Crime & Safety

Night Patrol With Des Plaines Police

Des Plaines Patch goes on a ride along in the first of a two-part series.

Whether you were once a teenager sneaking beers in the park, a side-street speed demon or just coasted through one too many red lights -- unless you've been universally blessed by a higher power -- most of us have had a run-in with the police.

While those sirens and flashing lights might occasionally give us a sinking feeling in our stomachs (we were probably guilty anyway), did you ever wonder what an officer has to deal with on a nightly basis? 

I accompanied officer Matt Bowler of the Des Plaines Police Department (DPPD) on a Friday night ride along to find out.

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I met Bowler, 29, at 6 p.m. with a plan to cover the streets for a few hours and then head over to a roadblock on Rand Road and Dempster Street until 1 a.m.

He quickly explained the rules. If there was a routine stop, I was welcome to get out of the car if he deemed it safe. "But if there's a real hot call, like an armed robbery, obviously I can't take you there," Bowler said. To which I replied, "That's fine." Even though I was disappointed. "How about you just drop me off across the street?" I asked, half kidding. 

Find out what's happening in Des Plaineswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We managed to get some small talk in as we began patrolling, and I found out that Bowler has been with the DPPD for six years, two and a half of which he spent undercover as part of the Tactical Response Team (TRT), which handles drug and gang investigations.  

No sooner had we started chatting when dispatches began coming in and out over the radio and the computer off the dash began to constantly update calls as I tried to follow along. 

I learned over the course of the evening that when a cop is busy, he's really busy and when he's not, he's not.

By 7 p.m. we'd made an unusual traffic stop and arrested a man on an outstanding warrant.  We were back at the station by 7:30 p.m., and I got my first lesson in the mundane as Bowler filled out extensive paperwork and explained the details of the booking process.  While we were waiting, a TRT sergeant (Who I'll allow to remain nameless because drug dealers might read the news too. Well, they might.) asked me if I'd like to go sell five pounds of marijuana with him and before I could say, "Are you out of your mind? YES!" another officer quickly vetoed the invitation. Shucks, maybe next time.

(The aforementioned $13,360 marijuana deal resulted in the arrest of three men Sept. 1. View details here.)

By 8:30 p.m. Bowler and I were back on the street and within an hour swung by a domestic call, attempted to chase down a hit-and-run perpetrator, checked on a disturbance at a local motel, assisted a woman who was harassed at a local grocery store and chatted up a local vagrant whose alter-ego is a rock star. After 9:30 p.m., the radio was eerily silent. (Cue the crickets.)

We headed over to the roadblock at 11 p.m., which was being manned by about 20 police officers, volunteers and reserve officers. It was pretty uneventful, aside from the occasional arrest for a suspended driver's license and tickets for expired insurance. I was surprised by how many people tried to pass off expired insurance cards like the officers couldn't read the date. And then there was all those excuses and the whining! Most people know that officers have to deal with lying, excuses and tears on a regular basis but if I only got a taste of it at the roadblock, I tell you I don't know how they put up with it. 

By 1 a.m. I was pretty beat. Bowler had to transport an arrest, so I hopped in the car and headed back to the station. While I was contemplating going back out (I didn't want to look like a wimp) I chatted up Commander Dan Niemann about the job and Breathalyzer cover-up myths like putting coins in your mouth to neutralize the alcohol. "All putting coins in your mouth is going to do is give you germs," he said with a laugh.

It seemed the city was sleeping so I decided to head home, my work finished for the night. As I walked to my car, I saw two squad cars with flashing lights at the end of the block so I hotfooted it over to see what was up.

A group of about 30 people, who appeared to be in their early 20s, was running all over the street and ducking into buildings with officers in hot pursuit. Members of the group were quickly apprehended. I ran over to investigate and whom did I see but Neimann, who seemed to have teleported himself to the scene.

I questioned him about the situation and it turned out the group had rented space at Stage One Theater at 620 Lee St. for a birthday party and a fight broke out. A young man had come into the station to report he had been beaten and someone at the party had called as well. "I thought the night was coming to an end, but I guess it's just beginning," I said as I headed for home to write about my experience. 

"Here is your headline," Neimann said. "Hours and hours of boredom interrupted by brief moments of madness. 'Cause that's what our job is."

Part two: The Prostitution Bust coming soon. 


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