Right now, it’s cold outside. As of this writing, it’s below zero in Southwest Georgia, which isn’t exactly a common occurrence, so I can only imagine how cold it is in places that normally get cold weather.

Due to the frigid snap, one police department in Missouri is making an unusual request to those inclined to break various laws.

https://www.facebook.com/Warrensburgpolicedepartment/posts/2313776212242586

Now, the Warrensburg Police Department knows it’s not that easy. It’s doing it to be funny. The dig at firefighters is all the evidence one needs. (For the record, a firefighter I know rebutted that only the police could misspell “firefighter” as two words).

This is part of a growing trend of police departments using their social media accounts not just to spread important information, but also to show that the police also possess a sense of humor.

Then again, as cold as it is, it’s unlikely that officers with the Warrensburg PD would be upset if criminals and others opted to take their advice and stay home and keep their noses clean for a few days. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of criminals don’t look at this post and think it’s a fine idea.

After all, according to Fox 4 in Kansas City who reported on this post, Warrensburg was pretty chilly on Tuesday:

According to the FOX4 weather team a blast of arctic air arrives Tuesday and will bring some dangerously cold air to the region.  Midday highs will be in the lower 20s before dropping below zero overnight.

That cold air combined with the expected wind will result in wind chills well below zero. A Wind Chill Advisory will begin at 6 p.m. lasting through noon Wednesday. Dangerous, wind chills of -20 to -30 are expected.

So yeah, even if I were so inclined to break laws and such, I think I’d stay home and find something else to do.

Luckily, the police department is unlikely to count on that. Officers will still be patrolling and doing their jobs despite the cold, yet another example of how police officers often risk their safety for their communities. Should some enterprising criminal believe this is the time to commit a break-in or commit some other transgression, hoping the cold would keep officers away, they’d best think again.

I’m quite sure the officers would be more than willing to provide these cold criminals with a nice, warm jail cell. However, I wouldn’t expect the officers to be shining examples of courtesy as they provide it. After all, if I have to deal with sub-arctic wind chills because you had to go and act the fool, I’m probably not that likely to be particularly nice. Professional, maybe, but nice? Not on your chilled and nearly frostbitten life.

Granted, I despise cold. So I might be biased, but still.

Of course, lost in much of the discussion is the subtle way the department found to remind people of the bitter cold. Those who don’t pay attention to the weather might see the post and do a little research, finding they need to take precautions and saving themselves some busted pipes. For that, they deserve applause as well.

Assuming, of course, they weren’t just smart-alecks.