A college instructor once told my class that being five minutes early was right on time.
He neglected to mention that sometimes five minutes early can turn into hours of boredom.
You'd think that the summoning of dive rescue or SWAT teams automatically equals excitement, but anyone who has been drawn like a moth to those flashing reds and blues knows that standing beyond the yellow tape isn't always that exciting.
Obviously, I'm not whining that it's unfair to have to wait for something to happen. "Hurry up and wait" is just an aspect of the business — one that also happens to make it that much harder to quit smoking.
Back in June, the SWAT team was called out to a Richland home in search of a suspect involved in an unlawful imprisonment. Luckily, I wasn't there for the duration of the exhaustive search, which turned up nothing, but the light did line up for what I think is a fun outtake.
After it was over, I showed up late to a shoot about a local bridge club. When the reason for my tardiness came up, someone joked about the change in excitement from shooting a SWAT search versus a bridge club.
"Actually," I said honestly, "this has been much more fun."
~~~~~
kyau@tricityherald.com
(509) 585-7205
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We're grateful for the
help we don't always see
We're grateful for the
help we don't always see
This week, we're thankful for people who are working behind the scenes -- the organizations that find homes for homeless animals, the men who rush into burning buildings and the guys who patiently wait outside a building trying to coax someone out of a tense situation.
A lot of newspaper ink is devoted to celebrities and headliners. But it's worth noting, and thanking, the people who quietly make our lives better.
Stray dog and pups
2 arrests made in Sunnyside robbery
2 arrests made in Sunnyside robbery
Sunnyside police called in SWAT teams after a robbery suspect fled into an attic in Sunnyside on Wednesday.
Two young men allegedly threatened a 19-year-old man with a knife and demanded money near South First Street and Lincoln Avenue about 2 p.m.
An officer who was nearby saw the suspects and immediately arrested a 16-year-old. The other suspect, later identified as Matthew Ray Garcia, 19, ran into a nearby home and refused to come out.
Walla Walla police arrest couple during drug raid
Walla Walla police arrest couple during drug raid
A Walla Walla couple was arrested on drug charges during an early-morning SWAT team raid, police said.
The arrests of Debra Lynn Hong, 38, and her husband, Baldwin G. Hong, 46, were the result of several weeks of investigation by the Special Teams Unit drug detectives, said Walla Walla police Officer Tim Bennett.
The Emergency Services Unit SWAT team served a warrant to search the Hong's rental property on 123 E. Sumach at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday, Bennett said.
SWAT teams partner, train together
SWAT teams partner, train together
More than three dozen officers from multiple agencies in Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties converged on Burbank's high school Wednesday.
The specially trained members of the Tri-City and Walla Walla regional SWAT teams worked together to find and capture three armed suspects inside Columbia High School.
The simulated school shooting incident marked the end of a three-day joint training exercise -- the first time both SWAT teams have trained together -- and the beginning of a new working relationship between the two groups.
Walla Walla SWAT raid leads to arrest
Walla Walla SWAT raid leads to arrest
WALLA WALLA -- A 31-year-old Walla Walla man was arrested early Thursday when SWAT team members raided his home to search for evidence related to counterfeit money that has been passed around the area, police said.
SWAT members deployed two "flash bangs" before they entered the home in the 300 block of East Chestnut around 6:30 a.m., said Walla Walla police Officer Tim Bennett.
The devices, which produce a loud sound and a bright flash, could be heard for several blocks, he said.
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