Click here to read part one of the ridealong series

Pullman Police Officer Chris Engle spark-tested his taser as he ran down the street toward a fight.

When Engle and Officer Heidi Lambley arrived at the house, a throng of people stood out on the front lawn shouting at one another.

Once the party was broken up and all the people in the front lawn were gone, Engle and Lambley left, but within 20 minutes, they were called back to the same address.

While they were in the middle of solving one dispute, another fight broke out across the lawn and five officers pulled two people away from each other.

Though Engle did not use his taser, he said every night he tests it before he leaves the station and then tests it again before he enters a situation that might become violent.

“Sometimes, it works while you’re in the station,” he said, “but then when you try and use it when you need it, it doesn’t work.”

Engle said previously that people from out of town come to Pullman and think it’s Vegas and behave as though they expect no consequences.

Lambley and Engle said they suspected many of the individuals who caused the fights on Saturday were from out of town.

Later in the night, two WSU football players greeted Engle and Lambley from across the street. Both officers met with the football team earlier this year and told them how to party safely and to stay out of trouble.

“I’m not asking them not to party,” Engle said. “I’m asking them to keep it under control.”

Engle, who had gone to the game earlier that day, congratulated the players on the game. Engle also told them that they had not had any trouble with any of the players that night.

“Good,” one of the players said. “I hope we can keep it that way.”

The relationship between the football team and police department, so far, is better this year than in previous years, Engle said.

Many students recognize Lambley and Engle when they patrol College Hill. They’ve done numerous safety panels with various student groups like fraternities, sororities and sports teams. 

While out on foot patrol, they introduce themselves and hand out their cards with their work cell phone numbers, and frequently tell students to call them if they ever have any problems. They were both also featured on WSU’s episode of Campus PD.

“I think they must’ve played our episode of Campus PD recently,” Lambley said earlier that night while in the police station. “I am getting a lot of Facebook friend requests from people I don’t know.”

She said someone sent her a message saying, “You’re awesome!”

That night while Engle was writing an open container citation for a young man who tried to hide his beer in his pocket when he saw the police, his friend, a young woman holding a pizza box, recognized Lambley.

“Hey! You were on Campus PD,” the young woman said. “I love that show. Will you sign my pizza box?”

Lambley laughed, assuming the young woman was kidding. She wasn’t.

“Seriously, will you sign my pizza box?” she asked.

Lambley agreed to sign the pizza box but refused to autograph a young man's arm.

"That's bad for you," she said.

Others also greeted Lambley, recognizing her because she is the only female patrol officer in the Pullman Police Department.

“Officer Lambley,” a young man greeted her. “Do you remember me?”

She said she did, but not his name. The young man reintroduced himself and asked if he could have a hug.

“A handshake might be better,” she said.

It was one of numerous requests for hugs Lambley got that night. Another young man later told her she was too cute for the uniform.

Engle later explained that Lambley and he have different techniques. Lambley comes off more approachable than him.

“I’m not cuddly,” he said.

Engle is 6-foot-6 and was on the Western Washington University football team his freshman year of college.

Like all nights, the patrol ended outside of Stubblefield’s at closing. Engle said Saturday was the second night in a row that there were no fights.

“Everyone’s happy,” he said.