People Watching

I was sitting in the waiting area at the District Attorney‘s office the other day. I was waiting on an Assistant District Attorney to get back from court so we could discuss a case.

Sitting there is good theater for a people watcher. ADAs (Assistant District Attorney), defense attorneys, police, investigators, staff, defendants and others walk through.

A couple of biker-looking dudes came bumping in while they gave each other a hard time. They checked in with the receptionist behind the bullet proof glass. She knew them and buzzed them in the security door. Under-cover officers.

A few minutes later, two police in military gear walked out from the security door, and as they marched by I told them, “Be careful out there.” A young officer looked at me like he knew what I was talking about and nodded as he disappeared.

Knowing the Judge

A few minutes later, one of them came back, knocked on the receptionist window and said, “What judge is on duty?”

(He means which judge is on duty to okay search warrants and anything else an officer needs a judge’s approval for before he does it.)

The receptionist told him. He shook his head as he walked away. I think that the officers know each judge and their differences. Now the officer will know what that judge wants before he calls in.

It’s just a few minutes in the workday.