Hey Winstonians. Editor Kellina here. Ever wonder how our communities are kept safe? As part of the City of Winston-Salem University 2025 cohort, I had the privilege to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Winston-Salem Police and Fire Departments operate. I got my editor hat on and hopped on board for a ride. Here’s how my days went:

Police department

12 p.m. — I reported to the District 2 office at 539 Waughtown St., where I was greeted and welcomed into the building by Officer Gray, who was working on a case incident that had happened earlier in the day. Officer Gray and his direct sergeant were the only two in the office, bouncing ideas off of each other as Officer Gray was writing a report to pursue the case further.

1:15 p.m. — time for the ride. I rode along with Officer Gray to the identified suspect's house, where I got to meet two other officers who tagged along. Again, more processing and investigative work. Where could the suspect be? Where might they have gone? Who are they connected to? Who should we reach out to? More and more questions surfaced among the officers. If you're wondering whether I felt like The Rookie in this moment, you're completely right — except I was a fly on the wall.

2:15 p.m. — Officer Gray drove to the magistrate's office to obtain a warrant for the suspect's arrest since the suspect could not be found. Once approved, the warrant is sent to other agencies to keep on record.

3:30 p.m. — case closed. Now we're heading back to the station.

Trading my job for a day wasn't so bad. | Photo by WStoday

Fire department

12:35 p.m. — I reported to Fire Station 1 located on Marshall Street North on the outskirts of downtown Winston-Salem. I got to meet several firefighters, engineers, and tour the station. No, I did not see any pole. One fire engineer explained that poles are typically installed in stations with limited square footage to save space — a common practice in larger cities like New York.

Fun Fact: firefighters have 80 seconds between receiving a call and leaving the station.

2:20 p.m. — A call came in. It's time for a ride. For every call, three firefighters will hop on to assist with the call. The driver, the chief, and another firefighter. I wore my headset, which is used to communicate among firefighters in the truck, since it gets so loud. Sirens, honks, and scattered driving sent a shot of adrenaline through my veins. I turned to Chief Wesley and asked, "Is this how you feel when you answer a call?" referring to the adrenaline rush. "Yes," he answered, sounding satisfied. It took us less than 5 minutes to get to the destination located in Old Salem.

Everyone was safe when we got to the destination. EMS followed shortly after arriving to take care of the medical emergency. I rode along, exploring different neighborhoods after we attended the call.

3:30 p.m. — We returned to the station.

Editor Kellina's final thoughts

It was eye-opening to see what these brave people go through in their day-to-day lives to make sure everyone is safe. These ride-alongs are available to any residents. You can call the station ahead of time and schedule a time. Next time you see them out and about, thank them for their hard work.