This is the second of a three-part series featuring  mentorship students and their mentoring experiences. MSMS states in its mission statement: “Our mission is to enhance the future of Mississippi in the global society by meeting the individual needs of gifted and talented students through providing innovative learning experiences and leadership development in a residential environment.” Many at MSMS would consider the mentorship program to be an example of the school’s “innovative learning experience.”

Columbus native Bri Jones spent her semester in the mentorship program working at the local police department under Columbus Officer Rhonda Sanders.

After hearing about the mentorship program I decided to apply for something centered around criminal justice. I was thrilled to be assigned to the Columbus Police Department because I now had a chance to see if I really wanted to pursue this career. I have always been a person who takes joy in helping others — what would be a better way to do that than by serving the country!

The controversy between the police and the community motivates me to work hard at trying to make a difference in the future. As a part of a future generation, I feel it is our duty to improve and grow in our society. My mentor was Officer Rhonda Sanders who serves as a public relations officer. Officer Sanders has been an officer for more than 10 years. When she is not out trying to protect the city, she is trying to find ways to make it better.

Every time I saw Officer Sanders, she was always interacting with the community. She believes that creating a healthy relationship with people is the best way to make progress. She shows me that there are other things that can be done to show consideration others. When she wears her badge, it is not just for her but for the people whom she works hard to protect and care for every day.

Officer Sanders’ job requires her to multitask on a large scale even when she is not in the office. She coordinates everything from haunted houses to toy drives. She gives presentations for new recruits or develops new community outreach. Sometimes this job stressed her and at times seemed it would be impossible to pull off. However, as a strong leader, she never lets stress prevent her from getting the job done.

Working at the police department was not like I expected. To outsiders, it seems like a very professional setting. Everyone looks serious and focused but it actually is quite the opposite. The staff are very welcoming and always willing to assist me. At first, I was nervous because I thought it was going to be a highly professional environment and that I was going to have a stickler as a supervisor. Instead when I first arrived, all of the officers were engaging in conversations with me, trying to learn about me and sharing about themselves. As coworkers, they treat each other more like a family. Someone was always making jokes. Sometimes the officers visit each other and see how everyone’s job is going.

I learned very quickly just how much police officers do on a daily basis because Officer Sanders has so many events and fundraisers to orchestrate on top of the normal incident reports. I thought I would be bombarded with an extensive amount of work; however, MSMS prepared me for the work and it proved to be manageable. I utilized my creativity in designing flyers and posters for events. These type of projects got easier as time went on and I enjoyed doing them because it required me to go out of my comfort zone. There were other times where the assignments were a little more rigorous and tedious, such as contacting event participants and compiling a list to send to the captains for confirmation.

Sometimes I researched ways to help the department gain money for new equipment through grants or entered the department in contests to help them get more involved with the community. When I was not doing the bigger things, I was sending department emails about upcoming events and setting up presentations.

When I started my mentorship I expected to be thrown into the constant paperwork filing. As busy as police officers are, I thought they would just give me busy work to keep me occupied but this was not the case. There was a lot more field experience. I had the opportunity of doing ride alongs with a few of the officers and visiting the crime lab. I experienced the officers’ daily routine including the methods they used to help do these jobs efficiently. At the crime lab, I got to see how they conducted their investigations and the different tools they used to gather evidence. This mentorship experience exceeded my expectations because it was very informative and realistic.

On my first ride along, I was paired with patrol officer Blaire. She explained how movies and television show exaggerated things. For instance, most people are under the impression that every time an officer makes an arrest they have to mirandize their arrestee but they actually do not have to do that unless that person is being arrested for a felony offense. They also do not have to explain to someone why they are being arrested, they do it out of respect. In movies, every time there is an emergency, officers always turn on their lights but Officer Blair informed me that it is not necessary for the lights and siren to be used for every emergency. Most people are under the impression that officers are always trying to find a reason to hand out tickets but all of the officers I had the chance of accompanying informed me that they try to write as little tickets as they can. There is not any ticket quota they try to meet, most of them barely use one ticket book a year. In order to give a speeding ticket the rule is the person has to be going eight miles  over the speed limit;  but, most officers do not hand out tickets unless the person is going 10 to 15 miles over.

There are more ways that police officers try to help people than most realize. My experience at the police department was unlike any other. The more time I spent there, the more I saw myself pursuing the career and enjoying it. The experience has given me the extra boost I need to continue my journey to becoming an officer and getting my degree in criminal justice. I am glad that the staff took the time to teach me and guide me in a successful direction.