My ridealong in Zone 4 - Garry Ray Davis II CRJU3011 Fall...

Garry Ray Davis II
09-28-2008
CRJU3011
Fall 2008
My tour in Zone 4
As I got in the car I had no idea what was intended for me on this trip. Police officers
normally never have an idea what is in store with them either. What if they encounter an armed
fugitive who surprises them with gunfire? What motivates someone to choose a career as harsh
as this one? All my answers would be answered with this officer that was granted authority to
carry firearms and make discretionary decisions about arrests, searches, and even end the life of
another human being by pulling the trigger during the stressful, fast moving events that confront
police officers everyday.
I met Officer Erick Escalante at the Zone four precinct in the middle of the afternoon on a
slow Monday. After waiting patiently for my paper work to go through with the attendant at the
desk, the officer informed that as soon as the afternoon patrol returned with the car that we
would leave. We took this time to get to know each other on a very basic level. To my surprise
Officer Escalante was from my very own home city in Gwinnett and had lived down the road
from my father’s restaurant. His brother also lived in my home county and lived very close to my
family’s other restaurant in Dacula. I learned that he had been in the Marine Corp for a few years
and then transferred to the academy where he learned a lot about law enforcement. He had
originally been trying to work for the Police department near his family in Lawrenceville/Duluth

but the requirements were very strict. He had a speeding ticket that he had received in North
Carolina a few years back and it showed up on his record when he tried to apply for the job.
However, when he went in for his Zone 4 interview, the interviewing officer shined some light
on the situation and told him if he had just changed to a Georgia license that all problems would
have been resolved. Upon leaving for our ride along, I saw a gold Jeep with Sigma Nu letters on
it. I was ecstatic to see that one of my brothers worked at this station. I asked Officer Escalante if
he knew specifically who drove that car but he had no idea. It was time to roll out and a long day
lay ahead of us on our trip into one of the worst areas that the state had to offer.
Factors that attract people to a career in policing are the opportunity to take on important