Senior Stephanie Browne hadn’t been at the police station more than 5 minutes before they received the call.
“We immediately got in the car and went to the Townsend,” said Browne. “The woman was crazy; she was yelling and refused to pay a $4,000 bill. She was also threatening the manager with guns and knives.”
“We were up there for almost an hour. She had been living at the hotel after she separated from her husband,” said Browne.
Browne is just one of 36 students from Ben Harwood’s AP Government class who was able to participate in a police ride-along with an officer from the Birmingham Police Department.
“The ride along is one of nearly a dozen assignments I offer my AP Government students at the end of the second trimester,” said Harwood. “They’re all part of a senior service project where the goal is to go beyond the book learning and participate in the process.”
Harwood, who from 2002 to 2006 worked the midnight shift as a police dispatcher for the City of Grosse Pointe, said the assignment gives students the chance to realize there’s a person behind that badge.
“It works to eliminate stereotypes teens have about police and gives them a glimpse into the world officers face every day,” said Harwood.
In addition to the incident at the Townsend, Browne was involved in a hit and run investigation.
“Someone ran a red light, so we sped down Woodward at 75 mph to catch the driver,” said Browne.
Senior Elizabeth Donaldson witnessed an arrest on her ride-along.
“A woman was refusing to pay for riding the city bus and causing a disturbance,” said Donaldson. “The cop had to push her against the car and arrest her. He handcuffed her and she was placed in the car. We went back to the station where she was booked and placed in a jail cell.”
For some, the assignment provided memorable moments.
Alex Palffy watched his officer process a Seaholm graduate for a marijuana possession arrest.
Leslie Armstrong, who in her ride-along report said “it was totally awesome -- I wish I could do it again,” witnessed a semi-truck nearly tip over, after being stuck on a boulder at 15 Mile and Southfield.
Other students didn’t experience as much action.
Texting while driving. Speeding. Parking illegally to get free coffee at Starbucks. Making an illegal left turn. This is what senior Rachel Dickerman experienced on her two hour ride-along with a female police officer.
“I couldn’t believe what she was doing. It was pretty fun, but she wasn’t very friendly,” said Dickerman.
Dickerman was also witness to a car accident in the Poppleton park neighborhood. She was able to get out, walk around and observe up close.
The most exciting part for Dickerman was seeing the cameras all over downtown Birmingham.
“It’s scary how much they can see. We are being watched all the time,” said Dickerman.
