The Mystery Starts Here

No matter if you like to read mysteries, write them or both, there is one thing you really owe it to yourself to do. Go on a ride-along with a law enforcement officer. I’ve done two and am ready to go again! There is nothing like the thrill of going 110 MPH on the freeway, running code three, lights and sirens, chasing bad guys.

In case you didn’t know, anyone can go for a ride-along. You only have to go to your local police or sheriff’s department to sign up. They’ll ask you to sign a waver – in case something should happen to you, but believe me, your safely is the first concern of the officer. It may take a few weeks as they will do a background check on you for criminal activity. Once you’re cleared and ready to go, I suggest you try an evening shif on the weekends. More action – more fun!

A ride-along is especially helpful for you mystery writers. Do you know where they store the shotgun? Where’s the control panel located? How about the onboard computer? Where is it and how does it work? Once inside the black-and-white, you’ll be amazed at how much equipment is in there. Depending on the officer, you may be able to go with them on some calls, or not. As I said, your safety is their main concern. If something really hairy goes down, they might just leave you at the side of the road and come back to pick you up later – if they remember!

I decided to try the night shift (6:00 PM – 6:00 AM) on a Friday. I told the female deputy that I wasn’t sure how long I could stay away, and she told me she’d return me to the station whenever I wanted. Well, I finally rolled into bed at 0300 the next morning! We chased speeders, went to the scene of a burglery in progress, helped break up a fright – between two women and a whole lot more. Yup, it was one of the greatest thrills of my life. Try it yourself. You’ll love it!

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 13th, 2008 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.