Last week an opportunity presented itself to be able to spend the day riding along with Officer Ki Ransdell of the Florence Police Department. The chance to be able to experience a day in the life of a Florence Police officer was intriguing and would provide a great window into the daily activities of these men and women who keep our city safe each day.
We all see the police around us as we go about our daily business. We know that they are there to protect us but we rarely get to have some insight into what it is like to do the job these officers do each day. It is impossible to understand the many ways they serve the people in the community without an experience like this. Each day, these brave individuals have no idea what will confront them. As they patrol the city, a call could come at any time, some simple and some complex.
The day began with the officer locating someone who had a warrant for their arrest issued. In what, thankfully, was a peaceful exchange, the person was taken into custody and was taken to be processed at the Boone County Jail. After leaving the jail, the officer returned to the city limits and was available to take another call. This would be one of the ways we typically think of our officers spending their day.
The next call presented a situation that we don't often associate with the police department. A physician had some concerns for a patient of his and asked the police if they could check on that person for them. The officers arrived, located the individual and then assisted that person to get to the hospital for the treatment they needed. The officers helped this person to feel reassured and safe and always kept their welfare as their top priority. We don't often think of the police in this way, but what they did for this person was great and will hopefully make a difference in their life.
As the day continued, some of the things you would normally associate with the police took place. There were a few people who were not following the rules of the road and were cited for those offenses. Another call came in about a potential break-in at a local business and two officers set out to insure that the business was safe. Soon after, a response was needed to a life squad call at a local nursing home. To cap off the day, a few disorderly citizens were taken into custody.
We often take for granted that the police department exists, as they due their duty each day behind the scenes. They are constantly on the job and on alert and keep the city of Florence safe for all of us. The feeling of security we all have is due to the hard work of the Florence Police Department and the brave individuals who serve as police officers. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for the work they do to insure the safety of our families and our city.
