The Corvallis Gestapo

I was back to try to trap more cats at the homeless camp today, prior to releasing the five whiteys' fixed yesterday. I trapped a black and white and went back into the camp to retrieve my second trap. I was leaving, and about to release the five already fixed white kitties, when I saw the helmeted head of a motorcycle cop by my car, as I was coming back out with the empty trap.

I hurried out, thinking they were probably just wondering what my car was doing there, although it would likely be readily evident, with cats in traps inside, and my website posted on the back of the car, empty tuna can on front seat.

But no, these were humorless human beings. The motorcycle cop had his digital camera out and was photographing my car and the no parking sign. He already had a ticket on my windshield as I walked up. He barely seemed to take note of me approaching.

I said "Are you giving me a ticket?"

He says, dryly, "Well, first I'm checking if this car is stolen." What a pile of baloney. Then he says, "Well, I guess it's not stolen" but won't say anything more. I said "Are you ticketing me?" I always figured if a cop stopped I would just tell them what I was doing and they'd say "good job. Be careful" or some such thing. I never in a million years thought they'd come along and behave really mean and awful.

I said I'm only parking here because otherwise I'd have to park way down behind the strip mall, which is like a quarter or half mile away. Traps with cats in them are very heavy and awkward to carry. I told him I'd trapped ten, I guess thinking again he'd say "good job. Glad someone is doing this."

Instead, he said I should stick to helping out in Albany. Then he snickered.

I said "You people are supposed to be helpful friendly community servants, not make people afraid of you or behave like Nazi's." The ticket is for $45. It's unbelievable, really.

Also, I think they thought it was funny to give me a ticket when I'm volunteering. They know there was no place a person could park but right there to do such work. Makes it so much more enjoyable to them when its not fair and unjust, is what I figure.

So I went down to City Hall to file a complaint. They suggested I file a complaint with the police department, a suggestion I scoffed at. Yeah right, like they care. They gave me papers to file a complaint. And then sent me to the municipal court, to ask what to do. They said I could appeal it to a judge at certain times during the week, and maybe set up a payment plan.

This was really too much. Me pay the city, when I'm doing the city a favor, at my own expense, in keeping down the cat population. What a joke it is. There is no justice, no kindness, no decency and the cops these days are very scarey people.