For the last six months or so...

[Dajistano]

I've been on my way to becoming a cop.

For that amount of time, I've been in a sort of "internship" with one of the local city departments.

Up until a few weeks ago, all I've (as well as some other people my age in the program) been doing is assisting the police with just the normal stuff like doing parking at events they sponsor.

But recently I've started riding along with officers while they're on patrol.

I tell you... this is one of the best things I've ever done for myself. It's fun, exciting, scary, and far more educational than my criminal justice textbook from last semester.

Going back the scary and exciting element, I'll tell you a story.

Friday night (10-13), my ride-along officer and I were involved in a 115-120mph chase after a suspect who refused to stop after another city unit tried to pull him over. Going ungodly speeds, sliding, braking and accelerating JUST right on backroads, and then hitting those triple-digit speeds on open highway really gets your adrenaline pumping.

"Got your seatbelt on?"

That's what my ride-along told me when we got the call to join the pursuit. We made a hard and tight U-turn right there in another part of town and just floored it from there.

Even with city, county, and state police behind him, the car still managed to get away. The area we were in is notorious for speed demons, and is actually quite easy to lose someone in because of all the backroads and strait stretches where you can really get up speed; our speed was actually slow compared to what you could do on that road.

Nobody even got close enough to get a tag number, not even the unit that tried stop the car in the first place.

It was a car that could at least match, if not beat, our police cruisers.

But not all the times I've been riding with the police have been like that. Most nights have been fairly calm with nothing other than speeding and expired tag tickets... and there was the night that we did what is called a walk-through in a local bar. It's where we go in unannounced and make sure nobody is too drunk and there are no shootings, stabbings, muggings, beatings or whatever else may go on in there.

It's not a country-bumpkin town... but it's not Los Angeles either. Somewhere in the middle I would say. I think most people would be surprised if they experienced how much activity actually goes on under their radar.

Becoming a police officer is pretty much what I've decided I want to do.

Perhaps start off at the local level somewhere, and if I like it, I'll stay, but if I want something more, I'll go for state.

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ October 16, 2006 06:47 PM: Message edited by: Dajistano ]</font>

[sculpey]

Very cool, Daj.

[thatchetguy]

It's great when your call to duty is recognized like that. Go for it, protect and serve (some ass-whopping).

[*PORTHOS*]

Good luck!
[img]smile.gif[/img]

[Andyman]

Good for you, Daj! I wish I knew what I wanted to do in life at your age. [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] Maybe not. Why does it smell like bacon and donuts in here? [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Moviemaniac4]

You ? A cop ???

[img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]

* Pedestrian running from Dajistano

NO !!! NOOOOO !!!! I AM NOT A ZOMBIEEEEE !!!

* BANG * * BANG *
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But seriously.....It's good that you have defined a route in your life. Hope everything goes well dude.... [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ October 17, 2006 08:10 AM: Message edited by: MM4 ]</font>

[Dajistano]

Thanks, all. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

I'm riding again this Friday night from 8pm-12, although we always manage to go over at least thirty minutes, so maybe it's more accurate to say 1:00am.

Our school's homecoming game and dance is also that night, but to hell with that compared to what I'm going to do.

<font size="1">Why the hell does this thread have 115 views but only 5 replies?</font> [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ October 17, 2006 09:07 PM: Message edited by: Dajistano ]</font>