My American magical life
Chapter 777 - 777 32 Some Challenging Surprises

777: Chapter 32 Some Challenging Surprises 777: Chapter 32 Some Challenging Surprises San Rodolfo City Council, a female councilor looked at the documents in her hand, pushed her glasses up, and glanced at the man sitting in the chair.

Sheriff Gru was clearly arranged to sit in the ‘defendant’s seat,’ yet his demeanor was as calm as ever.

Just the noisy chirping of insects.

I have so many crimes, so much dirt, and you don’t dare to touch them.

You only dare to make a fuss about the LAPD officer’s body camera issue.

What is this?

Cowards!

“Gru, um, I notice that there have been a dozen instances of LAPD action officer body cameras malfunctioning last month.

Does this indicate that they lack the basic capabilities required to perform their duties?”

The councilor made her move, posing a tricky question.

Gru leaned back a little, placing his hands on the small table in front of him, silently looking at the councilor.

He was thinking.

If he followed her line of reasoning, attributing the body camera issue to the officers’ capability, he’d fall into their trap.

If the officers are incompetent, don’t you, as the police chief at the time, have a responsibility?

If he denied the councilor’s challenge, it would contradict the facts and lack persuasiveness.

Furrowing his brows, Gru felt many things were not going well, but reality forced him to keep a tight face and be tough.

“Madam Councilor, the issue is actually a budget one.

LAPD’s budget increase has not kept pace with LA’s economic growth, and as you know, this poses a greater challenge to the officers’ work.

For frontline officers, taking part in an action, this challenge translates to stress and overtime.

For the logistic department responsible for equipment, the challenge is how to ensure the maintenance of equipment within a limited budget.

I’m hearing about the body camera issue for the first time, but even though I’m no longer the LAPD Chief, Madam Councilor, I’m still willing to play a role in addressing this serious issue—if you need me.”

Councilor: Come on, two pots, A or B, which one do you choose.

Gru: Fine, I choose or.

Trying to pin a scandal on me?

In your dreams!

“Uh, are you saying that the body cameras malfunctioned due to inadequate budget?”

“Yeah!”

Gru shrugged his shoulders, picked up the bottled water in front of him, and sipped it calmly.

Then, he disdainfully scanned the council members of the City Council.

A bunch of bit players!

“Yeah?

So, could I assume that there might be some yet unrevealed issues with LAPD’s equipment procurement process?”

The councilor sensed a loophole in Sheriff Gru’s words and sharply seized on it.

Gru laughed.

Shabi, do you dare jump into this pit?

I have to admire your guts a little.

“Hmm, I’m not too clear on the specifics.

LAPD has over ten thousand officers and several departments directly under the Police Chief’s Office.

Madam Councilor, I cannot monitor every insignificant detail 100% of the time.

However, if you have doubts about LAPD’s procurement, I think I can form an investigation team in my capacity as the former LAPD Chief to report back to you detailedly and specifically about issues in the procurement process.”

You ask me, and I answer well.

Whether the sincerity is enough is another matter; you just see if I answered seriously.

Before the councilor could react, State Assemblyman Domis from the observer’s seat started coughing up a storm.

In the quiet City Council, his grating cough even caused echoes.

“Cough!

Cough cough!

Cough!”

Domis coughed until his face turned red, and Gru laughed with a crooked mouth.

“Oh, Mr.

Domis, long time no see.

Do you have any opinion on this lady councilor’s idea of investigating procurement?”

The ‘Black Police’ teased the tactically coughing elder from his chair with a laugh.

Realizing she’d made a fool of herself, the councilor, with a face ashen with anger, closed her mouth.

Gru’s questioning was so harsh, yet she was powerless to respond.

“No, no opinions, no opinions.

I came to the City Council on business and just stopped by to see you, that’s all.”

Domis explained with a hand wave, smiling bitterly in response.

Gru straightened up, looked at Domis, and showed off his tar-stained big yellow teeth.

“No opinions?”

His voice seemed to rise a bit, startling all the council members involved in this special inspection.

“No opinions, then why the cough?

If you have no issues with her, do you have one with me?”

Domis’ beard almost stood on end from fright; how dare he have an opinion against Gru—dare not even if he did.

“If you’re sick, get it treated fast!

Don’t be an eyesore here!”

The former top ‘Black Police’ was sitting in the ‘defendant’s seat,’ but at this moment, his posture was less like a scrutinized former police chief and more like the mayor of San Rodolfo.

“Hissss—”

Little Karami from the San Rodolfo City Council had never seen such a scene.

Gru frightened them all to an involuntary gasp of cold air.

For a time, the council members of the City Council started imitating Gru’s tactic of drinking water, pretending to sort out documents, or being stopped from speaking by colleagues.

They all shrank their necks like mice scared by a cat.

Under Gru’s mocking gaze, Domis held back his impulses to blurt out harsh words and quickly stood up to leave from the observer’s seat.

So hasty were his footsteps that he even stumbled over a table leg.

Gru leaned back to his seat once more, his demeanor still as calm as ever.

Chairman of the Budget Committee of the State Assembly of California, huh?

Pretty good, these city councilors are so insignificant that I can’t be bothered to curse them; it’s beneath me.

What status do I, Gru, hold?

What are these little trinkets?

They’re not even worthy of my scorn!

Domis, thanks to you, I got to release some steam.

Sheriff Gru, the fight, exhilarating.