This past week, I had the pleasure of riding along with the Nicholasville Police Department.

A little timid and very much excited, I showed up at the police department worried about two things. One, that we wouldn’t get too many calls. Two, that we would get a lot of calls and what exactly those would be.

When asked if I was ready by your local chief of police, I actually nervously laughed and told him, “Hell no.” A response which got a lot of laughs by your local police officers and those there to witness me a nervous wreck. After jokingly offering me a bullet proof vest, I was whisked away in a cruiser to my first stop of the evening.

During my ride along, I was excited to find out this is actually a service the police department offers to all residents — just in case you didn’t know. I encourage everyone who every wanted a peek inside their local police department to sign up for the Citizen’s Police Academy and schedule a ride-a-long. What you encounter might just shock you.

I have to say, we saw a little of everything in my time out last Thursday evening. From shoplifting, forged checks, drugs, warrants, criminal mischief and red light and stop sign runners the only thing I did not see while enjoying my time with one of the local officers was a DUI. In reality, I am actually grateful I didn’t.

Not only did this experience show me the local police department is working their tails off non-stop for the citizens of Nicholasville, it also showed me the inside of their department and the Jessamine County Detention Center, both of which are in desperate need of an upgrade.

My eyes were opened to a whole new world as I wondered how the officials of this town even operated with the buildings and conditions they were given to run their department out of. For two departments in this city that run non-stop, the detention center and the police department, it was shocking to see what they were given while trying their hardest to protect this town’s citizens.

I can honestly say my time spent with the police department was a blast, for lack of better words. I even sent a text to them the next morning thanking them for the experience and letting them know I think I just may have been a police officer in my former life.

I was surprised at how little down time we had while on my ride-a-long and thought to myself how much the clique of cops and donut breaks just does not fit with the local department.

Always on the run, there is hardly any time for your local police officers to catch a breath — let alone a tasty treat.

The experience is one I am happy to share in our next edition of the Jessamine Life magazine, due out at the end of November. I hope my experience, and the story, will open the residents of Jessamine County’s eyes into their world and just how much work they put into protecting each and every one of you. It may even inspire you to book a ride-a-long of your own to enjoy just like I did.

Brittany Fuller is the community editor of The Jessamine Journal and Jessamine Life magazine. She can be reached at brittany.fuller@jessaminejournal.com.