Dialing dispatch

Zoe Blackburn, News Magazine Design Editor

Law enforcement class participated in an activity, that gave students the chance to step into the shoes of a police officer.

Students in Law enforcement took part in a hands- on traffic stop activity. Students involved in the traffic stop activity were either a cop or the person being pulled over, senior Avery Perry got to be both.

“Usually I switched with my partner and got to be the cop and the one being pulled over,” said Perry.

Stepping into an officer’s shoes was an experience, senior Clara Maude enjoyed.

“My favorite part of the activity was the outcome and seeing the steps police officers have to do every time someone gets pulled over,” said Maude.

Before approaching the car, students were to state-specific information about the vehicle and driver. Law enforcement teacher Keegan Garner, knows the specifics to deal with a traffic stop.

“You call dispatch stating, your radio number, that it is a traffic stop, your location, the color, year, make, and body of car, license plate, and cordially communicate with the driver and explain what they did wrong,” said Garner.

Students had to memorize the different steps officers have to take when pulling someone over.  

“The most difficult part of the activity was the memorization because there was a lot of intricate steps and things we had to say just right, and I now understand that it takes a lot of time and energy to write and process tickets so it is not worth it to break the law,” said Perry.

Students were taught to leave a trace on the victim’s car, in case something were to go wrong.

“Students were to meet all the requirements, filling the forms out, putting their fingerprint on the tail light just in case they got away, and looking for traffic before approaching the car,” said Garner.

Specifically the law enforcement class,  students get an introduction and a deeper background into law enforcement.

“The whole class is designed to give students a look into law enforcement and give students a chance to see what an officer conducting a traffic stop does, and why they ask the questions they do,” said Garner.

With a new look into law enforcement, students learn some of the things officers in the field do when pulling someone over. The traffic stop activity left students with the innovation of a police officer’s job and a once in a lifetime learning experience.