OK, I've seen it.

Two years after losing my foot in the line of duty, I can't help but tire of people asking me if I've seen the episode of COPS where the amputee police officer chases down a crackhead and catches him. (For the record, I never saw it.) So I looked on-line today and found it.

And here it is.



Not bad. Personally I think I could have done a little better, especially with the take-down and arrest, but then again it's easy to be the Monday morning quarterback. The cameraman sounds like he's about ready to keel over though. THAT was sad.

I'm glad to see that officer back on the job. It must be nice to have a department willing to actually stand behind you when you get hurt and give you a chance to get back in the saddle again.

I wouldn't know.

And while looking for that story, I ran across this news piece about another amputee cop, Bill Lyle of Alexandria, VA Police Department.

Alexandria, VA, Police Officer Bill Lyle had his right leg amputated above the knee in September 2000 after suffering an injury chasing a drug suspect.

Seven months later, he returned to active duty on the force. As of JET press time, he'll try to regain his spot on the city's SWAT team by completing a grueling obstacle course that requires, among other things, carrying a battering ram up a flight of steps and dragging a 180-pound dummy 20 feet.

He already has outperformed some of the SWAT team members on the physical fitness portion of the test.

After he lost the leg, doctors told Lyle his career as a police officer was over. But Lyle says he never doubted that he'd return to the force.

"That doctor's wrong," Lyle told them. "He just doesn't know the God that I serve. I'm going to be a police officer again."

On Sept. 20, 2000, Lyle was patrolling a public housing project in the city just before midnight when he came upon a group using drugs and drinking. He ended up in a foot chase with one of the suspects. He did not see a thick chain stretched out in front of him, about three feet high. "When I hit the chain, I thought I hit a brick wall," Lyle said.

He landed on his back. As he lay on the ground, he saw a shadow above his face and quickly drew his gun, thinking the suspect had doubled back. Then he came to the sickening realization that the shadow he saw was not the suspect.

"It was my foot," Lyle said. "My foot was angling back toward me."

Lyle amazed his therapists during rehabilitation.

"This guy was in such good shape," said therapist Charlene Kelly. "No way could we do a traditional program. That had to be thrown out the window."

Lyle, a former Marine, would be drenched in sweat. His stub would be worn raw. They kept pushing. Even Kelly was exhausted. "I just had to keep coming up with things that were challenging," Kelly said according to the Washington Post.

Eventually she recommended that Lyle return to active duty with no restrictions. Lyle resumed work in May, and quickly earned the confidence of fellow officers.

His mother, Mary J. Davis, 60, isn't surprised by her son's positive attitude. "Everything happens for a reason. "I knew he was in God's hands ... I knew God wouldn't let him have no more than he could bear."

I had the pleasure to meet Bill Lyle not long after my injury. He came to visit me in the hospital and to say that he was an inspiration is an understatement. He lost his leg above the knee and he not only made it back, but regained his position on the department SWAT team and earned a promotion to sergeant too before he retired. He's now a minister in Washington, DC. When I met him, he was the first amputee that I saw and I was amazed at how well he walked and how little trouble he had with his prosthetic. His visit and his stories of what he went through did me a world of good. And because of the impact that he had on me, I've placed myself on call to go visit new amputees whenever my old surgeon thinks that it might help them. even though it's a long way, I've gone down a few times and every time I could tell that it helped, especially in the cases with kids. I couldn't imagine facing this as a kid so if I can help one cope, I'm there, just like Bill Lyle and a few others were there for me. Life's all about giving and taking. Sometimes you take, and sometimes, especially when you've been blessed, you get to give.

At least I'm not bitter after getting hosed by my old department.

Well maybe I am a little bit. But not enough to keep me from getting out and living life.

And flying, and shooting, and running 5K's.