'Ride Along' with Blade crime reporter

Blade reporter Taylor Dungjen takes notes in the light of a vehicle's license plate bulb while covering members of the gun task force during a summer "ride-along" as they searched for weapons in a citywide crackdown in Toledo.

The police sergeant in driver’s seat laid on the gas pedal of the black unmarked SUV and the vehicle jumped forward, flying down Detroit Avenue, racing the clock to make it to a reported fight near a convenience store.

Blade photographer Lori King and I — sitting in the back seat — exchanged quick glances. We were both thinking the same thing:

"This is so awesome."

By the time we got there, the crowd had dispersed. But hardly a moment passed before another call came in. Toledo police Sgt. Dan Raab and Lt. Norm "Chip" Giesige radioed in.

We were off.

That went on for hours. Between responding to calls of loitering, fights, chasing people through gang territory, and sneaking around on the prowl for a murder suspect, there was hardly a dull moment during my eight-hour ride-along with the Toledo Police Department’s new gun task force a few weeks ago.

Let’s be honest. I have the coolest job in the universe.

Being the crime reporter at The Blade keeps me pretty busy. Not everything that I do, see, and hear can make it in the paper.

This is me, Taylor Dungjen, inviting you, dear reader, to join me on a "ride-along" as I cover all things crime in and around the Glass City.

I will bring you quirky crime reports (shenanigans), quips overheard on the police scanner, notes from interviews that don’t make it into stories, and other behind-the-scenes stuff that, I think, will be useful or interesting.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, rhythms, rhymes, poems or salutations.

VISIT BLOG: http://toledoblade.typepad.com/ridealong/

News tips can be sent to tdungjen@theblade.com or call me at 419.724.6054.