The recent pairing of two respected and By the Book Los Angeles police officers has proven to be as effective and productive as it is utterly unentertaining.
Sgts. Anthony Natale and Chris Phillips are both highly decorated policemen who share a similar approach to police work that stresses a strict adherence to procedure and protocol. They each also completely lack anything that could be remotely mistaken for flair or edginess.
We both play by the rules, Phillips said, Neither of us is what you would call a loose cannon, which is good, because that means were always on the same page.
The two officers were teamed up two months ago by their loud and overbearing chief who informed them that he didnt want to hear any bitching (about the partnership) he simply wanted them to make it work.
And make it work they did. As a team, they have quickly compiled an impressive record of thorough and aboveboard arrests, all while totally avoiding amusing occurrences and situations.
We get along great, Natale said, We pretty much agree with each other on everything. We both listen to the same types of music and wear the same conservative style of clothes. Neither of us is a slob and we both arrive punctually for work each morning. We really couldnt be less mismatched.
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That is not to say that the duo does not occasionally find themselves in potentially entertaining situations from time to time, as they did last Tuesday:
The other day, this drug runner led us on a chase all the way to the state line, explained Phillips, Just as he crossed it, he stopped his car and got out to taunt us and call us Stupid Pigs. He said that there was no way that we could arrest him because he was a few feet out of our jurisdiction. Tony and I knew that legally speaking, he was right. According to California Police Code 660-2B, we werent allowed to touch him. We called Nevada police to make the collar, but by the time they arrived the perpetrator was already long gone. Oh well, we followed procedure.
Neither Phillips nor Natale is haunted by a traumatic past, such as the violent murder of a loved one, that would drive them over the edge psychologically, thereby causing erratic and action-packed behavior while on duty.
Nope, were both married with kids, and everyones fine, Natale beamed, Would you like to see pictures?
The pair have not as of yet caused any damage to police or city property with renegade antics or superseded the law by inappropriately arresting suspects based on gut instincts rather than hard evidence.
We never act without a warrant, Phillips said, and as long as our jobs continue to be this even-keeled and uneventful, neither of us is getting too old for this shit.
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