OC HIGH: STUDENT NEWS AND VIEWS : Looking for Excitement? Try a Night Riding Shotgun

Spending Friday night in a police car is not a regularly scheduled activity of mine, but I recently had the experience. As a participant in a ride-along program, I spent four hours riding in a patrol car with a Huntington Beach police officer.

I entered the Police Department building determined to enjoy myself and to make the most out of this experience. I was assigned to ride with Officer Greg Lawrence.

One of the first things I noticed about him was his shotgun.

For someone who had never seen a gun up close, having a shotgun two inches away from my knee was an eye-opening experience. As I watched Lawrence load the gun with four shotgun shells, each containing nine pellets, I remember thinking, “What am I getting myself into?” Lawrence explained that the shotgun, which has less accuracy than other types of guns, should only be used when a lot of people are not present. He was also carrying a duty gun and a collapsible baton.

Before we proceeded toward his assigned section of the city, Lawrence put my name into the computer in his car to verify that there were no outstanding warrants for my arrest or any failures to appear in court.

In Huntington Beach, there are about 100 patrol officers available to patrol the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The officers are assigned different shifts. We were on the swing shift, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The day shift is from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the “graveyard” shift from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Our first assignment was assisting two detectives in the arrest of a man wanted for burglary. He surrendered quietly. Lawrence told me that, had the suspect refused to open his door, the police would have had the right to forcefully enter.

We took the suspect to jail for booking, and I was given a tour of the facilities.

The last thing we did was chase a reckless teen-age driver on Beach Boulevard.

As we sped by cars on the narrow street, I was impressed by Lawrence’s driving skills and his efficiency in controlling the siren and lights.

I was also proud of him because he made the streets a little safer when he finally pulled the driver over. Although Lawrence said it was a slow evening, I had had enough excitement for one night.