This week I saw an officer who was growing a beard. He’s preparing for an undercover operation. It reminded me of an officer in a police department in this circuit who went the extra mile for all of us.

It seems that the jurisdiction was having problems with certain massage parlors where the treatment of the customers was a little too personal. One brave officer drew the assignment of entering the massage parlor with a microphone concealed under a bandage on his arm. He was to say the code words when the masseuse broke the law and a take-down team of officers would enter the room and arrest the violator. The code words were “John Wayne”.

The officer entered the room. He disrobed. He lay down on the table under a sheet. The masseuse came in and applied oils all over the officer. In the process, but unknown to anyone, she shorted out the microphone.

After awhile, the officer, his mission completed, said to the woman, “You know, my favorite actor is John Wayne.” Nobody came to his rescue.

The massage continued. Soon the officer said, “Yeah, I just love all of the John Wayne movies.” Still, no help.

Lawlessness was rampant by now. “John Wayne, John Wayne, John Wayne!” This time everybody on the block heard him.

The take-down team entered to find the unclothed officer wrestling to get handcuffs on the masseuse.

We really don’t pay these guys enough. The police officers, that is.