I found a new respect for police officers, or at least for how early they wake up, as I grumpily rolled out of bed at 6:15 a.m. Sunday morning. I was scheduled to arrive at the Norman Police Department at 6:45 a.m. for an early morning ride in a cop car.

I arrived at the department on time with my running shoes tied tightly in anticipation that I would have to sprint after or away from an armed suspect.

I met the man who I would be riding with, Officer Jason Simpson.

He was nice and talkative, which was not surprising. I figured the department would set me up with somebody who would not mind me tagging along.

Simpson, who graduated from OU with a degree in ethics and religion in 1994, led me out to a parking lot crowded with police cars. Some of the cars were old Fords, but I was happy when Simpson directed me to his 2007 Dodge Charger.

Simpson could tell I was impressed by the Charger, and he said he liked the car too.

“I think these are real good police cars,” Simpson said of the Charger.

The department began buying Chargers in 2006 but is no longer buying them, Simpson said.

I slipped into the car and started checking the equipment, which included a touch screen laptop and a colorful arrangement of switches and knobs.

We left the department at about 7:30 a.m., and Simpson gave me a tour of his patrol area.

The streets were quiet, not unusual for a Sunday morning. Simpson, who works the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift five days a week, said Sundays are not very busy.

We drove around for 30 minutes, before receiving a call that a house alarm was ringing. As we drove toward the house, Simpson told me the perks of being a police officer.

He said he enjoys the freedom and variety of work, but he said the department, in his opinion, is understaffed.

He said when he began working at the department in 2000 more officers were scheduled for duty than now. Simpson said he blames the lack of workers on department’s inability to compete for recruits with cities like Moore and Oklahoma City. A public safety sales tax passed earlier this year will allow the department to hire 41 additional police officers, Simpson said.

Another officer was already at the house when we arrived. As we walked toward the house, I raised my arm to shield my head from any stray bullets that I anticipated would fly from the windows. The officers determined the house was secure so we left.

Then Simpson dropped me off at the police station because he was called home for personal reasons.

I waited in the police briefing room for another officer to pick me up.

A bald officer walked in and asked if I was the rider. I said I was.

“Let’s go,” said the second officer, Rob Ridner, in a gruff voice as he motioned to his Charger.

We were driving west on Lindsey Street, when all of a sudden we took a sharp turn. Soon we were racing down the street and tailing a speeding car. The car pulled to the side of the road and we followed. Before braking, Ridner threw off his seat belt. Suddenly, we were stopped and Ridner was out of the car, talking to the driver of the other car.

Ridner allowed the driver, who was going about 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, to leave with a warning.

Our next stop was an actual crime scene. Another officer had called Ridner to the scene, a vandalized building, to help investigate.

When we arrived at the scene, the officer who had called Ridner was using a brush that resembled a make-up brush to dust for finger prints.

I felt like I was a character in CSI: Norman.

At 11 a.m., half way through his shift, Ridner dropped me off at the police department. I immediately drove home to take a nap.

Looking back on the experience, I realize I did not get to wear a bullet proof vest and I was never in any danger, but at least I got a behind the scenes look at the daily routine of Norman’s men in uniform.