A burglary, an 11-year-old court case and a traffic stop involving 10 people defined The Maneater’s media ride along with Columbia Police Department Officer Benjamin Ludwig. The ride-along took place on Sept.17 between 9:45 p.m. and 1 a.m. As a University of Missouri graduate and 70 beat patrol officer, Benjamin Ludwig knows the people, the businesses and the nightlife of downtown well. Ludwig noted several people experiencing homelessness and said knowing each individual’s situation makes the job easier. “Generally you get to know people and you see how their lives change,” Ludwig said. “You’ll see them lose weight, you’ll see them gain weight, you'll see them get in relationships, get out of relationships, you'll see them happy, you'll see them sad.” Story | Daniel Davis II Graphic | Lois Guest #themaneater #patrol #crime