Touring a Police station

We headed out to tour a local Police station with a homeschooling group.  The kids and I learned quite a bit and even got to see their holding rooms for people who get in trouble.  My sister is a police officer and has been for over 15 years but I honestly don't know much about what she does or where she works.  So visiting this facility was very interesting for the kids and I to see what my sister does.

The chief of Police stopped in to welcome us to the station.  The room we were in can also be used as a court room and is the meeting place for the city alderman.

The community officers gave a brief history of this station.  It was named the 9th safest city by a survey based on police records and arrests.  At this station alone there are 51 officers working around the clock.  They are the 4 or 5th biggest police station in the St Louis area.

The officers went over the various items they wear around their belts which weigh about 25pounds when loaded up.    the Taser gun was of course the most fascinating for the children.  The officers informed us that for most criminals only threatening to use the taser gun will make them stop in their tracks as it is quite painful. The taser is used more as a deterrent at least at this station.  The officers also told the kids that they had to be sprayed with pepper spray while in the police academy so they know exactly what to expect because when they spray a criminal more than likely it will get on them as well and they must be able to continue the arrest.  

Kids got to hold and feel the weight of the handcuffs.

Taken into the police office place

Seeing a squad room where this officer was completing paperwork for a case he was working on

Before going into the holding rooms these lock boxes are here for the officers to lock up their guns and knives.

Passing by the interrogation rooms

the booking cage.  where prisoners are taken while being processed

the camera that will take their mug shot

Seeing some of the jails cells of which this station had seven.   This station can only hold prisoners for about 72 hours because they do not have a kitchen (so prisoners are given microwavable frozen meals 3X a day while here) and there is no on staff medical staff.  After 72 hours the judge will decide where they will go.  We were also told while in this area the prisoners do not get any entertainment (except books or mags) and not outdoor physical activity.

The kids were of course interested in the toilet and sink which looks just like what you see in the movies

The old way of finger printing with ink

The new way of finger printing using technology:)

I was surprise to hear there are no jailers down in this area.  All prisoners are monitor by several ceiling camera which are monitored by the dispatch office.  By law male and female prisoner must be separate by sight and sound so there is separate areas for both.  Also any juvenile prisoners are taken to the local juvenile holding cell and not left in this facility except for very short periods.

911 and dispatch stations, kids looking at the many computer screens that tells the dispatch officers where things are located...due to privacy I wasn't able to take pictures from the front of the screens.  While we were there a 911 call came in but it was a miss dial.  The officer let us know it is really important to tell the dispatch person it was a mistaken call and not to just hang up as if you do they need to follow up on the hang up in case someone is in trouble.    We were also told the country code for India is very similar to the 911 number so they gets lots of calls from India by accident.

Then the officer took the kids out to see the police car and talk about what equipment was inside the car.

Kids took a peeked inside and then the officer let the kids go inside

MarioFan thought it was really cool to have a computer in the car!

In the back seat the kids spotted a large rifle and just had to inspect it.