group of friends (mostly from her squad or precinct) several times.  Chris was always there...so were a lot of other people I still consider friends.  And so began a life-long friendship.

I made my lateral move to Phoenix and ended up at the Squaw Peak Precinct...the same precinct my new friends worked out of.  Amber had been transferred to another precinct...and funny enough...I ended up on the squad she had been on prior to her transfer.  Chris, and a few others, had moved to another squad too, but remained in the same precinct.  Luckily, that squad was in the squad area just next to mine and we all worked about the same hours.


We all remained friends and continued to spend our off hours together and worked on the same squad for quite some time.  Over the years, Chris has become a very good friend of mine (well...ours) and he is someone we love very much.  He is someone you can always depend on...he is trustworthy and I'd do anything for him or for his family.  I know Mike feels the same way.

The one constant in police work is that nothing remains constant. Some of our friends have been killed.  People move from detail to detail.  And then there was the rebid last year.  That major movement of all patrol officers and the opening of two new precincts changed everything.  In our line of work, some friends aren't seen for months...or years.  When you run into each other, it's always as if it were yesterday you worked with each other.  The best of friends make time after a move to spend time with each other, but we all know how quickly life moves.  We all get the texts or phone calls about each others life and the dangers we experience at work.  There are some bonds that can remain unbroken.


Fast forward a few years...

Last night we celebrated with Chris and his new Bride, Melissa, as they were married and started their new life together.  It was so much fun to see old friends and to see Chris so happy.  We have been lucky enough to get to know Melissa over the past 2-3 years...so we are already in love with her.  Melissa was a beautiful bride, and the wedding was a lot of fun...even from a chair.