Officer Mike Roberts and Officer Sarah Kerwin stop a Nissan Pathfinder for traffic violations. The driver, a young, red-headed female, has no license and no insurance. Officer Roberts searches the vehicle and finds drug paraphernalia and a small amount of heroin. Officer Roberts explains to her that she is “circling the drain” and that he wants to see her make better decisions. Roberts shows the young female a blank key that he found in the vehicle and uses it as a metaphor. Officer Roberts explains how this key represents her life, that the key is blank and she can groove it however she wants. Officers Kerwin and Roberts decide to give her another chance and she is kicked loose.
Officer Roberts and Fender make contact with a couple of people in a parked car. After talking to the male passenger he tells the officers that he has a warrant. He is placed in cuffs and then states that he stole the car. Officer Roberts gets the female passenger out and he finds a little bit of meth in her purse. They can’t confirm the car is stolen but the male suspect says he lied about stealing the car so that the female would not get in trouble. The male suspect goes to jail for his warrant and Officer Roberts talks to the female passenger about quitting meth.
| Name | Michael Roberts |
| Rank | Police Officer |
| Agency | Portland Police |
| Station/Area Command | East Precinct |
| Age | |
| From | New York |
| Hired | 02/2007 |
| Why Law Enforcement | Stumbled into it. I wanted a job where I could actually impact the people around me and at the end of a hard work day I could look myself in the mirror and feel good about the man looking back at me. Of course, like anyone not involved in law enforcement I had no idea what I was truly getting into. |
| First Arrest | It was odd. I arrested a man on a shoplift. I was riddled with compassion and it was the first of many events leading me to my views on economic inequality. |
| Best part of the job | I really love to connect with individuals. There is so little we can affect on society as a whole, working as an extension of government. However, when you are one on one with someone who is at such a low point that police are involved…opportunity sometimes presents itself. Every once in a while someone hears the words they need to make it through a moment…and every once in a while I am privileged enough to be that person who says those words. |
| Hobbies | I love getting out…and running and playing sports…but I also have a great passion for food and travel. I really love life as a whole. I think the better question is what I don’t like to do..(.I don’t like okra). |
| Favorite Quote | “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us…”-Nelson Mandela |
