by ERIN SCHAAL

The Terrapin Times Staff Writer

            We were flying down Metzerott Road at 80 miles per hour with red and blue sirens blaring.

Someone had called the police about a group of men who were reportedly urinating on cars and using a stolen kayak to break windows at the Courtyards. It was our job to find the suspects.

As this was all occurring, it was nearing midnight on a Thursday, and I was riding with the University of Maryland’s Master Patrol Officer, Jim Ellis, on a police ride-along, an opportunity available to all applicable students who are willing to submit to a background check before the ride.

Recent crimes near campus would make one think that robberies and drunken violence are the only crimes that occur in College Park, but the car chase was the most unusual call that night.

            Ellis and I were part of the “midnight squad,” a group of seven officers who patrol the university jurisdiction from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. One officer stays in the communication room to dispatch all calls to the remaining six officers on the road.

            During the overnight shift, officers patrol the area both proactively and reactively, according to Ellis. This means they cover the grounds of their jurisdiction looking for suspicious activity until they receive a call and respond to a specific crime.

By midnight, Ellis had pulled over two drivers for traffic violations, responded to a call about telephone misuse and found a trash can that had been thrown out of a high-rise window, when he responded to a call reporting disorderly conduct near Ellicott Hall.

No robberies.

We started the highlight of our shift — the chase scene — late into the night, but other officers caught up with the kayak criminals and made the arrest, while Ellis charged a 19-year-old male with driving under the influence of alcohol.

I stayed until 2 a.m. During my four-hour escapade, I heard other calls about illegal drugs, suspicious activity at Potomac Video and rowdy behavior. Nothing about any armed robberies or stabbings.

“Those things hardly ever happen. That’s why they’re in the news,” said Ellis. “We’re on it right away, and we take it very seriously. But misdemeanor theft is the most common crime.”

            Yet, Ellis encouraged students to use common sense in order to stay safe on and off campus. It is still wise to walk with a group in a well-lighted area and to use police escorts and shuttle buses, but people sometimes become complacent with precautionary measures against more common crimes, according to Ellis.

            For example, many students leave dorm rooms unlocked when they only plan to be down the hall, but Ellis warned that such behavior, even if only momentary, can lead to crime.

Suspects can easily tailgate into residence halls, where they turn every knob until they find one that is unlocked, he said.

If a thief opens the door to an occupied room, he can ask the residents for a simple favor – to borrow a quarter, for instance. If he opens the door to a vacant room, he can take what he wants and be out in just seconds, according to Ellis.

“We catch people every semester, but we don’t catch everyone all the time,” Ellis said. “Most crimes are preventable.”

During the ride-along, Ellis tried to prevent crimes by closing parking lot gates to limit the number of non-university members from entering campus.

He also ran checks on cars he saw on the road if the models were those that are commonly stolen — to make sure no one had recently reported them missing.

But he did not respond to any armed robberies. It was a typical night.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this unique opportunity, contact the University Police Department or visit them on the web at: http://www.umpd.umd.edu