Ride-a-long proves busy for officers

By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

A ride-along with Officer Irving Bourque of the Ville Platte Police Department proved to be quite busy for officers Saturday, March 8.

At 8:45 p.m., the ride began, and Bourque was sent to investigate stolen money in the 700 block of Young Street at 9:30 p.m. Bourque took a report after learning someone had taken the man’s sock off his foot and ran away with his money, which was in the sock. He said he would look for the suspect, who was identified by the complainant.

At 9:51 p.m., officers were called to an assault in the 500 block of Southeast Railroad Street. There was a fight between two individuals, and one was leaving the area as Bourque arrived on the scene. He quickly contacted the officer coming toward him and asked the officer to stop the vehicle. After speaking to both parties, Bourque placed them under arrest for disturbing the peace by fighting. One of the two men claimed the fight started after the other man asked him to borrow money. He said when he told the man no, the argument began.

At 10:17 p.m., Bourque was sent to a store to see if juveniles were on top of the roof. The assistant manager met us at the door and explained juveniles were running on top of the building. The roof was checked and Bourque drove around the building, but no one was found in the area.

At 10:35 p.m, officers were called to a jail disturbance. Officers quickly took care of the argument in the jail.

At 10:45 p.m., a fight at a local lounge on the west side of town on Main Street was reported. Officers arrived at the scene to learn the patron had left the area.

At 10:52 p.m., Bourque made a traffic stop after witnessing a man weaving in the road. The man claimed he was using his cell phone, so Bourque warned him to be careful.

At 12:31 a.m, the officers responded to a fight at a lounge on Lincoln Road. The person was gone when they arrived.

At 12:32 a.m., they were sent to a fight at a lounge on Main Street, near the center of town. They quickly took care of that disturbance.

At 12:43 a.m., a fight was reported at a lounge on Lincoln Road. When officers arrived, the person had left the area. They returned again at 1:01 a.m. to the same lounge, and someone was taken into police custody. A few minutes later, an officer reported seeing the suspect running out of the back of the police station. Police quickly surrounded the cemetery and soon had the man back in their custody. He would be facing additional charges.

Throughout the evening, Bourque checked businesses throughout the community. He returned to several businesses where break-ins were reported in the past to make sure no one had entered these businesses.

At 1:56 a.m, officers stood by as one lounge closed. At 2:09 a.m., they were at another lounge making sure everything closed. Time also moved forward at this time, so at 3:13 a.m. they went to a local gas station to make sure the night crowd was not causing any problems. Officers remained there until 3:37 a.m. when the crowd disbanded.

Bourque continued to patrol the streets until he returned to the station around 4 a.m. to complete his paperwork. This ended this reporter’s ride-a-long.