Hello brother,

Would it be okay with you if the Policefurs page reposted this story? (With its current caption and all credit going to you of course). I think its a great resource for any furs who are visiting or members of our page.

Thank you for your consideration,

Policefurs

absolutely, I wanted it to be a learning tool for those in training or who are interested in the police and a discussion piece for those who have already been though. I had additional journal ideas such as tazer/pepper spray training, firearms training, as well as the application process. Feel free to use the journals. Thanks again for letting me join the group.

Sounds like a state trooper academy. *giggles*

I was former military, so my academy experience wasn't so harsh. In fact, it was a much more professional type of environment for me. The instructors treated us more like colleagues than subordinates. Exceptions were the range and the defensive tactics, but that was more just to get you used to being in the high stress, (while keeping everyone as safe as possible while doing it, of course.)

Congratulations on getting through the academy. Take that oath seriously, serve selflessly and always stay safe. *hugs*

I think that would have been a better experience. Most of us were to afraid to ask questions or try anything out of the box because it typically ment "hall way therapy." Thanks for the advice. *hugs back*

18 weeks of fun and enjoyment, our academy is a residential live in program that follows a boot camp model.

You had one straight week of DT? Ours was spread out through the entire academy, with the finial fight at the end of the academy.

Week 1 wasn't too bad, now Week 2 we call that Hell Week for a reason. In my state if you drop out in the first three weeks your dept. only has to pay fro the time you were at the academy. Once you go through Week 3, the dept. is on the hook for the whole bill, so there is an incentive to weed out the weak of heart. Monday morning Week 2 you arrive and find every available former cadre from around the state waiting for you. Normally we would just have the 5 cadre assigned to our class on hand, but on the day they shoot for a 1 to 1 cadet to cadre ratio. We had a 2 to 1 ration for my class and that was more then enough to make for an interesting morning.

I did managed to blow my knee out during the mid term physical agility test.... Literally Week 9 Day 1, but that's what I get for trying to keep up with young pups half my age.

Congrats on graduating.

I do wish we spread DT training through the year so we could keep our skills up. The problem with cramming all the DT training into one week is that it puts a ton of stress the joints and ligaments. Our biggest fear was getting injured to the point were we would have to go through it all again. 3 recruits did get injured and had to redo part of the week. How many people started and finished your academy (drop rate)?

Thanks again for the comment and support.

We started with 54 and graduated 50. Three drop on request during week 2 and one cadet was pulled by their dept. for academic issues later in the academy.

I know I was worried about being dropped when I blew out my knee, they only do two classes per year in my state and you can't just pick up where you left off. The thought of being another year older and showing up for another class wasn't very appealing. But we had a sit down with the director of the BLETP and it was decided because of my performance to date and the fact that I passed my physical agility test even after I blew out my knee on the last lap, I could come back and finish the three required physical items that my injury would limit me in participating (Firearms week, Driving week and the Final Fight). In the end I was able to get partially cleared for the driving week and firearms week, so I was able to fully participate, and fully cleared in time for the final fight.

Here all of us that graduated..... http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13669593/ ..... I'm in the bottom row #3 from the left....

at lease you were able to complete it on the next go around. How was your driving, shooting, and final fight. That was my biggest fear for the academy, having to go though DT week again would been a true pain. Was your knee fully healed?

Well, I never had to go back and finish those weeks. I was able to get cleared by the doctor at just the right time(s) for each event, so I was able to graduate with my class.

Driving was one of the most enjoyable weeks we had. We take over a local municipal airport for the week and go through a bunch of individual skills which all come together in a few events, The precision driving course, the day time pursuit, night time pursuit and night time obstacle course.

Shooting was also a lot of fun, I love shooting other folks ammo while getting paid to do so. The most exciting event there was a scenario where two officers respond to an incident at night that devolves into a shooting. We had to be able to move from position to position, engaging targets at each position. This was done in the dark with strict light discipline, and with one officer always shooting while the other moved to the next position. I hadn't done anything like that since I got out of the Marines back in 94'.

The Finial Fight was a different beast entirely. We have what is called practicals week. You and a partner are dispatched via radio to various calls for service around the Academy Campus. You're expected to go to each event, deal with it appropriately and then right an incident report. At some point you and you're partner will be dispatched to the gym you will be separated searched to ensure that you don't have any weapons on you a (pocket knives ect) then you're each sent to a station where you will encounter a person who will commit a criminal act that requires that you arrest them. And they WILL fight. Prior to fighting you will also be forced to run laps ect. to make sure that you're already amped up. Oh yes and lucky me because of my knee injury the lead instructor decided that I had to start the finial fight laying down on my back. Your back is never a good place to be in a fight.

We also had to do a skills demonstration like you described where you went from station to station and demonstrated each assigned move to an instructor.
The finial fight was not scripted in any way, and it's simply go in and get it done.

Man that does sound a lot more intense that what they threw us into, and you are right about the range. I have always enjoyed shooting, but ammo is expensive and we would always have to travel to a range; but at the academy we got paid to shoot for free! Do you think the academy prepared you enough for the road, or should they have focused on some areas over others?