Busy Busy Busy

10-41

Last night the city of Ogden blew up with crime. And on a Thursday too...don't they know to wait until the weekend.

The day first started with our PT test. We had to do the bench press, push ups, sit ups, vertical jump, and 1 1/2 mile run. Passed everything no problem. Did the mile and a half in 11:58. However, afterwards many people were sore and wobbly on there legs.

Just in time for one vehicle pursuit, 5 foot pursuits, and one armed robbery. They all happened within a couple hours of each other too.

Just leaving the station (I was driving) I was at the light of 22nd and Washington. While waiting a call on the radio said he was in pursuit of a wanted felon heading south on Washington approaching 21st street. Right place at the right time. Pulled forward to clear the intersection then took over the number two car position. Good thing my FTO was in the car with me. Its the job of the 2nd car to radio the direction of the pursuit so the lead car can focus on driving. So my FTO called the radio moves for my while I drove. Pursued for about a minute or so when he drove into a driveway and bailed on foot. We chased him into his apartment building. We secured a perimeter around the building and called for a K9 unit. He refused to come out so the k9 unit went in after him biting him repeatedly in the stomach. Once the k9 was released so officers could go hands on to arrest him he kicked one of them in the balls. Due to his struggle while arresting and assault on an officer he was then tasered for a 5 second ride on the white lighting. It was awesome! We finally got him in cuffs.

He was running because he had 15 felony warrants out for his arrest. We think he swallowed drugs while running because his heart rate was over 180 beats per minute so we rushed him to the hospital. Some thought he might die in custody but luckily the hospital did their magic and kept him alive.

And that was just the first thing of the night! I assisted in 5 other foot pursuits! For some reason everyone decided to run from police last night. It was crazy. We caught all 5 people though. It was so busy with priority calls I didn't write a single speeding ticket (still on traffic).

DONT MESS WITH O-TOWN BABY!

10-42

Traffic...ick.

10-41

The past week I've been working in the traffic division. It isn't the most exciting area on the department. I pretty much write speeding tickets all day unless there is a car crash somewhere. Then we go handle the accident scene and do all the paper work for it. We also do DUI's. I've arrested 3 people for DUI so far.

That I don't mind. If you're dumb enough to drive DUI then I'm going to bust you! Thankfully the people I've arrested for it haven't been in a crash where they've killed somebody. So far they've just been running into trees and side rails etc.

I'm definitely not going to hold out for a traffic position when my FTO phase is over with. Way to boring with a ton of down time. Plus all the paper work on traffic is the only stuff left that is still done by hand. I'd rather use the computer and write up reports for other stuff besides speeding.

I refuse to be the cop that plays the guessing game with people though. "Excuse me mam, but do you have any idea how fast you were going?" "Do you know the speed limit on this street?" etc. I just cut to the chase and get it over with. Most of the time they know they were speeding anyway and are just blowing smoke at me anyway.

"Mam, Officer Yates with Ogden Police. I've pulled you over for your speed. You were going 55 in a 35 mph zone. I just need your....etc"

I'd say the thing that is the hardest so far is remembering what paper work to fill out and when for which thing that has happened. Since it isn't computerized its hard to keep track of everything and which box to check, opposed to shade in, opposed to leave blank for situation A but fill it for situation B.

This week is my last 4 days of traffic and then I'll move on to the next phase. It'll be back to regular patrol but the grave yard shift. 9 pm to 7 am. I'll be getting off of work just in time to drive back home in the middle of rush hour traffic. At least if I fall asleep at the wheel it won't be a high speed crash. It'll just be bumper to bumper and I'll wake up to roll a few feet forward.

Hopefully Aleca will be done with school here in the next few weeks and we'll be able to move back up closer to Ogden at the end of December or early Jan sometime.

10-42

Two Weeks Down

10-41

Well, I've been working for full time as a police officer for about two weeks now and already I've seen my fare share of things. My shift has been 3:00 pm to 1:00 am.

My third day I was involved in a vehicle pursuit. It was pretty intense. We spiked all four tires and had 8 K9 units on the scene. He was a wanted felon with a gun (he'll be in federal prison for a minimum of 5 years just for the gun, not including felony evading)

I've had to pull my gun and drawn down on a guy, I've searched a ladies van for drugs, I've arrested two people (one for public intox and the other for aggravated assault), and pulled over multiple cars for various violations.

So far its everything I expected it to be. Depending on the call there can be a lo of paper work which sucks. I basically have to write down what happened almost as if I'm writing a book, except I have to remember minute details and quotes from the different people involved.

I'm one FTO officers down and 4 to go. My next two weeks I'll be with traffic. I'll be pulling cars over and giving them tickets for various things but every now and then I'll get to do a DUI or stop a guy with warrants. I'm not too excited to be writing tickets all night but it won't be too bad.

10-42