MetroWatch Officer Aids Washington State Trooper
Washington State Trooper Matt Hughes was injured, getting the worst of a fight and trying to keep an alleged drunken driver from grabbing his gun when MetroWatch officer Justin Gribble arrived. That's why Gribble, 32, was honored with a Washington State Patrol commendation for bravery on October 20, 2003. "Without Gribble, the 1:15 a.m. July 26th fight could have ended in tragedy," said WSP Lt. Ron Rupke.

Trooper Hughes had stopped a red pickup near 39th Street on NE 112th Avenue in Vancouver. When the driver was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated, he attacked Hughes, dislocating the trooper's left shoulder while knocking him to the ground. The driver climbed on top of Hughes, struck him and tried to pull his .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol from its holster. Just then, Gribble screeched his MetroWatch patrol car to a stop and ordered the driver to surrender. Gribble then assisted Hughes in handcuffing the driver who was then taken to Clark County Jail.

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Burglary of Vancouver School Foiled

At 4:40 in the morning on November 11, 2003, new patrol officer Lisa Reinhart pulled her patrol car onto the campus of Truman elementary school to inspect the facility. As she approached a blue Ford pickup parked there, a man jumped from the bed of the truck and fled around a building. After radioing for assistance, officer Reinhart proceeded toward the vehicle and discovered another man who claimed he had just been "jumped" by a guy he had encountered near a portable classroom. According to Reinhart, he appeared cold, wet, bleeding and very nervous.

Officer Reinhart escorted the man back toward the pickup where he retrieved his wallet for identification purposes. Looking into the truck, Reinhart observed some bolt cutters and a cell phone. Clark County Deputy Duncan Hoss arrived on the scene and a subsequent investigation revealed forced entry to the portable classroom.  A computer and overhead projector were found hidden outside. The pickup was impounded and the man was taken to Clark County Jail. The man seen running from the truck was not located.

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Longview
Around 7:10 pm on October 19th, Metro Watch sergeant Leo Trucke observed suspicious activity as he patrolled by Ozzie's car wash. A man was standing in front of a car in the wash section, but was not washing it. A second man, near the coin box was motioned to the car by the first guy as sergeant Trucke approached. Immediately noticing a damaged coin box:, Trucke ordered the man back out of the car instructing him to place his hands on the hood. The other man was told to stay put. At this point, three Longview Police cars arrived, as a result of a citizen's 911 call reporting the same activity that had drawn sergeant Trucke's attention. Discovering a large amount of quarters in the man's pocket, police officers handcuffed and transported him to Cowlitz County Jail along with his accomplice.

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Tacoma
November 1st proved to be an interesting night for officers William "Mac" McKnight and Ryan Wilson. At about 9:45 pm, their attention was drawn to a vehicle that was driving slowly between two apartment complexes that share a common border. The two male occupants kept looking around as if to see if anyone was watching them. Periodically, the car would stop and the passenger would go to an apartment some distance away and then return in a few minutes. This activity was repeated five or six times in a half hour, so the officers decided to make contact with them. Upon doing so, they found one in the car and the other returning from an apartment in the other complex with a female companion. The officers requested identification and proof of residency from each individual. In the process, officer Wilson detected what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and baggies of illegal substances in the female's opened purse. Tacoma police were summoned. TPD officers interviewed and arrested the female; the  two men were released after proving residency at one of the apartment complexes. However, as a result of this encounter, Tacoma police subsequently obtained a search warrant for their apartments and arrested the two men on drug charges shortly thereafter.

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Vancouver
Metro Watch patrolman Chris Harris was dispatched to a noise complaint at an apartment complex about 11: 15 pm on November 12th. Already on the property, he arrived immediately at the apartment in question. It was obviously a party in progress and Harris made contact with a female tenant regarding the loud music and commotion. Officer Harris soon learned that alcohol was present and some of the partiers were under age. At this point another tenant rebuffed Harris for lack of a search warrant, swore at him and slammed the door. Vancouver police were requested as several people began jumping off the balcony and running in different directions. The party had broken up by the time police arrived.