The Struggle of Quick Meals for Police Officers and the Reality Behind on-Duty Feeding

Back when I was on patrol, I would often prepare a sandwich beforehand and store it in the fridge at the station. But, when the calls started rolling in, I rarely made it back until nearly the end of my shift. This made the concept of having adequate time for a meal break a luxury many officers like myself quite understand all too well.

Is there now a microwave and fridge in every police car?

Some might wonder if police cars are equipped with modern conveniences like microwaves and mini-fridges. Just imagine a Tardis – a little blue box that appears to be the size of a typical police car, but once you step inside, its a spacious kitchen waiting for you! However, alas, such a device remains but a figment of the imagination. Despite the whimsical question, the reality is that police work is worlds apart from what we see on TV and in movies.

Three Things about Police Work You Might Not Know:

30 Minutes per Shift for Meals: Officers typically have 30 minutes allotted on the clock for their meal break. If someone wanted to press their own meditation break, they had to fit it somewhere within that 30 minutes or leave their gear on, which took time to remove and reattach. Limited Restroom Access: Unlike firefighters, officers don't just have access to any restroom they please. Instead, when needing to use the restroom, officers had to find a secure location, often in less spacious quarters. Furthermore, women officers had to remove a significant amount of gear, even for a brief break. No Kitchen Access: There was no on-site kitchen anywhere I worked or visited. Quick, one-handed meals were the norm, often involving eating a sandwich, fruits, or vegetables in the car or while sitting on a park bench if fortune smiled.

The Firefighters' Contrast

Firefighters have longer shifts, full kitchens, and fewer calls than their counterparts in the same city. In contrast to the usual 30-minute meal break, firefighters often had entire weekends off. This presented a stark contrast to the continuous work demands of police officers.

A Dire Need for Assistance: An Incident Involving Firefighters

One noteworthy incident was when firefighters got so few calls, they couldn't find the addresses. They needed police to guide them, an ordeal that was humiliating for the officers. Exasperated from the heavy mental and physical toll of memorizing the area's geography, the first time I had to lead them was a rookie blunder. Still, even then, the FTO (Field Training Officer) showed complete disdain for their situation, indicating that he believed their lack of calls was due to excessive laziness.

A City of Misunderstanding

During a particularly bad snowstorm, these firefighters were stuck in a building, and officers offered to share meals. Eventually, the officers missed their evening meal and got only cold sandwiches in the car. Further, the next time a meal break arrived, the firefighters, who had the luxury of sitting and enjoying their food, would not let officers join them. This highlight gap in service and privilege was a stark reality.

The Reality of Quick Meals and No Time to Waste

Clearly, the reality of police work doesn't align with the flashy, well-scripted imagery we see in TV dramas or movies. Officers must often choose between their personal schedules and the demands of their duties. Time and resources for preparing and enjoying meals were limited due to the rapid, unpredictable nature of their shifts. Officers, like myself, cherished the ability to bring meals from home, knowing that time was a scarce commodity.

So, while it's tempting to imagine a more convenient lifestyle, the truth is that police officers are often just making their own meals in tight quarters, hoping to take a few minutes to refuel before returning to their demanding duties. Their dedication to public safety is a matter of balancing efficiency, resource management, and their own well-being.