On a Tuesday morning on a cold winter day, I was just about to complete briefing with the oncoming team when I heard a radio call from dispatch that a male had been reported to be riding an elevator up and down in one of the buildings, he was apparently intoxicated to the point of doubling over. The report had come in from an employee of the building who was trying to get to her floor and was terrified of him. With shift change in a few minutes, I wanted my team to change equipment as quickly as possible so that the off going team could go home. I put on my jacket and hurried over to the building to investigate the report.

You never know what you are going to find when you get a report like this from an employee in the building. It could end up being anything from a person in medical distress, or crisis from mental illness and or drugs and or a lack thereof, or someone malicious, or it could be a courier dressed in normal clothing rather than business attire and they forgot to comb their hair. The incident needs to be investigated in order to reveal its true nature but the average person is often afraid of these situations and their imagination runs wild causing the worst accusations. A cynical part of me admits that I get frustrated at the average person's fear of the unusual, but I also understand that it's not their job to remedy these situations.

Upon arrival I found one of my guards trying to find out which elevator he was in by grounding them one by one. This is of course a difficult task on a weekday morning when the elevator banks are full of people who don't know or care why we are there. Every time an elevator would open, they would rush past leaving hardly any time to look.

"I've looked in these four but I haven't seen him yet, he might have got out." said Emiliano.

"Okay, how long have you been here?" I asked, "You didn't see any drunk guys?"

"No," He replied while still pressing the hall call "I'm working at the desk so I've been here since before the call came in, he might be on a floor somewhere."

Shit, I thought. About 4 minutes had gone by since the call and who knows how long it was before the employee called security; he could be anywhere.

Just then an elevator opened up next to Emiliano with a male inside doubled over and leaning into the back right corner. He was white with short black hair, wearing a dirty ripped up jacket and dirty wet jeans that were stained brown. It was difficult to tell with his head down but he looked to be about 40 years old. I could smell a faint hint of alcohol. I had a strong feeling that he didn't belong in the building and that he lived on the street but it wouldn't change my approach to the situation.

"Security, how are you doing today sir?" I asked while Emiliano put the elevator on independent service so it would stay on lobby while we talked.

"Not great, my back is fucked!" He answered while still looking down.

"I'm Rex, what's your name?" I asked.

"Ted" he replied.

"Ted, do you need an ambulance for your back? Or can we help you get to where you need to go?" I asked.

"What the fuck do you think asshole? I need an ambulance ... please." He replied.

He could have been faking. He might have been leaning over because he was drunk, and not that it really mattered because he had already requested an ambulance, but I had no doubt that he was actually in pain and in need of one. I made a radio call to dispatch to have them call 911 and started into a game of 50 questions with Ted to figure out what happened.

"Okay, what's your last name Ted?" I asked.

"Allan" He replied.

"Great," I said, "I need to know how old you are, if it hurts anywhere else, how long it's been hurting, allergies, medications, past medical history, last meal, and how it happened."

"I'm 35, just my lower back, it's been hurting all week, I don't have any other problems, it's been a while since I ate, I don't know how it happened, it just hurts." he replied.

"How did you get in here? Did you walk?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied, "it wasn't too bad earlier."

"Why did you come in here? Do you work in here?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied, "I work upstairs."

"Okay, what floor do you work on and for who?" I asked

"Don't worry about it, I work upstairs." He responded.

He hadn't moved since I first found him and was still doubled over with his elbows supporting himself on the railings in the corner of the elevator.

"Rex," Emiliano interrupted, "phone call at the desk."

"I'll be right back Ted," I said, "hang out for a second."

"Sure." he replied.

I walked to the desk to get the phone and was greeted by the concierge who was just beaming as if this was the greatest day or their life, excitement in the lobby. I could see a million questions in their mouth as I took the phone but they would have to wait.

"Hello?" I asked.

The oncoming shift began to arrive in the lobby and I pointed them towards Ted and Emiliano in the elevator.

"Hey Rex," answered Blake in dispatch, "the oncoming team is on their way over, we are on the phone with 911 right now, they want to know if the guy works in the building or how he got in there. I think they are trying to see if he's homeless and has issues or whatever."

"Sure, I don't think he works here but can you run a name for me?" I replied, "he said his name is Ted Allan but didn't give an employer."

I could hear Blake whisper the name Ted Allan and the computer keys clack as he entered the name into the computer system.

"Nothing man," said Blake, "Don't think he works here, I'll let them know."

"Thanks, later." I said as I hung up.

I rounded the corner of the elevator bank to head back to Ted and could hear yelling coming from the elevator now. Emiliano had left the lobby since he was relieved by his oncoming and it sounded Ted wasn't getting along with the fresh shift.

I passed a couple of the new team members and smiled as they greeted me and then entered into the elevator to find Ted still in the corner but now looking up and yelling at Ivan, Emiliano's relief.

"HEY, HEY, HEY, ENOUGH!" I yelled, "What's going on in here?"

"You've got 4 guys standing around here not doing a fucking thing for me." yelled Ted.

"Alright, fair, what do you think would help?" I asked.

"You could .... I don't know ... at least stand me up straight" he replied.

"Would that actually help?" I asked, "Or do you want to sit or lay down on the ground?"

He thought about it for a second and looked down at the ground, "I don't know, let's try standing up."

I stepped up to his right side and Ivan to his left. We each took hold of his biceps and forearms and pushed him upright so that he was now standing up straight. He grimaced and closed his eyes; I could see him trying to decide if this position was better than the last. I could really smell alcohol on his breath now."

"Thanks." he managed.

"Ted, can I ask you something?" I asked, "Have you been drinking this morning?"

"You'd drink too if your back was always sore" he replied.

"Fair enough" I said, "an ambulance should be here shortly."

He nodded.

"Where do you work again?" I asked.

"Upstairs" he said.

"Did you shake him yet?" asked an authoritative, unknown voice from the doorway.

I heard heavy footsteps enter the elevator and turned around to find a sergeant entering. He was a short middle-aged man, much smaller than me who looked mean and angry. He was directed at me with his game face on and his forge cap pulled down just above his eyes which made his side profile look sharp and almost serrated.

"Uh, no?" I replied.

I was confused. Why were the police here? Who called them? Why would I have searched him? This was a medical, he's not under arrest. What was said over the phone to 911?

The sergeant nodded and without saying a word stepped up to Ted between me and Ivan who were still holding him up by the arms.

"What's in here?" asked the sergeant as he undid Ted's jacket and started feeling through the pockets. He started pulling out the contents as papers, lottery tickets, box cutters, pens, and other small random unidentifiable objects fell to the ground.

"We ... didn't arrest him." I said, directed at the sergeant while still sort of in shock by his abrupt appearance.

"Yeah, that's fine, I'll take it from here." said the sergeant dismissive of the comment as if it had come as a challenge. "What's your name?" he asked, directing his attention towards Ted.

"Ted" he replied.

"Ted what?" asked the sergeant but Ted didn't reply, he just stood there. "Ted what? I am going to run your name to see if you have any outstanding warrants."

A shape swept across the outside of the elevator briefly and then entered. I could feel the elevator bounce a bit as a constable arrived to back up the sergeant. He was an enormous, mountain of a man. He was well over six feet tall and I would guess in the neighborhood of 250 pounds. He wasn't wearing a jacket so you could see that he had very little fat on him and his arms had recently seen the inside of a gym. He stood behind the sergeant and didn't say a word which was almost more intimidating.

"What is your last name?" asked the sergeant again.

"He told me his last name was Allan" I offered while still holding him upright.

"Ted Allan? Is that your name?" asked the sergeant.

Ted nodded.

"Where is your ID?" asked the sergeant.

"I don't have any." said Ted who was now again looking down at the ground.

"Bullshit, a second ago you worked here and now you don't even have ID? Listen, I've been doing this a long time and I've never met anyone who doesn't actually have ID, not even someone living on the street." said the sergeant now switching his attention to me, "he doesn't work here does he?"

"His name doesn't come up in our system." I replied.

"He has warrants, that's the only reason he won't give us his name." said the constable in the back.

"Last time, what's your name and date of birth?" said the sergeant.

"I told you, my name is Ted Allan." replied Ted.

"Can you run that?" said the sergeant to the constable.

"No, I am not going to waste my fucking time by walking out to the car and running a bullshit, made up name that doesn't exist, into the computer system and then waiting just to find out what we already know. What's your fucking name asshole? We are going to find out, so just tell us." replied the constable.

The sergeant smiled while looking at me, "Can you give us a minute with Ted?"

Ted glanced at me quickly and our eyes met as I let go and walked out of the elevator with Ivan. The elevator bank was busy and everyone was staring toward us curious to know what was going on.

"Hey, you're the supervisor, right?" asked the sergeant as he emerged from the elevator briefly.

"Yessir" I replied.

"Are there any cameras in there?" the sergeant asked quietly while catching my eyes in a glint.

"No, just the lobby." I replied.

"Can we close the door to the elevator?" he asked,

What a horrifying question I thought as I realized where this was going. "No, there's no way to close the door" I replied.

"Thanks," he said with a wink.

I tried not to look. There was a lot of banging and swearing as Ted screamed out in pain. Curious onlookers also appeared to try not to notice this happening in a busy lobby during the morning rush hour. Ivan looked concerned.

I didn't feel good about this.

Sure, Ted didn't belong in the building. The initial report from the employee was correct, Ted was drunk and was riding the elevator up and down. I'm not sure how or why he got in the elevator but I had no doubt that he was actually in pain. Sure, he wouldn't give his name to the police but he didn't deserve whatever was happening to him in that elevator. And now I have to live with the fact that this happened to someone who was in my care at the hands of the police who I have no control over.

"Give me a hand here." said the sergeant while looking at me.

I looked over to see Ted pretzelled on the floor of the elevator. They each grabbed and arm and dragged him out on his stomach and stood him up just outside.

"Hold his arm for a second." directed the sergeant.

I took hold of Teds right arm while the sergeant pulled out his hand cuffs and put them on. Ted's pants were around his ankles now and he was practically limp. They dragged him through the lobby to the car with just the toes of his shoes touching the ground and his stained underwear on display.

I took this opportunity to get some alone time and think about what just happened as I grabbed a garbage bag and went back to the elevator to clean up the yard sale that was left over and get it back in service. Among the wreckage I found one item which may have been Ted's motivation for keeping to himself; a small bag of crystallized drugs. I gathered everything together and headed out to the car.

From a distance I could see that the ambulance was pulling up next to the cruiser with the window down when the sergeant yelled to the paramedics "It's fine, he says his back is much better now, thanks."

They turned their lights off and kept driving.

"Hey sergeant, I found this" I said as I offered the drugs.

"Did you find this on him?" the sergeant asked the constable as he took the bag from me.

"Nope, didn't see it." the constable replied.

"Nothing we can do about it then." said the sergeant as he threw it about 10 feet through the air into the storm drain in front of the car.

He opened the door and sat down as he looked at me one last time and said "Okay, you asked him to leave, and he refused." as he slammed his door and took off.

That was the last time I saw Ted.

What did I learn? - The police play by their own rules. I'm honestly not sure what set these two cops off, maybe they knew him or knew of him from a previous encounter, or maybe they were just dirty cops. It is a culture of law enforcement which shows why civilian oversight needs to exist. I also learned that I am a coward and not willing to stand up for this injustice at the expense of myself, I'm just a guy trying to pay the bills.