Friday night, 7:20 pm I arrived at the Sheriff's Office to meet up with Sargent Justin Shaffer, who also is K9 handler for "Max", a Belgian Malinois. Justin is going on patrol later with Max and I'll be riding along to see exactly what happens after the rest of us are usually asleep.
First, we causally chatted in the deputy's office and it wasn't long before the first call came in, a civil matter that potentially had criminal implications. Ironically, I learned that civil matters (close to half the calls they get) can take a lot of time and not really produce immediate results. Ouch, you say, someone called the police and they couldn't help?
Both deputies in the office were quick to tell me that upon investigating a civil matter, their first determination is to find out if any laws have been broken. Hence, no laws broken, there's not much that can be done about it at this time. Often, officers dealing with civil matters will initially work to calm down those involved, then possibly advise them to seek a lawyer to pursue it further.
Next I got the grand tour of the jail. Before going into the prisoner area, all firearms are locked up and access requires getting 'buzzed in' by dispatch. This insures no one goes in or out without the proper clearance. And, if there was a disturbance, i.e., a lock down, I'd be there for the duration. Alrighty then.
The layout inside the jail is ergonomically correct- dispatch has a clear view of all operations including visitation rooms, prisoner cells, the booking area and more. Anything not directly in view is easily seen via large screen video monitors in dispatch.
I spoke with one of the jailers at length and got a good understanding of their job, which ranges from taking prisoners in and out of the cells to dispensing personal products, food and more. "As soon as someone is booked into the jail, they are my responsibility" he said. I asked how stressful the job can be... "most of the time not too bad". But sometimes unruly cellmates can cause the 'old blood pressure to rise'. Understandably so, as the jail is full to capacity.
Tonight however, everyone is calm- playing cards, checkers, watching TV or just chatting.
Inside dispatch there is a feel of the Star Trek Enterprise- a dimly lit room with glowing computer screens showing live camera images, maps, and tech stuff I couldn't identify. On the wall is a dry erase board with names of those who face extradition back to Bates County from another county or state. The process of verification is a stringent one, as it requires the teamwork from a lot of folks. We talked at length about the sequence of things that have to happen to bring someone into the jail. Any mistake means a good lawyer will probably win their case in court. So, rules are strictly followed.
The sun has been down for awhile and the frequency of phone calls to dispatch begin pick up. A couple of 'speak to officer' (usually regarding an ongoing investigation) and a few other minor things. The number of calls per day can vary greatly, from maybe 20 to 70 or more. Plus dispatch handles Adrian PD, Rich Hill PD and Adrian Fire.
So far, it's a fairly quiet night.
I finished my tour by viewing the temporary holding cells and the booking area. Nearby was the chair. Not just any old chair, mind you. This one comes complete with plenty of restraints to restrict movement by even the most unruly prisoner. As you might guess, spending some time in the chair can have a certain calming affect. I was offered to experience the chair for myself- I passed on that.
Time to go on patrol anyway.
Outside, Sgt Shaffer and I got into his patrol vehicle where I first met Max. A dog like that would have made me quite nervous back in my college days... I was expecting Max to stare me down and size me up. Come on, it's a police dog, trained to take people down and sniff out drugs.
But I was wrong about our first encounter.
Sgt Shaffer opened the access between Max's caged area and the front of the vehicle where I was greeted by what could have been one of my dogs... he wanted his head scratched, and if I stopped doing it, put his head under my hand so I would do it some more. Wow. I have a new friend.
Max's whole world revolves around Sgt. Shaffer. However, it's a lot more than giving a command and waiting for the dog to do his/her job. A better description would be there is an understanding between dog and handler. In fact, the handler sometimes has to question the dog's behavior and may withhold the treat (usually a toy) until the dog gives the proper answer. Since Max stays with the Shaffer's, he is afforded a lot of bonding time as well.
We chatted about what the night might hold as we headed out. Who really knows?
West toward Amsterdam as we started the nightly patrol around 8:30 pm. I marveled at the patrol vehicle, with the enthusiasm of Dan Aykroyd in the Blues Brothers- it's got a cop motor, cop tires, cop suspension... but ironically, our trek remained at or below the speed limit. I found out it helps keep Max comfy and saves some fuel too.
But maybe, just maybe later he'll have to open it up...
The radio crackled with a message from dispatch asking another officer on patrol if he was 10-31 (are you ok). Yep, all is well. Shortly later, the radio came alive again with a report of someone walking on I-49. Not necessarily a crime, but at night it's good to make sure no one is in danger. Sounds like Rich Hill PD is going to investigate.
We circled through Amsterdam a few times while Sgt Shaffer shared stories about somewhat dangerous situations he has been involved in. I actually opened that discussion by asking what has been something that really was, uh, scary being a law officer. His calm demeanor is an indication that this guy doesn't scare easily. However, he did say there were a few times where he single handedly made multiple arrests, which certainly leaves the officer with no choice but to plan his next move in case something goes bad.
Fortunately, it didn't in any case.
This was followed by talk of the random police shootings of late, including one in Clinton, Mo. Yes, we all have to admit, this type of activity is downright scary. We wouldn't expect that type of thing to happen in Bates County- and hopefully it won't. But Sgt Shaffer reinforced that all employees of the Bates County Sheriff's Office remain vigilant at all times. It's that important.
A common saying among police and firefighters is that going home safe at the end of your shift is the most important thing. As a firefighter, I couldn't agree more.
Before leaving Amsterdam, we stopped so Max could have a brief bathroom break. Once he was back in the vehicle, he again would not let me stop petting him; but we needed to get back on the road. Sorry, chum.
As we headed toward Adrian the radio was buzzing again as Sgt Shaffer and another deputy discussed some official business. Some such discussions are done by cell phone, which is more secure than radio. As we neared Adrian, dispatch notified patrolman there was a C&I driver on I-49. Just a few seconds later, it was reported the driver exited at Butler and was within city limits. Butler PD was making a response, so we continued on our way.
Well, it's Friday the 13th. I'm really not the superstitious type but, hey, am I gonna see any excitement tonight? Sgt Shaffer assured me that anything was possible but sometimes there just isn't much going on. On that note, I asked him about the police chase that happened a few weeks ago in the western part of the county. "It's hard not to get excited" he told me "a chase presents a lot of dangers, not only for us but for innocent bystanders and even the person we're after". Just as he told me when doing multiple arrests, keeping calm during a chase is equally important. "It allows you to make much better, informed decisions". Agreed.
While driving through Adrian, Sgt Shaffer spots a car weaving a little, makes a turn onto a street, then is attempting to back out as we pull up. Possible impaired driver. Officer Shaffer stops and calmly approaches the vehicle.
No. Not an impaired driver. Someone who was lost, and wasn't sure how to get back on to I-49. Sgt Shaffer gave him directions. And the driver offered a handshake, which was accepted. It's somewhat unusual for a driver to be appreciative after a traffic stop. Sgt Shaffer went on to explain "Well, it's a two way street. Most of the time if I treat them with respect, they will treat me with respect". Good words to live by for sure.
10:37 PM- After an already long day, the writer of this article was needing a coffee break. After a stop at Casey's, while I sucked up a full 20 oz coffee, I noticed that Sgt Shaffer wasn't doing the same. In fact, he appeared to have no vices, or at least any required to make it through a long night. "You get used to it, being up all night" he told me. Good for him, I actually thought I was going to need another cup.
On this particular night, there were two other patrolmen, generally with one in the north part of the county and one in the south; Sgt Shaffer, however, was a floater, meaning he was free to roam the county and assist other deputies as needed. The number of domestic assault calls, among other things, tend to go up on the weekend making increased patrols necessary.
We headed east on 18 highway toward Ballard. Later we will venture south, eventually making a circle around the county.
The radio remained somewhat quiet. Maybe Friday the 13th wasn't going to be a big deal after all. I mentioned that it was rather comforting to have a companion, Max, along for the ride at night. This of course led to more discussion about Max, where I learned that he is 7 years old and a well trained sniffer for marijuana, crack cocaine, cocaine, meth and heroin. He is also highly trained to search for people by following a scent of the person OR by being able to smell crushed grass and foliage where a person has stepped. Likewise, he is trained to work in a cone shaped area, and uses some other strategies until he homes in on the subject.
No wonder dogs like him cost $10 to $12 thousand dollars. And most are only trained to find drugs, but not track. Max, however came at the bargain price of about $5000 and he can do all of that. A truly amazing animal that still likes to be scratched on the head like any other.
11:31 PM as we turn southward, the radio comes alive with a report of a cow stuck by a car on I-49 near Passaic. Ok, now, I thought, we'll get to open this sucker up. But no, while Sgt Shaffer did increase his speed, it wasn't going to be a white knuckle, handle clenching trip to Passaic. No need to speed, he said.
We arrived at the scene to find a J-4 (deceased) cow, about 600 lbs, laying at the edge of the road. Off the roadway was a small car with extensive front end damage. Oddly, we could not locate the driver. Dispatch is reporting that someone saw the person walking along the roadway back toward the Passaic ramp.
After an accident, a missing person can be of grave concern- sometimes people walk away with serious injuries, then collapse somewhere along the way. One of the other patrol deputies arrived to help secure the scene, along with the highway patrol. A Butler police officer also came to assist. Sound like overkill? No. It's better to have more eyes and more awareness when working along the highway, especially at night.
Adrian PD also did assist; and the driver was safely located a few miles away in short order. Someone was called to remove the cow from the roadway, with condolences. The scene was cleared and everyone went about their duty. We headed south on 49.
Sgt Shaffer spotted what appeared to be a suspect's car. A quick run of the tags indicated a false alarm, so we continued on.
Fortunately, the rest of the night brought little activity, which actually is a good thing. A quiet night in the county is a good night- as everyone knows that can and will change in a heartbeat.
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EDITOR'S NOTE- First, my thanks to the Bates County Sheriff's Office for letting me spend some time learning more about the people that work there and an insight to their jobs. It's not easy and nobody is getting rich doing it; it's clearly obvious that those who put their lives on the line every day do it because they care. It's that simple.
Likewise, I would recommend that anyone take a little time to visit with any of the BCSO officers and get to know them. I promise it to be a very positive experience.
More info about National Crime Prevention Month here:http://www.ncpc.org/programs/crime-prevention-month/about
