Mason Graybill – Police Department Internship

My name is Mason Graybill. I am a senior at Garden Spot High school. I am currently participating in an internship at the Ephrata Police Department located in Ephrata, PA with my mentor Detective Lockhart. I have always wanted to be a police officer. I am thankful for this opportunity to engage and get firsthand experience and knowledge of what it is like to be a police officer. I have really enjoyed my time so far and have gotten experience with a variety of tasks and duties.

A typical day for me consists of arriving and logging in with my assigned officer. Whenever we leave the building, I put a ballistics vest on. Every day there is something different going on. Sometimes we go on patrol where each call is different. It could be a vehicle accident, domestic disputes, medical emergencies, thefts/robberies, etc. We also do traffic stops where citations or tickets are handed out. I do a lot of observation. I also help to run plates and registrations for the officers. I have observed an all-day Firearms Training and observed and ran with the patrol for security when Vice President Mike Pence visited Ephrata during his campaigning for the 2020 election.

Along with observing patrols and calls, multiple Officers have given me instruction and training on multiple topics. These include but are not limited to the Booking Process, Criminal investigations, sexual assaults and child abuse, polygraph tests, drone operations, drug investigations, vehicle inspections, accident investigations, evidence packaging and storage, suspect/victim/witness interviews, and criminal complaints and search warrants. I ask a lot of questions and have learned so much.

Through this experience, I have grown a lot. I am typically a pretty quiet person. I have learned that it is very important to ask questions and furthermore, not to be afraid to ask them. When you ask questions, it gives you more information and knowledge. I have also learned that observing is very important too. Picking up on people’s behaviors and mannerisms can tell you a lot about people and situations.  Police officers do many different things to serve and help their community. I am very appreciative of the opportunity that I have had with this internship. This experience has strengthened and confirmed my desire to be in law enforcement and major in criminal justice in college.