Often a thankless job

Last week I had the privilege and honor to ride with Nevada Police Sgt. Amber Williamson for a few hours of an evening shift.

I arrived shortly after she came on duty to give her time to chat with the officers who were going home about what had occurred during the day. Then after a set of rules for me — don’t leave the vehicle, don’t do anything unless specifically told to, don’t talk to anyone under arrest — we hit the streets.

First thing upon entering the vehicle Williamson got out a set of tuning forks. Giving each a tap and waving them in front of her radar gun caused the gun to display a set of speeds. She said the forks prove the radar is operating normally and she uses them at the start of each shift and after each traffic stop to ensure it is correct.

She explained that Nevada is divided up into three zones and each officer is assigned one of those zones to patrol. Officers mostly stick to the zone they are assigned unless needed elsewhere.

Williamson has been with the Nevada Police Department for six years this month, and this is her first job as an officer. She attended College of the Ozarks and majored in criminal justice. She said her interest in law enforcement was piqued after attending Missouri Girls State while in high school. She says her favorite part of the job is the variety, it’s never the same thing twice.

The day of my ride-along was bitterly cold, never topping 20 degrees and getting colder as the sun went down. There wasn’t much activity on the streets.

Williamson thought she recognized someone walking along the street who seemed to have pulled his hood up and turned away just as she was driving past. So she radioed in to check if the person had any outstanding warrants, but he came back all clear so on we drove.

There were a couple of traffic stops for speeding. One got away with a warning, the other was not so lucky.

Sgt. Williamson is a quiet individual, she comes across as very confident and capable. And she is good with people. She was dispatched to an apartment complex where two neighbors had been arguing over clothespins.

An obviously agitated man left his doorway as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, she met him in the yard. I couldn’t hear most of what was said, so I was left with studying the body language. And it was obvious she’s a pro. I watched as she maintained a respectable distance, making slight calming gestures with her hands as the man expressed his frustrations.

When he was done, Williamson went inside to speak with the other half of the dispute. She explained it to me later, both were claiming the other was stealing their clothespins. But neither had proof. So she had suggested to each they simply keep their clothespins inside when not in use.

But not all calls are so simple. In February 2016, Williamson and Sgt. Jeff Baker were dispatched to the call of an individual who had run away from a mental health facility and was threatening suicide. The officers were able to gain control and diffuse the volatile situation without harming the person, actions which led to a commendation from the chief for both of them.

I’ve been told by several officers over the years that traffic stops are among the most dangerous of events for police. Partly because they are so routine. So each time Williamson turned on those lights I tried to put myself in her shoes.

Can I see in the windows? How many people are in the vehicle? Are they acting calmly? I could feel myself stressing out, and here I was sitting in a nice warm car.

One stop in particular stands out in my mind. She pulled the car over because of expired tags.

There were two people inside. Williamson was speaking with the driver when the driver reached suddenly for something in the backseat. I saw Williamson shift her position quickly to get a better view of what was going on. Turns out the driver was just trying to find her insurance card.

I’m thankful for the time I was able to spend with Williamson, to get a tiny glimpse of what the job of a police officer is like. National news about the police is often less than flattering, but I believe that’s just a case of a few bad apples. Most of our men and women in blue are regular folks trying to do a dangerous and often thankless job, who just want to go home at the end of their shift.

To all the officers out there, thank you.