Ride Along

While I was rushing through the side streets of Atlantic Avenue, heading southbound, trying to make it on time for my ride along appointment with Long Beach Police Department. I quickly tried to recall the procedure Sergeant Bob Kisner explained to me. He said, "Be there at least fifteen minutes early and park in the parking structure, if you plan on staying after 6pm you won't have to pay for parking." I made a right turn on Ocean Boulevard, trying to locate my destination and experienced a moment of uncertainty. Driving in downtown Long Beach can be a challenge for some. For one reason, there are so many one-way signs, which can easily get you frustrated, plus there can be a substantial amount of traffic. Next reason, there is never anywhere to park your car for free.

I get to the Long Beach Police Department headquarters in downtown Long Beach. The building was located on West Broadway and Magnolia Avenue and is part of the South Division. I park my car in the structure like instructed and walk to the building. I was dressed in warm and comfortable clothing, but avoided looking like a slob. I made sure my shoes were comfortable and I had my warmest jacket. As I walked in I scanned the lobby and made eye contact with some fussy civilians and headed toward the front desk to inquire about my appointment made for my Ride Along. I had to wait and felt like I was neglected and so I insisted on speaking to one of the officers managing the front desk about my ride along appointment. The officer gave me an application to fill out and informed me to wait.

Waiting patiently, I look over the people in need of police assistance regarding many things. I glanced at a few people inquiring if there situation was worth a case. There was a group of four Filipino elderly people coming in to make a report about something. A wild, older lady alarmed the officers of her dying son and demanded justice. Many others seeking times and schedules of their loved ones being sent free from being incarcerated a long term or short term sentence. A variety of waiting and watching the public, and their circumstances subsided my waiting. After thirty minutes of observing, I ask the officer where the nearest vending machine was located. She directed me to the nearest vending machine in the parking structure. I mentioned to her if it was alright if I leave my application at the front desk while I go and get a soda.

The boredom encouraged me to take a walk and grab a soda. I looked over the dingy vending machine and made my selection. Opening my coke, I hesitated for a bit concerned if the soda would spill all over due to the carbonated substance. After the soda calmed I opened it and drank merrily. Strolling back to the building I followed up with the officer about my appointment. He mentioned that they are calling an officer from the unit and is waiting for an officer to come to the building. I took another swig of my cola and decided to play online poker on my cellphone while waiting for my ride-along. I thought about all this waiting and asked myself, what is the point of making an appointment if I still had to wait. Slowly but surely my officer approached me while I headed to the front desk for another appointment follow up.

Officer Juan Avila was my officer that evening and I followed him to the police vehicle. I got into the car and looked about my surroundings. My officer described the computer system and the agenda for the evening. Our mission that evening was to follow up with registered sex offenders in the South and West Division. Officer Juan was armed and ready to work. He is currently part of the felony unit in the southern division. Officer Juan worked in gang units and narcotic units in the passed. He has been involved in the force for about 16 years and seems to be satisfied with his career choice. Along with working the unit or the field he is also a training officer for new recruits. Officer Juan had a few stacks of papers with sex offenders profiles, containing photos, drivers license numbers, address of residence and other important information. I was definitely intrigued by our mission. I shared my experience with Officer Juan about my encounter in regards to a sex offender. He offered to look up my ex-boyfriend on his savvy computer system in the vehicle, whom I had to press charges for certain reasons and indeed we saw his profile. He said, "He's actually on my list." Jokingly, he offered to take me to his house to follow up on him but I profusely refused.

As I scanned the paperwork on sex offenders, Officer Juan asked me if I smoked. I replied, wearily, "just socially." We pulled up to a cigar lounge on Third Street and he said, "I gotta stop here and take a smoke break." We get out of the car and he greets the regulars as they puff on there cuban cigars in the patio and mingles with them for about 20 minutes. I remained an observant of my officer's social behavior and tried my best to fit in and listened intently to their small talk conversations. After a few more minutes of minuscule chatter, Officer Juan and I got back into the vehicle and he humorously admitted, "We cops Bullshit a lot." I giggled and smiled.

After our social encounter with the cigar smokers, Officer Juan asked if I was hungry and if I liked McDonalds. I answered, "Sure, I haven't been to McDonalds in a long time." We drove to the drive through and ordered our meals and as I pulled out my debit card he insisted that that was not necessary. Pulling up to the cashier, the cashier instantaneously refused payment and we get our free happy meals. I relunctantly remembered giving police officers a hefty discount when I used to work as a waitress in my younger adult years. That experience helped with my college starving moment.

The mission started as we headed to our first destination. Officer Juan instructed that I was going to be a Parol Officer for the evening and to stand behind him at all times just in case someone was armed and fired. With my temporary title I followed Officer Juan to the site. Many of the sex offenders were old, poverty stricken, mentally absent or disturbed. Officer Juan and I were doing compliance checks to make sure these individuals were currently living in the address registered. Sex offenders must register for the rest of their life. Their information can be found on a public government website called, www.Megan'sLaw.gov provided with photos, addresses, description of charges and other information. On one of the compliance checks, Officer Juan read our next sex offender's charges. Public display of masturbation was this sex offender's charge. And again, I shared my experiences with perverts and their disgusting displays of masterbation. Those incidences were embarrassing to recall and he told me if someone ever does that again to just call the cops. Facetiously, Officer Juan called me A Weenie Wacker Magnet!

During the ride along I asked Officer Juan a series of questions regarding his job, stress management, greatest fear of a cop, benefits of being part of a huge public service, compensation, and other topics that crossed my mind. I asked these questions primarily, because as a college student that works and attends school full time I entertained the idea of becoming a cop to put me through school. His opinion to that topic was positive and encouraged me that many of our officers are educated and have become attorneys. I thought about it even more and asked,
"Whats the hardest part of the academy?"
He answered, "its different for everyone, I found it most difficult in the exams."
I added, "I'm not so scared of the exams, moreso the physical training."
He replied."Don't worry about that, just think when you finish you'll be in the best shape ever."

As the evening progressed, I absorbed the idea more about becoming a cop. And as our night concluded, Officer Juan drove me to my car in the parking structure and gave me his business card just in case I had any questions about joining the force, and such. He purposely mentioned not to lose his business card because it had his cell phone number on it and I played along and replied, "Yeah, or else a Weenie Wacker will come after you." We ended our venture in laughter and I greeted him joyously for the upcoming holidays and drove home.