The Abilene Police have started a new recruiting push for the next class of cadets. Many may be wondering what a life in Police-work might be like, or they may just picture- what they see in the movies and think they may not be fit or even daring enough for that lifestyle.
So I went out for a Police ride-along to experience a day in the life of an Abilene Officer to see why they do what they do.
Starting out each shift, Officer John Wilson inspects the car from front-to-back and inside-out.
As he puts it, this is his office for the next ten hours, and he's responsible for it. "There's a log that let's you know if there's any previous damage. If you might have been in a fender-bender, you have to document it. [So] you're the new driver, and you're responsible for this car."
Then Wilson steps in for his pre-shift briefing, where the officers learn about what they need to watch for, as well as any information they might need to know from previous shifts.
After getting what he needs for his shift, we hit the road. Wilson, a rookie cop, fresh out of academy, explains to me how his beat works. "We're assigned to a beat every night." Our beat is the area near the Mall of Abilene. Not long after we got a call from dispatch to check on a disoriented patient at Abilene Regional.
During our time in the car, I asked this former military man, why he turned his attention to law enforcement?
He responded that, "A couple of my friends were Police Officers and I went on a ride-along with them. I got hooked and here I am."
Now that Wilson's out of the Police Academy, he recognizes the need for more Police Officers. "The whole thing with the Academy is teamwork. When you get out on the street, I'm out on my own. Yet, I'm not. I have other officers that depend on me, and I depend on them."
As the evening ended, hopped out of the car and let Officer Wilson get back on the streets to keep Abilene safe.
If you are interested in joining the next cadet class, the Abilene Police Department will continue to accept applications until the March 4th deadline. For more information, go to www.abilenepolice.org/ .
