Chapter 20: FTO Plainclothes Day Concludes

"Please state your name and your stepfather's name."

"My name is Assel Grant, and my stepfather is Jasim Grant."

"Do you know where he went? How did he leave? Did he drive?"

"I don't know where he went, but he has an F-150 Crew Cab."

Jimmy called the dispatch center on his radio to request an ambulance. Ten minutes later, the paramedics arrived, took charge of the injured victim, and transported him to the hospital.

Returning to his patrol car, Jimmy filed his report. He requested that dispatch verify Jasim Grant's information and check for any records associated with his pickup truck.

While waiting in the patrol car, Jimmy noticed a Ford pickup approaching. He wasn't yet familiar with all vehicle models and couldn't be certain if it was Jasim's.

The truck pulled up in front of the patrol car—it was indeed Jasim's house. A man stepped out of the driver's side, stumbling slightly. Jimmy got out of his car and shouted, "Pulaski County Sheriff's Office! Stop!"

Jasim glanced at Jimmy and continued walking toward the house.

"Stop, Jasim! Get on the ground and put your hands up!"

After the warning, seeing that Jasim still didn't stop, Jimmy walked over and grabbed his right arm. Jasim jerked his hand away, breaking Jimmy's grip. "Who the hell are you? Get the hell off my property!"

Jasim appeared severely intoxicated, completely ignoring Jimmy's uniform. Deciding against further negotiation, Jimmy grabbed Jasim's arm, stepped back, twisted it behind his back, took him to the ground, and cuffed him.

"Jasim Grant, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, we will provide one for you. Do you fully understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

Jimmy recited the Miranda warning while Jasim was still on the ground. After a quick search, he pulled Jasim up and placed him in the cage in the back of the patrol car.

"Adam 47 reporting: suspect Jasim is in custody. Case closed."

***

Jimmy and Noah drove back to the station. After booking Jasim, Jimmy filled out the incident report, adding a charge for driving under the influence in addition to the assault.

They went back out for a short patrol before their shift ended.

"Noah, give me a summary. How did I do today?"

"Overall, you did alright, but you had two moments where you endangered your life."

"The first was when you caught the robber. During the pursuit, you need to pay attention to your surroundings—especially in places like parks where there are many people. You need to watch for accomplices and potential threats. You should have had your weapon drawn before entering the park."

"The second time was catching the drunk. Before approaching him, you need to determine if he has a gun, which you didn't check at all. We can't predict the actions of an intoxicated person; if he had been armed, you would have been shot the moment you stepped up to him."

"However, congratulations on successfully passing your FTO plainclothes day."

Jimmy let out a long breath. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. He had been patrolling for days, but being suddenly tasked with handling a case on his own had been incredibly stressful.

"That's great, Noah! What’s the plan for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? You'll be patrolling solo. Be careful. You won't have a safety line this time, so remember to prioritize your own safety above all else."

"What about my training? Is my apprenticeship over?"

"Yes. Congratulations."

"Alright, I guess I'll have to book the shooting range myself from now on."

Jimmy returned to his apartment. Ever since he quit his job at the restaurant, he had to figure out his own lunch and dinner. The food truck that parked by the station was only there at noon, and by the afternoon, it was gone. Dinner usually consisted of pizza, burgers, or hot dogs bought on the road.

He opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, turned on the TV, and began his evening unwind.

***

Television had become Jimmy's most important source of external information. He had been so busy before—especially while working at the restaurant, where he wouldn't get home until 11:00 PM—that he had almost no time to keep up with the world.

These days as a police officer were his most leisurely times. Coming home after a shift to watch the news helped him stay informed about what was happening elsewhere in the United States and helped him deduce what kind of world he was actually living in.

Fortunately, nothing particularly familiar had appeared in the news. He hadn't seen any signs of massive corporations like Stark Industries or Umbrella. If he had ended up in a world like *Resident Evil*, as he’d read in novels before, he would have been doomed.

For the past while, he and Noah had been on the day shift, a special consideration from the captain. Given the current staffing levels, working the night shift was standard.

He figured his luck wouldn't last much longer. Tomorrow, he would be patrolling alone, and in all likelihood, he would be moved to rotating shifts like the other officers within a few days.

The next morning, Jimmy arrived at the station and received good news: today was Friday, payday. He had just learned that the department paid every two weeks. Since the money he had previously withdrawn hadn't been deposited into a bank account yet, he decided to use this opportunity to open one.

To add a bit of context regarding the salaries of American police: for recruits fresh out of the academy, the first-year salary is generally low. It depends on the economic level of the city; large, economically prosperous cities usually pay more. However, there are exceptions. For example, in New York, while 2000 data is unavailable, using 2021 as a reference, entry-level police in Los Angeles or San Francisco might start at over $60,000, reaching $70,000—a middle-class income. But in New York, it was only $35,000, totaling around $40,000 a year, which is quite miserable given the cost of living there. Another example: Mississippi, one of the poorest states, where a rookie in the Jackson Police Department might only make $25,000, an annual salary of $30,000.

Arkansas is also one of the poorest states in the U.S., usually ranking fourth or fifth from the bottom, a position that had remained largely unchanged for decades. Therefore, Jimmy's salary was based on the Mississippi standard.

Since Jimmy's background was a blank slate, his entry-level salary in his third year was set at $35,000, or about $20 an hour, just over $40,000 annually.

The police department offered many benefits, including annual leave, sick leave, insurance, and medical coverage, which were far too complex to list in detail.

There were two ways to calculate overtime pay: either by multiplying the overtime hours by 1.5 to calculate daily wages, or by accumulating the overtime hours to trade for paid leave, which was also typically calculated at a 1.5 rate. However, different departments had different regulations, such as caps on how much paid leave could be accrued in a year.