Day 36
Posted on: June 2, 2004No comments yet
| When Jed said that we were stopping in Visalia, California, Kevin, Branic, and I all thought, “Why?” We had never heard of the town before, much less understand why we were stopping there. We found out that in the tiny town, we were going to meet with Richard Bean, the first and only Deaf volunteer police patrolman in the United States.
No sooner than when we parked the RV and stepped outside were we greeted by a strong 6′2″ man with a state-trooper mustache and the biggest grin I had ever seen in my life. The “R. Bean,” he points to with a smile. Naturally, the first thing we ask is why he doesn’t have a gun. I wanted to cut right to the fun stuff. Richard chuckles as if I was an excited third grader and explains that volunteers are not allowed to carry firearms while on the job, so he has to leave his Glock at home every time he comes to work. “Your Glock?” I quickly reply. “Yep! |
middle-aged man welcomed my outstretched hand with a firm handshake that would have crushed my three middle fingers had he not put the brakes on when he saw me grimace. He wears crisp black pants and polished black boots as well as an official volunteer police officer uniform that is complimented with a badge and name tag. 
