OK so I came to this section of the KTC site to get more familiar with everything and everyone here. I've stayed in chat as often as I can, but that's not always as personal as some may think, so, we'll give this a try.
So some of you know me and agree with the whole coolcop name. Some don't think there's such thing as a "cool cop" but, don't hate me cuz you got a ticket. I really hardly ever stop a car. There are so many other aspects of the job that I like very much. I don't usually take the whole cop joke thing to heart, even the "pig jokes". It's unfortunate that due to the lack of respect I have experienced on the job, I have developed a pretty thick skin, but it helps. So fire away! One thing I've noticed is the more people get to know me, the less of them I hear. I guess it's because I treat people with respect and they want to do the same in return. Of course, being the exception, Snowboredm still jokes. hehe
When I was 15 I put in my first dip of Copenhagen. I sat down in the recliner at my grandmothers house and the room was spinning. I was scared. That didn't stop me. I was intrigued. I dipped and smoked rather habitually all the way to age 28 when I started BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training). When I got there, I saw that with the P.T. it was time to quit the smoking. But boy I made up for the lack of smoking by dipping twice as much. I guess it was much easier to dip too with all the pressure of everyone else around me dipping. I found that in law enforcement, if you don't dip, eventually you will. This may have just been the case with where I am. But from the time I doubled up on my dipping until my quit date of September 1, I was at a 2 can a day habit.
I remember having people show me their lips and gums where the skin was falling off and raw. That never scared me. I had people show me pictures and handouts displaying mouth cancer. That never scared me. I loved dipping. It was enjoyable. It was somehow occupying of my time. Unlike smoking, I told myself I could do it anywhere. I didn't have to worry about the smell or people complaining about breathing it. I could even keep people from seeing it if I didn't put too much in. It was socially acceptable, as long as I didn't have to spit. But one day, my mouth started hurting throughout my shift. I tried to blame it on a sour fruit drink I had earlier or anything else I could think of, except for the dip. I came home, looked in the mirror, and saw the bumps, the sores, the redness. Oh crap, I thought. It could be the dip. So I went online. I think I typed in "help quitting dipping" or something like that and at the top of the suggested sites was....KTC.
I remember looking around the site for about a minute and a half before I saw the chatroom. I clicked on it, it asked me for a username, I thought a second and typed in 'coolcop'. Never thought of it before that day. Much like most of you guys, stuck with it ever since. It seemed like it was instantaneous but, people started asking "who are you coolcop?" I told them I was new. You guys know the drill. You went through this too. I was asked if I was quit. I told them "no" but I came here to learn more. I was asked if I had a dip in now. I should have said no, but I'm pretty honest. I got reamed!! After being told "spit it out or leave", "if you ain't quit you ain't shit", and "are you a pussy?" I spit that stuff out before typing another word. "ok ok it's gone. you guys are brutal. funny way to get someone to quit." I was ready to leave, then pista told me to 'look up' to answer the PM. pista was playing "good cop". And it worked! I'll always be greatful to pista. Were it not for him, I'd have left that chatroom, exited the site, and never returned. I'd have popped my dip back in and went on about my life probably telling myself the sores will go away. We need more good cops right?
Anyway today I'm at day 56. My quit is rather different than most I hear about on here in the sense that I never went through any type of struggle the first 3 days, I have yet to experience the fog, and I haven't had a craving. I know that I'm not out of the woods yet though, which is why I stick very close to this site. I will do that all the way through HOF and beyond if only for one reason, because I know I can help someone else. I may be a freak and get through 100 days and beyond without any of the normal "symptoms" of quitting. But I can still offer encouragement, support, and the occasional 'attaboy'.
So I am here, and will be here for the long haul. You will see me everyday in roll and everyday that I can in chat. You can cuss me, call me names, hurl those pig jokes, and get mad at me when you disagree with me. But I will support you and I will help you in any way I can because the world needs more 'good cops'. And I am one of many coolcops.
