pjbooks Chapter 116 You Should Be the Sheriff
Chapter 116 You Should Be the Sheriff
Chapter 116 You Should Be the Sheriff
There was once a news story about two traffic police officers who stopped a car on the road and inadvertently stopped a vehicle involved in a case. They found a mountain of counterfeit gift cards in the trunk.
The case was classified as a major one, and the defendant's bail was set at a staggering $1.7 million.
Both of them were ecstatic. One said he wanted to be promoted to sheriff, and the other planned to work for the Secret Service.
This kind of risk-free performance is completely different from driving and shooting at high-ranking big shots on the street.
"Great, bro! Where exactly is this criminal den you're reporting hidden?" Sergeant Dave asked eagerly.
Ma Jieke remained silent, giving him a knowing look.
However, this small gesture immediately made Dave's face darken: "Kid, trying to play mind games with me? You think I don't know what you do? You led a bunch of people to cause chaos in SkidRow, getting hundreds of people into armed brawls in the streets, and even blinding a thug in one eye. The police know all about these trivial matters, they're just too lazy to care. If I wanted to arrest you, do you think you could escape?"
If it were an ordinary person, they would have wet their pants by now. It's not that the police are so powerful, but the homeless are naturally a vulnerable group.
Just like street vendors are afraid of urban management officers, 99% of urban management officers are temporary workers who are poorly paid, have a lot of work, and are often scapegoats. They are also considered low-level laborers, but in the context of society, this is the relationship between natural enemies and prey.
Faced with Dave's sudden change of attitude, MaJack remained calm and even more composed: "Don't get angry yet, Sheriff. Would you like to hear my thoughts first?"
"What ideas could you possibly have?" Sheriff Dave's eyes were full of disdain. A brute who rose to power by his fists, and you're trying to act all high and mighty with me?
Ma Jieke asked mysteriously, "Do you know the origin of the name 'Sheriff'?"
Sheriff has two meanings: sheriff or sheriff.
However, in a specific context, it specifically refers to a sheriff.
Because Sergeant Dave's actual title is Sergeant.
As for the difference between the two, a sheriff is an elected official, chosen by local residents through a vote, and is essentially an employee.
In old-fashioned Westerns, almost eight out of ten sheriffs are portrayed as tough, elderly men.
The reason is that they have lived long enough to gain a certain prestige in the local area and have a clear understanding of the specific circumstances of each household. Therefore, they are naturally more adept at handling disputes and crimes.
If you were to directly send a sheriff there, it would be difficult to achieve the same effect.
In the early days of the University of Tokyo, similar positions existed in rural areas, where personnel would patrol the villages every night to ensure the safety of the villagers and their property.
Police chiefs, on the other hand, are appointed by the government, mostly come from other places, are graduates of police academies, have received systematic police training, and are professional police officers.
So when he heard Majerke raise this question, Sheriff Dave quickly understood what he meant, and his expression became complicated.
Noticing this subtle change, Ma Jie pressed his advantage: "Sheriff, if there were someone willing to use certain methods and management approaches to make Poor Street more orderly, do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?"
This one sentence stunned Sheriff Dave. In all his years as a police officer, he had gone to great lengths to improve the safety of Poor Street.
Violent arrests, relief arrangements, increased surveillance vehicles, unique statistical methods, a combination of soft and hard tactics—we've tried everything, but it's always the same old problem that keeps popping up.
But he never considered that the homeless population also yearns for order.
Who would want to pick up a broken pot and then fight tooth and nail with their peers?
Who would want to be brutally raped and robbed while sleeping at night?
Why did the American West produce so many cowboys and wanted criminals? Because the area is far from the reach of federal or state law enforcement.
The sheriff was created for this purpose.
In other words, the poor neighborhood needs a sheriff to organize and coordinate from the inside out, in addition to the police's top-down jurisdiction.
That would be more than just one plus one equals two; it would raise the level of public security management in the entire area by several notches.
And this is real achievement. If you can crack this tough nut, why worry about not getting promoted and making a fortune?
Having sorted out these thoughts, Sheriff Dave's expression gradually softened: "Well, kid, looks like you want to play the role of manager, huh?"
"Sir, it's just serving the people."
Ma Jie smiled confidently and continued, "And this is just one part of the SkidRow renovation plan. Next, I hope to use street performers, street graffiti, and various subcultures as a driving force to turn this place into a popular spot for internet celebrities, or even a cultural district, and turn waste into treasure."
"Oh my god, that's an insane idea."
Faced with Majesty's grand vision, Dave was somewhat taken aback, as it was strongly intertwined with his interests.
"Alright, buddy, let's put those things that are too far in the future aside for now."
"However, to show my sincerity, I'll make a verbal promise to you here first: if you encounter any problems you can't solve in the future, you can contact me privately. This is my phone number; write it down. And don't let a third person hear our conversation just now, okay?"
"OK, it's a pleasure to work together." The two shook hands and exchanged contact information.
At this point in the conversation, Ma Jieke smiled and said, "Sir, I know you're eager to eliminate that criminal den. I can take you there right now, but my suggestion is not to alert them. Just send someone to keep watch from a distance. There are still four accomplices outside who haven't returned yet. We can not only arrest them but also seize the stolen goods."
"Kid, guess what?" Hearing his suggestion, Dave's round face beamed like a steamed bun, full of wrinkles:
"You should be my sheriff."
"Haha, no, no, it's not that bad."
Half an hour later, under Ma Jie's leadership, the previous temporary camp was surrounded by plainclothes officers, who were just waiting for them to assemble so they could wipe them out in one fell swoop.
"Bro, you're really something, even the police have to listen to you."
As one of the parties involved, Bubu participated in the entire process, and now his eyes are filled with admiration.
"No problem at all." Ma Jie patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "If it weren't for your help today, neither of us would have been able to find this place. How about we find a place to have a drink? It's on me."
"Is this...is this okay?" The guy seemed a little embarrassed.
"What's wrong? Come with me."
The two arrived at Happy Hour Bar. There weren't many people inside; most were out having fun. It usually only gets lively at night.
"Oh, look who's here."
As soon as you enter, the bar owner and bartender, Gragas, greets you warmly.
"Old buddy, you should hire a waitress," Ma Jie joked, sitting on a bar stool at the bar. "Preferably a billiards player from Southeast Asia, because everyone's tired of white tattooed girls and dark hotties; they need something new to spice things up."
"Hmm, that's a good suggestion." Gragas nodded, flipped the metal handle of the beer dispenser in front of him, poured out two large glasses of craft beer, and pushed them towards the two of them with his arm: "Don't give suggestions next time, because this is a bar, not a high-heel club, and I can't afford the kind of girls you're talking about."
After saying that, he magically produced a plate of potato chips and sprinkled chili powder on top: "This is a free gift, have fun."
Having potato chips with drinks is a common practice among North American players, and MaJack could only follow suit.
Crunch! It tastes like chicken, so crispy! It's freshly fried and tastes pretty good.
"Come on, cheers." Raising his beer mug and clinking it against the black man's, Ma Jie asked curiously, "Hey buddy, what's going on with you right now?"
Bubu gulped down more than half a pitcher, wiped his mouth with his hand, and said, "Phew, it's been so long since I've had such good beer."
"How long?" With just this one sentence, Ma Jieke roughly understood his situation. Those who could wander around the poor streets could generally be divided into two categories.
One reason is that he had nowhere else to turn, and the other is that he was driven by curiosity. Now it seems that this guy belongs to the former category.
"Thank you, bro." After he finished speaking, he drank the rest of his drink, and Jack Ma casually ordered him another one.
Under the influence of alcohol, Bubu said, "Buddy, it's a little embarrassing, but could you do me a favor? I feel like you're quite popular around here. A lot of people greeted you on my way here."
"What kind of help?" Ma Jieke joked, "Just don't ask me to lend you money."
"No, no, no," Bubu quickly corrected, "I meant to ask if you know anyone at Ximen Auto Service?"
MaJack took a sip of his drink: "You've come to the right person. So, are you looking to buy a Hellcat or a Karin Kuruma?"
"Oh bro, can you stop teasing me? This isn't funny at all." He looked a little embarrassed. "I'm thinking of selling my motorcycle, the one parked in front of the bar. It might look a bit old, but it's a vintage cruiser, so it should be worth a few thousand dollars."
"What, you're not planning to be the Dark Knight anymore?"
Seeing the subtle change in his expression, Ma Jieke laughed and said, "Alright, alright, just kidding. Tell me first, what's your purpose in selling the car?"
"Can I not answer this question?"
"No, you have to answer me, buddy. Since you asked me for help, I need to know you before I dare to bother my friend at the car dealership. Otherwise, you'll just sell yourself to any repair shop and get ripped off until you're nothing but bones."
"Because I need to make a living, it's that simple." He said, pulling out his clothes and pants pockets one by one: "See? Cleaner than the face of a female secretary in the White House office."
Ma Jie sensed something fishy in his description: "Dude, if I remember correctly, it's only been less than two weeks since the California government last issued relief funds. You've already spent it all?"
"Okay, I knew I couldn't hide anything from you." Bubu smiled helplessly. "Actually, I'm a parolee. I was just released from prison a week ago. According to federal government regulations, I'm not eligible to apply for unemployment benefits."
"No wonder." Ma Jie wasn't too surprised. In the US, if you haven't been to prison, you're missing out on a lot of life experiences.
"Where are your family? Where are your friends? And your former comrades-in-arms? Aren't you a veteran? Don't tell me you didn't hear any of these questions." Bubu fell into a long silence.