would
undergo in these final practical tests. We were told the staff and
volunteers had taken it easy on us during the first set of
scenarios. Stop and approach was do or die and would take every bit
of knowledge we possessed to pass.
Sgt. Dickens told the class he already knew
two cadets would not be passing because they didn’t have what it
took to be officers. I knew I was one of those cadets. I just
didn’t know who the other person was. I felt he had made up a
second person because he could not just point me out.
Wednesday finally came and the tests began. My
first test involved a man caught shoplifting at a convenience
store. He was in a “red man” suit which caused my heart to speed up
even more. A red man suit is a padded, head to toe covering, used
in demonstration exercises. It is always red. It has a face guard
as well as foot guards. It can take a lot of punishment but the
person wearing it can give it back as well.
The suspect was sitting in a chair and holding
a medium sized box. The instructor pretended to be the store
manager and said the gentleman was caught walking out of the store
with the contraband. I walked over and asked the man if I could see
his identification. He started yelling and threw the box at me. I
pulled out my baton and told him to turn around and place his hands
behind his back, he was under arrest. He complied and I handcuffed
him. The scenario was ended.
These type scenarios were used to be sure we
did not use excessive force when it was not necessary. The suspect
was in the red man suit to increase our anticipation of violence. I
passed and moved on to my next test.
I was sent to the campus gym. We had to wait
outside and again we were able to partner up. A young cadet went in
with me. It was pitch black inside and we turned on our
flashlights. Mats had been used to section off areas and we faced
blind spots at every turn. We then heard a scream.
We kept our cool and continued slowly towards
the screams. Our first suspect came at us on the last turn. My
partner took him down as I watched our backs and kept an eye on a
female crouched against a wall screaming. After the first guy was
secure, I walked towards the female telling her who I was. A second
man came around the corner and was on me before I could blink. I
hit him in the head with my blue gun, which was in my hand (it had
to have hurt). I then placed him in handcuffs. The scenario was
ended. Again, I passed.
After my lunch break, I went to my third test
of the day. It was a vehicle speeding away after the occupants
inside the vehicle had robbed a bank. I performed a “high risk
vehicle stop.” This is a training we spend days perfecting. It’s
done the same throughout the country and saves officer’s
lives.
The driver of the vehicle jumped out and began
running up a hillside beside where his vehicle was stopped. He was
firing a SIMs weapon at me as he ran. I returned fire but kept an
eye on the others remaining in the vehicle. I radioed back to
dispatch and told them one of the occupants had taken off running
to the north and he was armed with a gun. I then sat in the “V” of
my car door’s front seat. I watched the vehicle occupants as well
as the hills where my other suspect had run to. The scenario ended.
I was told I did a great job.
My adrenalin was sky high. It’s true, police
officers are adrenalin junkies. I didn’t understand until I went to
the academy. It was like no other feeling on earth. I was
flying.
Next I headed to the dorms and underwent
domestic violence scenarios. I spoke with fellow cadets while we
waited. Not everyone was doing as well as I.
The Class 96 Sergeant was talking to some
fellow instructors as I walked up. I didn’t know her well and I was
surprised when she asked me to walk a short ways away from everyone
and talk to her. I replied, “Yes mam,” and followed her.
“Cadet Ivy do you understand what is happening
today?”
“I hope so.” I replied.
“Do you
undergo in these final practical tests. We were told the staff and
volunteers had taken it easy on us during the first set of
scenarios. Stop and approach was do or die and would take every bit
of knowledge we possessed to pass.
Sgt. Dickens told the class he already knew
two cadets would not be passing because they didn’t have what it
took to be officers. I knew I was one of those cadets. I just
didn’t know who the other person was. I felt he had made up a
second person because he could not just point me out.
Wednesday finally came and the tests began. My
first test involved a man caught shoplifting at a convenience
store. He was in a “red man” suit which caused my heart to speed up
even more. A red man suit is a padded, head to toe covering, used
in demonstration exercises. It is always red. It has a face guard
as well as foot guards. It can take a lot of punishment but the
person wearing it can give it back as well.
The suspect was sitting in a chair and holding
a medium sized box. The instructor pretended to be the store
manager and said the gentleman was caught walking out of the store
with the contraband. I walked over and asked the man if I could see
his identification. He started yelling and threw the box at me. I
pulled out my baton and told him to turn around and place his hands
behind his back, he was under arrest. He complied and I handcuffed
him. The scenario was ended.
These type scenarios were used to be sure we
did not use excessive force when it was not necessary. The suspect
was in the red man suit to increase our anticipation of violence. I
passed and moved on to my next test.
I was sent to the campus gym. We had to wait
outside and again we were able to partner up. A young cadet went in
with me. It was pitch black inside and we turned on our
flashlights. Mats had been used to section off areas and we faced
blind spots at every turn. We then heard a scream.
We kept our cool and continued slowly towards
the screams. Our first suspect came at us on the last turn. My
partner took him down as I watched our backs and kept an eye on a
female crouched against a wall screaming. After the first guy was
secure, I walked towards the female telling her who I was. A second
man came around the corner and was on me before I could blink. I
hit him in the head with my blue gun, which was in my hand (it had
to have hurt). I then placed him in handcuffs. The scenario was
ended. Again, I passed.
After my lunch break, I went to my third test
of the day. It was a vehicle speeding away after the occupants
inside the vehicle had robbed a bank. I performed a “high risk
vehicle stop.” This is a training we spend days perfecting. It’s
done the same throughout the country and saves officer’s
lives.
The driver of the vehicle jumped out and began
running up a hillside beside where his vehicle was stopped. He was
firing a SIMs weapon at me as he ran. I returned fire but kept an
eye on the others remaining in the vehicle. I radioed back to
dispatch and told them one of the occupants had taken off running
to the north and he was armed with a gun. I then sat in the “V” of
my car door’s front seat. I watched the vehicle occupants as well
as the hills where my other suspect had run to. The scenario ended.
I was told I did a great job.
My adrenalin was sky high. It’s true, police
officers are adrenalin junkies. I didn’t understand until I went to
the academy. It was like no other feeling on earth. I was
flying.
Next I headed to the dorms and underwent
domestic violence scenarios. I spoke with fellow cadets while we
waited. Not everyone was doing as well as I.
The Class 96 Sergeant was talking to some
fellow instructors as I walked up. I didn’t know her well and I was
surprised when she asked me to walk a short ways away from everyone
and talk to her. I replied, “Yes mam,” and followed her.
“Cadet Ivy do you understand what is happening
today?”
“I hope so.” I replied.
“Do you
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