Editor’s note: This is the second in a four-part series about staff writer Matt Milner’s ride-along with members of the Ottumwa Police Department.

OTTUMWA — Officer Brad Johnson comes on duty at 10 p.m. and spends the first 10 minutes or so in the roll call room, where officers trade information and found out what happened over the past shifts.

There are jokes among the officers, but nothing too over the top. They’re relaxed and with friends and colleagues for the moment, maybe for the last time that night.

Johnson heads out after making sure he has his equipment. Extra checks are second nature after 13 years with the OPD. No, you almost never need weapons, but you’d better have them when the need arises.

“Ottumwa actually gets a little bit of everything,” Johnson says. “Every day is something totally new.”

The variety helps keep police engaged, and it makes the city a good training ground. Johnson thinks a year in Ottumwa is probably worth two or three years at most comparably-sized cities.

The first call of the shift comes in 20 minutes later. A caller reported people yelling on North Cooper Street. It’s quiet by the time Johnson arrives. He rolls down the windows and slows to listen, but the only sound is the crunch of the tires on the street.

Johnson’s next call doesn’t pan out, either. There’s someone at a Dumpster at an apartment complex, the caller said. Johnson checks, but there’s no one around. There’s a van by the Dumpster that attracts his attention, so he asks dispatch to check the license plates. Everything appears normal.

The night looks quiet. Johnson and another officer decide to try to serve an arrest warrant. They know where the subject works at a night shift, but she’s not there.

Johnson drives east on Main Street, heading toward the new bypass. He’ll turn around before he gets there, but the road gives him a good look at part of his zone. He gives no warning before bringing the car into a hard U-turn and floors the accelerator.

The white van saw him, and it begins speeding up. Iowa law requires vehicles to illuminate their rear license plate, and the van’s light is hanging below the bumper. It’s a small violation, but the driver’s reaction strongly suggests something else is going on.

Johnson speeds up, hitting 60 mph before he starts closing the gap. The cloud of dust on the road shows how fast the van is going ... on a paved road.

The van pulls into a laundromat. Johnson pulls in a second later. The driver is already out and headed into the building. Johnson barks an order to stop, and the driver turns.

Johnson calls the driver over. Experience tells Johnson people don’t leave vehicles that fast without a reason. He puts the driver in handcuffs. It’s for everyone’s protection. Johnson is the only officer at the scene for the moment. The driver gives no sign of wanting a fight, but that’s never a guarantee.

Two officers arrive, and Johnson starts searching the van. It takes 10 minutes; there’s nothing dangerous. A check with dispatch shows the driver’s license is suspended.