University of Virginia Library

A Day In The Life

Officer Bunch did not make the arrest, he assisted another officer
in doing so. Officer James Bunch was cool in the
situation. Though it was no crisis, his treatment of the suspect
was professional yet personable. And one must realize that, after
all, this is his job.

Only Natural

The remainder of the evening proceeded rather quietly. Most
of the conversation revolved around personal interests. By ten
o'clock over coffee, I could not resist asking this man, (a friend it
seemed by then) how he had come to be a police officer? How he
had come to enjoy it so much?

His answer began with an anecdote about a lecture he had
been given at the age of ten – about why a police officer is not a
'cop'.

But it was after this anecdote that he told me: "When I was
working construction, not too long ago, I was making 10,000
dollars a year and only working 10 months. Then one day it
struck me that I wanted to be a cop. And I'll tell you, I see
friends of mine, one in particular who's a doctor, and I know that
there isn't anyway possible that he could be happier than me."

Munching on a Drakes Cake, Jim Bunch continues, "I love
helping people, and when I do, I just feel good. I get rough when
I have to get rough, but I never exceed what the situation
demands. I just like people and I don't believe in using
unnecessary force." As he says this it occurs to me that this man
has got the beat on his life, more so than most people, I think.
Then the conversation drifts into talk of how to treat people,
especially country people, for whom Officer Bunch has a natural
affinity. Which I realize too, is only natural.