Thursday, December 7, 2017

December 07, 2017 -

Week 18

We started off the week with lessons on conducting child abuse investigations. We also had a refresher course on interview and interrogations. The following day we learned how to fully operate our in-car computers. On Thursday we spent the morning practicing traffic direction on O St. The afternoon was spent getting tips from a veteran officer on general patrol and surveillance procedures. On Friday morning we had our final physical assessment followed by a lecture on how to handle larceny from auto calls.

Monday, December 4, 2017

December 04, 2017 -

Week 17



This week we focused on motor vehicle accidents. We started off the week in the classroom being instructed on how to take measurements and do calculations relating to car accidents. We then went out to airpark and measured various tire skid-marks and slides to get some practical applications. On Thursday after class, we had the opportunity to be instructed on K-9, and see some demonstrations. A few recruits had the bravery to be bit by the dogs in the dog-bite suits. On Friday we were instructed and tested on our ability to handle a DWI situation. It was an action packed week.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

November 26, 2017 -

Week 16

Week 16 began at the range with knife defense. We ran an exercise where we start with a bag over our heads to simulate the surprise and startle effect of not knowing where the aggressor is. The rest of the week consisted of DWI traffic stops and field sobriety test practicals. This began with the academy students completing the series of tests on other academy members to give us the opportunity to learn the steps and get our language down. On Friday, we got the privilege of putting on our uniforms and practicing the field sobriety tests on intoxicated actors in the classroom to be able to see the physiological effects alcohol has on the body. This week was a fun week that went by really fast, it is crazy to think that we will be graduating in just over 1 month!

Monday, November 20, 2017

November 20, 2017 -

Week 15

If this week had a theme, I would have to say it was overcoming nerves and pain.  We learned all about safely and thoroughly searching buildings, so if you have an alarm go off or hear a bump in the night, you know who to call.  We then applied our training in the dark, using flashlights and shooting sim rounds (they hurt a little)  at each other from behind barriers.  Yes, it's as fun as it sounds.  To end the week on a high note, we sprayed each other in the face with OC (pepper) spray.  Once we got sprayed and our eyes closed up involuntarily, we had to overcome the pain and panic instinct to complete a challenge course consisting of striking pads at various stations, running, and handcuffing a volunteer.  We all successfully overcame the challenge.  It's amazing how we can use mental strength to overcome things that seem so difficult.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

October 25, 2017 -

Week 14


Out at the range for firearms week! Before shooting we worked on our fundamentals with dry fire and learned how to reload quickly and fix malfunctions. (Don't forget to Tap, Rack it!) After learning some of the fundamentals we went out to shot live at targets. Throughout the week we shot from various distances and ran a few state qualifications. Once we had the basics down we started to work on more advance shooting tactics: one handed, support hand, and from the ground. We also experienced the running man target that allowed us to practice shooting a moving target. (Always know what is beyond!). One evening we stayed late and worked on low light shooting with different flashlight techniques. We also got a little competitive with some team races that involved field stripping our weapons and shooting accurately. We had a fun week and look forward to what next week will bring.

  

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

October 24, 2017 -

Week 13

This week we got to learn how to do something every person wants to do at least once in their lifetime...drive really fast. Each day we split into pairs and were assigned a cruiser for the day. It was ours to take care of and to drive for the whole day. During EVOC we spent most of our time on the airport tarmac perfecting our turning, reversing, parking, accelerating and swerving to miss the hundreds, maybe thousands of cones laid out for us. Our EVOC instructors taught us the importance of shuffle steering during high speeds and the need to always pay attention to our surroundings. They pushed us to do better and challenged us everyday to do better than before.
After passing our driving tests on the tarmac we began to work on pursuits out on some streets near the airport. More cones were set up and we spent the day with our partners perfecting the course getting ready for that night. After we got the hang of it our instructors jumped into another car and we we started to them in our cruisers. During the pursuit we practiced using the radio to talk to dispatch and tell them the information they would need like our location, speeds, the car description, the occupants of the car, and the conditions of the road. We worked in pairs each driving a cruiser and took turns being the primary radio and the primary car in the chase. It was pretty cool because not only did we get to use our lights and sirens but we also got to try and catch up to our instructors before the course ended. Our last day of EVOC was filled with other smaller courses on the tarmac just for fun and a final speed course to see how well we’ve improved over the week. We all saw improvements and learned a lot we'll for sure use in the future. Friday we went out to the range to start our first day of firearms. It was mostly powerpoints and talking about safety when using a firearm but we did get ours handed out to start getting a feel for them. It's safe to say that we are all very excited for the action packed week ahead. 
 

Saturday, October 21, 2017

October 21, 2017 -

Week 12

As the Academy has gone on, our instructor's have constantly told us that it goes by fast - they weren't kidding! It seems like just yesterday we were all anxiously waiting for Orientation Day to start, and here we are in Week 12.

We spent the greater majority of this week learning about Searches and Seizures (i.e. 4th Amendment). 4th Amendment issues can, more often than not, be a backbone of sorts in policing, so we were all certainly locked on this week. We spent the week learning about particular issues when searching a person, vehicle, house etc. "Can we look in the trunk of the car?" "Are we allowed to search inside that jacket pocket of that individual?" "How about that shed in the backyard with the lock on it? Can we search in there?" These were all questions that were presented as the week went on. Along with Searches and Seizures, we also spent a day learning about Mental Health and how it fits into policing; we also had our introduction to EVOC, which was spent in the classroom going over the PowerPoint.

In addition to many hours spent in the classroom this week, our week was highlighted with our second Memorial Stadium stair run. Much like our first one, this one was a great challenge. In the end, we all conquered Memorial Stadium, STEP BY STEP! On to Week 13 and EVOC!