First up, two (auxiliary?) officers directing traffic… in concert with a perfectly working streetlight. So as the light changed, so did their whistle-blowing and hand waving. Useful somehow, I am sure. Or so I am telling myself, so I do not believe that I tolerated six hours of shrill whistle-blowing for nothing.
Next up, several of the boys in blue camped out chewing the fat next to the Holiday Market on F just off 7th street. There were actually another 4 uniformed officers in the immediate area, though they actually walked around a bit. Also there were no less than 14 people in the yellow POLICE vests – I presume they were police auxiliary, as they were not armed. Somehow those 20 plus people managed to keep the 300 by 30 foot stretch safe without additional reinforcements.
They also managed to do a good job of impeding the ability of the fire truck to come by on their way between the 6th street station and wherever they were going. With one lane blocked off for the market and the other blocked by the parked police car and van, they didn’t get there fast, but eventually one of the auxiliary managed to wave some of the cars in the oncoming lanes over to the side so the engine could get by. Thankfully it’s not like a minute or two of delay could do more than kill a few folks and burn down someone’s home.
Last up, more of the auxiliary cops. They were doing a good job processing oxygen into carbon dioxide, I’m not sure what else they were accomplishing.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs