There is really no such thing as a “typical day” at the police department. Each new day is different from the last. One week I can be really busy doing clerical work and the next I could be out riding along with a patrol officer. My internship is very unpredictable, which is also why I enjoy and appreciate it so much. It keeps me looking forward to the weeks ahead of me.
In this blog post, I am going to talk about my two most memorable internship experiences so far this summer. My first memorable moment was being taken to see an autopsy. Yes, an AUTOPSY. It was a couple weeks ago when Sgt. Fulginiti and I drove up to Baltimore so he could get me in the Medical Examiners Office to witness how autopsies are performed. At first during the ride there, I was pretty nervous because I didn’t know what to really expect. All I’ve heard were stories of students and people passing out while observing an autopsy.
When we arrived, we made our way to the 2nd floor and my adrenaline started rushing. We walked off the elevator into a white hallway filled with doors. We walked through two huge white doors and up steps into a viewing area. Through the viewing glass, you looked down into a huge room. The room had eight stations, with all these different tools so that different autopsies could be performed at the same time.
I basically saw how autopsies operate on three different levels. I observed the pre- and post-autopsy procedures, as well as an autopsy in progress. It was just amazing to see the inside of a human body and how carefully the doctors take out the organs and examine each part. I witnessed how they remove specific organs, like the brain, and exam each through a variety of procedures and processes. In the end, seeing an autopsy was one of the best experiences I ever had in my life and as a student. It also kind of gave me the idea of looking into becoming a medical examiner.
The other memorable experience I have had while interning with the police department would have to be when I sat in on a federal trial. In this trial the defendant was being charged federally of a series of crimes, in addition to the murder charges. In fact, the defendant could face up to life in prison just for the federal crimes committed, not including the murders. This courtroom experience was amazing to observe. I think getting this experience was a breath of fresh air because I usually only see the events leading up to a trial, and not what actually goes on after all the investigations have been completed.
I am greatly appreciative for all that I have been able to experience in my internship. I have observed and experienced a lot of things that my peers are not able to. I told myself everyday: push yourself outside the box and do new things. This mindset helped to make my internship experience even more rewarding.