My point of view, staring at an AR-15 rifle on my first "arrest"

On Monday, Aug. 31, I, along with fellow reporter Joshua Payne, stepped up the ante of the "Cops and Robbers" game, playing against some of Kennett's finest as we took on the role of "Bad Guys" during the Kennett Police Department Strategic Response Team's (SRT) training session at The Bridge.

On Monday morning, I got a call from Lt. Tim Trowbridge of the Kennett Police Department, asking if I would like to be a "bad guy" at the SRT's training. Feeling a little nostalgic, I told Tim I would do it, and asked if he needed more "bad guys." He told me to bring them along, so I asked Josh if he was interested.

Apparently he felt nostalgic too, as he jumped at the chance.

So at around 6 p.m., Josh and I arrived at The Bridge, greeted by Tim and about 10 more members of the SRT.

Tim, Josh, my wife, my son, and I took a quick tour of the facility as he explained what would be taking place. When Tim mentioned that the team would be training with real weapons, my wife decided it would be a good idea to take my son, 2, someplace else as not to scare him, so they went next door to the Catfish Wharf for dinner. (Later, I was treated to a value meal from McDonald's. Yum.)

After all of the officers arrived, the team did a run without us as bad guys.

Then the fun began.

For the first run, Josh and I were to hide in different rooms and be compliant with the officers' requests.

So, there I was, in my blue room, hiding between a pipe and the wall, behind the door. As the team grew nearer, I could hear them shouting their commands, rooms clear and such, growing eerily closer to me.

After a few minutes, I saw the doorknob to my room begin to turn. As the door opened, I watched the barrel of a rifle creep in.

Within seconds, I was face to face with a member of the SRT, staring down the barrel of an AR-15 rifle. The SRT member and his partner began yelling at me to "GET DOWN! GET DOWN!" to which I complied, dropping to my knees with my hands in the air.

I then felt the cold clasp of metal on my wrists as one of the SRT members cuffed me. I was defeated.

The next run, Josh and I were to hide in the same room, still being compliant. As we took off to find our room, we ran to the back of the church and found a closet with no lights and ducked inside, closing the door.

As we waited for the team to find us, all I could hear was breathing.

Then I began to hear doors open and the commands once again got closer.

Minutes later, the door to our room opened, they saw Josh immediately, and told him to "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" I thought I was safe behind the door, but as it was swinging back closed from when they opened it, one of the team members pushed it back open and it bounced of my shoe.

Again, I faced a gun in my face and the command "GET DOWN!" Defeated again.

For the third run, Tim gave us each a "gun" (a piece of plastic tubing) and told us to be non-compliant. We were also to hide in separate rooms.

I made my way to a small cubbyhole in the back of the church, about the size of a small closet, awaiting the arrival of my "enemy."

The waiting game again played out similar to what it had before.

As SRT members entered my room, I thought my spot was a good one, yet I was quickly found.

SRT members, with their guns bearing down on me, once again yelled, "GET DOWN!"

I yelled back "NO!" and raised my weapon. Before I could "fire" the SRT "shot" me, and I fell back against the corner, sliding down into a slump. Defeated and DEAD!

A few more exercises later and we called an end to the training. Afterwards, Tim said if we wanted to be involved again, he would be more than happy to have us help.

We both accepted.

I will chronicle the next training session after it happens. Wish me luck.