). He noted that he had written on it before and people had written him letters calling him a coward (in less polite terms). I have the memory impression that he still used it, even as a cop. I suspect that he may not necessarily have wanted to identify himself as a cop in every instance -- badge & gun or not, he is at a disadvantage in a surprise mugging, and it may be better to disengage right now, run around the corner, and call for back up. Discretion being the better part of valor and all that. Wouldn't blame him.In any case, I have wondered if I should have a "burglar's purse" for the house. Many burglaries seem to be of the model of smash-in-a-door-or-window-grab-some-easily-portable swag-and-boogie. I thought maybe I should leave out some reasonably obvious cash and jewelry, a watch or two, with the strategy that a hit and run burglar might take the easy stuff and leave, rather than spend any more time rifling everything, digging through the closets, hammering on my fire safes and lockboxes... And even the more thorough burglars would probably take it. Of course the cash serial numbers would be recorded, the jewelry cheap and photographed, maybe with a pendant with our names on it, as well as the watch, so I could just hand it all the cops in case they came across the miscreants or the pawnshops recognized it.
elb