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On a muggy pre-dawn morning in mid-May, I entered the behind-the-scenes section of Precinct 3 (northeast Mobile) for the first time. While each precinct is similar, there are differences beyond the age and architecture of the buildings that set a certain tone to each shift. The atmosphere that Saturday morning was eagerness to start the patrol, despite the early hour. And, yes, I’ve witnessed a reluctant squad. There’s a huge difference!

When role call announcements began, I was surprised at the squad’s small size—barely double-digits counting me and a trainee or two riding with other officers—and the fact that I was most likely the oldest person in the room. There is typically a shift lieutenant, sergeant, or even a patrol officer of a comparable age. The sergeant in charge that day was one I’d witnessed earn his rank at the MPD promotion ceremony the month before. Did that make me nervous? No. Working a career like law enforcement has a way of aging people through experiences. Officers typically witness more things in a week than I have in a lifetime.

Officer Z, who I was assigned to ride with, had a loaner Chevy Caprice because his Tahoe was in the repair shop. The sedan does not handle potholes or speed bumps well, and not having a higher vantage point when patrolling were the two main negatives I experienced. My biggest concern was about our visibility the few times we ran under blue lights/sirens, but Officer Z was careful when approaching all intersections.

The majority of the calls that hot pre-summer day were disorderly or domestic related. There were also calls about shots fired in Crichton (which was domestic related), multiple automobile accidents from Sage Ave. to the causeway, shoplifting at Springdale, a body down (photo above—he was alive, though not sober), a 9-1-1- hang up near Africatown, and two false building alarms in Midtown. Officer Z went on those calls from the furthest east to the furthest west of Precinct 3, plus patrolled several beats from Airport Blvd to Trinity Gardens, including the public parks in those areas. One of the unofficial stops he made while patrolling was to help a box turtle cross Florida Street.

The squad did their best to keep up with the frequent calls, but there were times dispatch had to send units from other precincts to help cover the call volume. Officer Wells, who I rode with in Precinct 4 the month before, drove by us on her way back to West Mobile while Officer Z was helping a motorist on Catherine Street. Out of the calls that required a backing unit, the longest we had to wait for another officer was fifteen minutes. Fortunately, the situation potentially needing police intervention had passed without incident, though the family members did not cancel the requested officer assistance. A cancelation would have been helpful because that one unnecessary response took over half an hour including travel and wait time.

My time observing in Precinct 3 was extremely active. Thank you, officers, for your efforts to keep Mobile safe for everyone. When breaks are scarce and call-volume high, you keep rolling—even when victims refuse service.

For those who might need assistance or know someone who could benefit, the Mobile Police Department has a Family Intervention Team that specializes in helping youth and families through free education, counseling, and more. Visit the F.I.T. page on the MPD website to learn more and fill out an online application.

New articles in “Fragments Observed: Riding with the Mobile Police Department” will post the third week each month. In keeping with the tone of the first “Fragments Observed” series, this new feature is not meant as a comprehensive recount. The monthly posts feature highlights from my twelve-hour patrol shifts with MPD officers across the city. It might seem different than my historic focus, but seeing where MPD stands today helps me relate things from the past for modern readers of historical fiction. I hope these articles shed a light on Mobile Police Department’s service to our community.