On the night shift

State College police officer patrols the area, solves conflicts

The first stop of the night for State College police officer Mark Gabrovsek is an expired registration sticker. The second stop is a convenience store for a 24-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew.

And so the night begins, March 4, a typical Wednesday night, for officer Gabrovsek. It's about 9 p.m. and already one hour of Gabrovsek's night shift has passed. As the extra car on duty, Gabrovsek has the freedom to roam the areas.

"Manpower permitting, we always have more people than zones to fill," Gabrovsek said.

A night on the town

He is driving an unmarked car, not the noticeable white State College police car with red and blue warning lights on top; however, the inside of the car matches the marked cars on duty.

"I don't drink soda at home," he says, taking a swig of the Mountain Dew. "There's something in my body telling me it's time for Mountain Dew."

Suddenly, he flips on a warning light on the dashboard. It blinks red, blue, red, blue. In an instant Gabrovsek is outside questioning another driver about his inspection sticker.

The sticker is OK. Gabrovsek misread the faded number. It's 9:56 p.m.

So far, the night has been slow, he comments. However, the proximity to spring break should bring more people out than usual, he muses.

"Even on the nights when we have nothing going on, I just enjoy driving around and looking at things," Gabrovsek says, the corner of his wispy, brown mustache lifting, a wide grin illuminating his face.

Firmly gripping the wheel and scanning Beaver Avenue for suspicious activity, Gabrovsek's peace is interrupted by a jumble of numbers from the police radio at his side.

Within 5 minutes, Gabrovsek turns the corner and is out of the car assessing the situation at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

Gabrovsek hops out to confront the scene of confusion and noise awaiting him at the entrance. He jumps out of the car, his gear -- handcuffs, gun, spare bullets and mace -- clanking at his belt.

One situation involves a man who had been kicked out because bouncers thought he was spitting on people. Both police officers speak with the man, attempting to calm him. Upset because he was outside and his friends were inside, the man pleads with officers to let him in the bar.

"Please arrest me after the band plays," the man begged before he began yelling obsenities, arguing his only crime was his desire to protect his girlfriend from the inside mob.

Finally, the officers manage to calm him down and convince his less-intoxicated friend to remove the man from the area.

While writing up the report in a parking lot off Calder Way, Gabrovsek reflects on the situation.

"If he wants to scream and say some nasty things . . . you have to give him the benefit to some extent . . . you've got to give him the opportunity to vent, it's human nature."

These situations present a challenge, Gabrovsek says.

"They don't understand," he says, "You can't explain. You can't rationalize with intoxicated people."

If the man began to verbally assault or show animosity toward others or police officers, then that person would have run the risk of arrest, Gabrovsek adds.

Background

Gabrovsek, 33, grew up in Centre County, about 20 miles from State College. He attended the University, graduating with a degree in administration of justice.

"Somewhere along the line, I considered police work," he said. As a college student, he worked as a security guard at the Nittany Mall, catching shoplifters.

Gabrovsek has worked for State College police for 9½ years. About three years ago, he starting working permanently on the night shift.

He said he loves working the night shift.

"I like dealing with difficult people, knowing that I can exercise control. I still enjoy coming to work," Gabrovsek said. "I never know what I'm going to get. It's entertaining. I'm getting paid and I got a front row ticket to the best show there is. I don't know if I could be happier anywhere."

Time at home is limited between the night shift and required court appearances. The night shift, or third shift, runs from 8:15 p.m. until 6:30 a.m., a 10-hour shift. The work week for Gabrovsek lasts between 45 and 50 hours per week, plus court time.

The night shift, Gabrovsek said, is composed of about 15 officers, adding that many of the officers are young and aggressive. Currently, there are people in line waiting to work on the night shift, he said.

Night shift supervisor Sgt. Scott Ohs, a member of the force for about 19 years, said the officers on the shift work as a team and help each other.

Patrolling State College

Many times, policing in State College is not glamorous, Gabrovsek said. Open-container violations, public urination and loud party citations are just some of the things the State College police handle, Gabrovsek said.

If people know the police are everywhere, they are more likely to be honest, he said.

"People get used to us being aggressive," he said.

At night, the problems with people are different than in the daytime, said State College officer Andy Ettaro, who works the night shift with Gabrovsek. During the day the people are soft-spoken and polite, but at night, this is not always the case, Ettaro,32, said.

"He's personable. Whenever you're in the station he can be a clown and he has a reputation for keeping it light, but when he comes outside, he's a professional," he said.

Both Ettaro and Gabrovsek have lived in the State College area their entire life, a factor Ettaro said helps him keep things in perspective -- he has been in the position of many of the people he must deal with.

"I was the little high school kid, I was the little fraternity boy," Ettaro said.

But when you are on the job, your attitude is different, he said.

"When you come outside and you have to put on this image that you're professional," he said. "You don't have to be a robot and deal with people like they're not human beings."

The blue suit and the badge get Gabrovsek through the difficult situations. Horrible accidents and incidents which paralyze people with fear and emotion, are easy to handle once he gets wrapped up in the job, Gabrovsek said.

"Something kicks in and you just do, do, do, do," he said.

Fear brings you into focus, said John Aston, 25, a State College night shift police officer who works with Gabrovsek.

"You can't get away from fear. I think it's good," Aston said.

He has worked on the night shift for 2½ of his three years with the department.

"We have the training, we have the gun, we have the vest," Aston said. "That helps in most situations."

However, some situations are more difficult than others, Aston said.

"Every situation is different. You use your past experience, your training and your common sense to get you through a situation," Aston said, adding that he and Gabrovsek have been taking karate classes.

1:30 a.m. the Sound of Silence

The streets are dead except for the parked cars.

"Most of the cars you see parked on the street and in garages, by three o'clock will be gone," he notes.

These cars belong to people in the bars and about this time he will start looking closely for driving under the influence offenses.

2:20 a.m. Driving Under the Influence

A call comes in to assist plainclothes officers on a DUI. The officers are standing outside their vehicle as Gabrovsek pulls up to the driveway where they are parked.

State College police concentrate on alcohol-related incidents, Gabrovsek says.

After an explanation, the driver is asked to follow the line of a flashlight with his eye, then walk nine steps, toe to heel, turn around and walk back. Finally, he is asked to lift one leg in the air, balance his body and keep his hands at his side.

Unsteady walking and his inability to stay balanced lead to his arrest. The driver is handcuffed, led to the police car and taken to Centre Community Hospital for blood-alcohol tests.

The man in the suit

The State College police provide many services for residents of the borough such as unlocking car doors and answering ambulance and fire calls.

"You show up at all of these scenes, everyone's in panic," Gabrovsek said. "When someone's in a bad situation and they see the suit, they automatically do better."

Police have a calming effect and even the sight of police officers can deter people from engaging in criminal activity and unsavory actions, he added.

"A lot of the job is to be seen," he said. "We try to be as visible as possible."