Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
It's not even October yet as I type this but just yesterday I was in a retail store and saw Christmas decorations being put up. It wasn't even the first store I'd seen this in. More than a week ago I was in a Hallmark store and
they were putting up Christmas ornaments. I asked the employees,
"Don't you realize Halloween hasn't even passed yet?" They assured me that they were all too aware and felt silly putting the decorations up. That left me wondering exactly whose idea it was then?
Most of you know we have poll questions on the Officer.com homepage and those poll questions change each week. The last couple have been about topics centering on the holiday season and how this time of year relates to law enforcement. Typically, thefts from auto calls go up; burglaries go up; robberies go up; domestic disturbance and domestic violence calls go up. We don't call it
the silly season for nothing. I know they probably don't care, but do you think the retailers have ever realized there attempts to extend the holiday season may well be extending
the silly season too?
Think about it. What happens during the holiday season?
Families get together more often - or for the few times they see each other in a year.
More parties are held in business offices or other places of employment.
The last bar-b-ques of the year are held (where weather permits).
Some sport seasons are ending as football gets into full swing.
People are shopping more frequently - and sometimes spending significant amounts of money - as they prepare for Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (and other religious holidays I can't spell right so I'm not going to try, thereby saving myself the embarrassment of looking silly).
All of those things increase the chance for law enforcement agencies to be called. Family disputes occur and get more frequent depending on how much alcohol has been flowing.
Work place disputes rise; drunk driver numbers increases as people leave such parties.
The celebrations at the year's end BBQ sometimes gets out of hand - again, depending on how much cold beer has been consumed by various parties.
No matter how silly we might think it is, people feel strongly about supporting their sports teams and this seems particularly true of football fans. While many can agree when their own favorite team screws up (how many Redskins fans are doing that this week?), there are those who never see fault in their team and will argue vigorously that the game was lost because of "the stupid ref" or some other such reason. Disputes can get out of hand if people aren't mature enough at those moments.
Every year we (law enforcement agencies) put out notices to the communities we serve about:
- Being safe at Halloween
- Shopping safely for Christmas
- Watching out for drunk drivers
And more...
The earlier the retail shops start pushing their holiday wares, the earlier the law enforcement community is forced to deal with the attahed foolishness. Unfortunately, many of us (including myself for years) don't really think about "the silly season" until Thanksgiving is near upon us. I've got news for you folks: it's starting up already. I watched a couple of very young folks (early 20s would be my guess) arguing with a store clerk about what video game had just been released and what it was supposed to cost and why he was trying to charge them more, and so on. They were in the store trying to buy video games as Christmas presents for some younger cousins. I congratulate them on their forward thinking and early preparations. I scold them for helping to usher in
the silly season earlier than necessary. The clerk had to threaten to call the Sheriff's office before the potential customers gave up their debate and stalked out of the store.
This is what you may already be facing. Add it to the usual silliness you deal with each day and watch your work days become more hectic through the first week of January.
Are you ready for it?
