Now that I am getting all my cop questions answered, I ask him whether most officers wear bullet-proof vests.

"It's not mandatory," Officer Derosiers says. "It's very uncomfortable. I wear mine in the winter--it keeps me nice and warm."

The only problem with the vests is that they don't protect against knives.

"A knife goes through the vest like a piece of paper. You can put a steel plate in the chest for a higher caliber gun than nine millimeter," Officer Derosiers explains.

The typical kid-in-a-cop-car, I ask him about his gun. It is a double-action 9 millimeter, which can fire 13 rounds per clip. Officers carry three clips, which means 39 rounds, in addition to one bullet already in the chamber.

"But the last thing I want to do is use that gun," Officer Derosiers says.

"B and E in progress on Max Street" a voice comes over the radio.

The sirens and lights come to life, and in seconds we're flying down back streets towards the call.

We are there within minutes, and another squad car is already parked outside. All night, no call from the radio has taken longer than five minutes to respond to.

Much to Officer Derosiers' disappointment, three suspects fled the scene before our arrival, and the description is too general to search for them.

Before we head into the station, Officer Derosiers sorts out a motor vehicle accident, deftly mediating between five teenagers whose car's front grill is missing and a woman in a new Jeep whose license has expired.

The two parties exchange information and we head back to the station.

While we are waiting for the midnight call of "It's over" to signal the end of the shift, we drive around the block. At a stoplight, another squad car bumps into the back of our car, causing us both to turn around. The officers in the other car jokingly turn on the take-downs, and we squint as they pull alongside laughing.

After a eight hours of chasing crime, the officers are cheery enough to tease each other.

"I do love my job," says Officer Derosiers. "Every day I put on my uniform and go to work and I'm a happy guy."