| In January 1969 he joined the Washington Metropolitan Police Department as a patrolman. |
| But police say a sharp-eyed patrolman helped prevent a much larger tragedy there. |
| They tethered their horses, leaving the most junior patrolman to stand guard, and Inkerman led the way in. |
| Concerned for both her safety, and that of other road users, the patrolman then called police. |
| This way, if a call was made by a patrolman and a patrol wagon was sent, the officers aboard the wagon were able to listen for the ringing alarm. |
| The largest remaining problem was with the method used by the station to contact the patrolman, whether he was on a car or on foot. |
