Hey Bemidji Now Readers!
I had the privilege to ride along with a Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office this morning.
As part of the “People Who Go To Work Earlier Than Me” series, which kicked off in earnest last month with my early morning snow plow route with MnDOT, I wanted to get a little less grumpy at my usual Morning Radio Show alarms by getting up even earlier to learn more about other occupations.
Law enforcement is a 24/7 operation, of course, so I got to choose which shift I wanted to ride along for, so I chose the 5 a.m. with Deputy Zach Ruport.
Zach worked for the Bemidji Police Department for eight years, is an Army Veteran and is what I have dubbed a homegrown deputy; the Bemidji area is where he grew up and attended school. In fact, he graduated Bemidji High School a few years before I did!
The morning patrol was very quiet so we had the opportunity to discuss the unique environment in which Bemidji and the surrounding area is in, with the college town and tourist town aspects presenting different types of situations, as well as the cultural diversity of being in this beautiful part of the state with our Indigenous neighbors.
Selfie time when Zach dropped me off at the Old Radio Fort!
Zach spoke on the challenges of law enforcement in this modern social media era (which he does not use, good for him!), and said while there are those who should not be in this field, the majority of law enforcement officers go into the profession with a genuine desire to help people.
Zach also raises chickens with his family!
Thanks to Sheriff Jason Riggs and also Deputy Ruport for facilitating this adventure! The series will take a pause in April while I am abroad, but it will resume in May, details forthcoming.
If you have suggestions for future early morning shadowing with yours truly, get a hold of me via email or leave a message at the Paul Bunyan Broadcasting Radio Fort: 218-444-1500.
