Starting the Academy on Monday

the_Grinch

Haven't updated anyone, but on Monday I passed my PT test to enter the academy and I had orientation yesterday. My previous academy wasn't para-military (so no yelling, but we did PT to a degree) so it was definitely a little bit of culture shock for me. But I kept my eyes open and mouth shut which seemed to save me from any wrath with the DI's. I have 20 weeks ahead of me and will be living at the academy during the week (not required, but it's a 90 minute drive for me so makes more sense to stay). When I graduate I'll be a full Detective, but stay in my unit doing the same work (electronic surveillance and mobile forensics).

Evenings are mine to do whatever, but I'll probably not be posting as much while I'm in. If any of the military people we have here (thank you for your service) want to chime in with advice I am all ears! Otherwise, thanks for all the advice and support through the years. This has been the best community I've had the honor of being apart of.

scaredoftests

in my twisted mind, I thought 'Starfleet'... good luck.

Ertaz

scaredoftests wrote: »

in my twisted mind, I thought 'Starfleet'... good luck.

#SpaceForce


Good luck Grinch.

scaredoftests

LOL..#ertaz..forgot about the 'force'.

the_Grinch

Starfleet then Space Force when I'm done!

DatabaseHead

Dood you are all in.

Your focus is astonishing. Props.

NetworkNewb

Good luck!

jwdk19

I cant speak from a police academy perspective but prior military here. Be the guy that the drill instructors never knew existed lol

the_Grinch

Thanks all! My old Chief told me before he retired that if I am paint I would be all good. I was definitely paint on Tuesday and my agency runs the academy (other agencies send to us) so we have a bit of a target on our back with the instructors. I became throughly knowledgeable of the recruits head in front of me. They were sniffing around to see me make a mistakes, but thankfully I was squared away.

UnixGuy

So exciting! enjoy it!

Clm

Congrats on getting to the academy. I just graduated my academy in June advice I would say is if your struggling with PT put in the extra work early. The two hardest subjects in my class that dropped people out were arrest control (PPCT) and firearms practice practice and practice some more in arrest control. With firearms just shut up and listen to the instructors we had a lot of students who struggled. don't shoot how you want shoot how they tell you or at least to pass.

PJ_Sneakers

Put in the extra work. Don't draw attention to yourself. Ask for help if you need it. Have your classmates' backs. Aim small miss small. Front sight press. Take good notes.

the_Grinch

Thanks all! Happy to say I survived week one! Friday was the toughest day and I was psyching myself out a bit, but with some Instructor motivation I was good to go. Our class is solid, all good people and once we start gelling a bit more we'll be good to go. 17 more weeks to go!

the_Grinch

One month down! They count the one day orientation as week one thus the one month down. Surviving and learning though December can't come soon enough!

DatabaseHead

the_Grinch wrote: »

One month down! They count the one day orientation as week one thus the one month down. Surviving and learning though December can't come soon enough!

Ha! Good stuff man! One day at a time, you got this.

paul78

Fun to read your weekly progress. Keep it up!!

BTW - when you said PT - is this one of those things where you have to do push-ups and sit-ups every day? Sounds like it is not just mentally tough but also physically.

the_Grinch

Oh how I hate PT! For us PT is technically Monday, Wednesday and Friday for one hour in the morning. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for Defensive Tactics, but that is just about as much work as PT is. DT covers punching, kicking and basic defense along with cuffing and searching. Typically we'll start with some running and then do bag drills (partner up one person holds the bag and attacks as the other defends) and then we learn whatever it is that will be taught that day.

PT consists of various exercises and running. Thus we'll do say five exercises (such as flutter kicks, 8 Count Body Builders, four count push ups, jumping jacks, etc) and then run for about a half mile. Where we stop we'll do another 5 sets of exercises and then run for another half mile. We'll do that several times and then finish up with a stretch/walk. Wednesdays are speed/agility so lots of sprinting and exercises thrown in for good measure. Fridays are for distance and the runs are a bit longer with exercises thrown in. Though we start at 8, it is very hot and we typically start in a gym with no AC so you sweat a lot.

By regulation, every hour of classroom time requires a 10 minute break and on that break we do more exercises, but as squads. Finally, when/if we screw up they'll smoke us and that typically involves front leaning rest position for a period of time or cranking out push ups. For the most part we're squared away so the whole class hasn't been smoked more than twice and they've focused on individuals who screw up instead. Oh and if it's someone's birthday we do birthday push ups for them and sing Happy Birthday while in front leaning rest position.

It generally sucks, but ultimately it's meant to make us stronger and to allow us a means to deal with a suspect without having to draw our guns to do so. The environment right now is not big on use of your firearm (whether justified or not) and being able to handle yourself will definitely be in your favor.

It is definitely a huge mental game and the stress is crazy high. I will say that we seem to be middle of the pack as far as stress is concerned. Department of Corrections seems a little less stressful and State Police are much worse than us.

I just need to make it to October where we'll get a solid break as a lot of our training is long and means no PT/DT for most of the month. Friday was the first time I didn't keep up in the run, but I had strained my hamstring on Monday and the AC in my barracks is broken so little sleep was had due to all the sweating we did in our rooms over night.

Rylee1246

Just remember it's all a process. They yell at you to increase your stress level, since they can't shoot at you or they would. They have to make sure everyone there WANTS to be there. We had someone not show up on the first day because they were yelled at during pt clothes pickup. We had someone quit the first day and the second day. You need to be able to listen under stress and make proper decisions. If they are doing it right they are telling you how to succeed while they're yelling at you. My academy was 8 months long. Your firearm is for deadly force, which you hope to be rare. Your hands and your intermediate weapons are your everyday solutions.

Pt is only temporary. The idea is to get everyone conditioned enough to be able to chase then fight and hold on at the minimum until backup arrives. You will be surprised how long 3 minutes can be when you are in the fight for your life. Those distant sirens can't get louder fast enough.

The faster and better your classmates can start working together and Pting together, the easier things will become.

If you ever start thinking you can't keep going, think of your fallen brothers/sisters who would have liked to have that chance to keep going, and get up.

the_Grinch

Rylee1246 you are spot on! My class is definitely starting to gel, though we have a bit of a ways to go still. We're approaching the point where they need to find things to smoke us on since we are squaring away fairly well. PT wise I wish I had done a bit more, but besides Friday I have been holding my own. It is definitely a huge mental game (and a tough one at that), but just have to keep trucking.

PJ_Sneakers

Middle of the pack, bro. Don't be up front and don't be in the back!

the_Grinch

Another week down! My academy has the slow people start in front to sort of keep the pace lower, but eventually you just gotta pass them. Sunday it was a bit tough to head back, but I'm actually finally starting to get use to it so the week wasn't so bad. They finally fixed our air conditioning yesterday so was able to get a non-sweaty sleep for once. This marked the end of week five so I am 25% of the way there! Three day weekend next weekend and then just need to get through September. October we do EVOC for a week, agency training for a week, week at the academy and then firearms for a week. All that equals not being at the academy for just about all of October

the_Grinch

Another week down and 13 more to go! This week was probably the best I've had at the academy. Instructor's loosened up a bit, not a lot, but a bit and we are clicking for the most part. Sadly we lost three people after a PT retest which was difficult to see. We've finished the last bit for our criminal law topics which I am especially glad to be done with. A much needed three day weekend and then back at it on Tuesday.

devilbones

Nice job.

the_Grinch

Thanks! We actually got complemented on our PT session on Friday (any complements are very rare) so seems we are moving in the right direction.

devilbones

the_Grinch wrote: »

Thanks! We actually got complemented on our PT session on Friday (any complements are very rare) so seems we are moving in the right direction.

Thats great. Can you say which agency you are with?

the_Grinch

I'm with a state agency and we serve as the investigative arm for the Attorney General. Best way to describe it is we are like State Police, but without the patrol function. As such a lot of our duties overlap and State Police don't exactly love us very much. Academy wise, numerous agencies utilize our academy so we have a mix of Parole Officers, Prosecutor Office's, DOC Investigators and Arson Investigators. The irony is my agency runs the academy, but only two of us are there for my agency.

Case wise my agency does everything. Narcotics, Auto Theft, Cargo Theft, several city based task forces, Cyber Crimes, Bias Crimes, Human Trafficking, Corruption, Environmental, Casino crimes and a couple other things I'm not recalling. Overall we are a small agency made up of about 200 Detectives and how ever many civilians and attorneys. We have state wide jurisdiction and will support other agencies depending on the case and their needs.

the_Grinch

Another week down! This week was the toughest of the academy so far and was made more difficult because I was platoon leader. Made it through it, but they ran us hard on Wednesday and Friday. We were on the beach on Wednesday and on Friday in the gym (it's about 85 degrees in there with no air flow) for 30 minutes and then ran outside for 30 minutes. We lost another recruit this week, but I'm pretty sure she'll be the last we'll lose.

the_Grinch

Another week down! We got creamed today in PT and there was a ton of stress, but still going. Almost at the half way mark!

the_Grinch

Week 9 is over! Ended well since some Detectives from my agency came to talk about Computer Fraud.

paul78

Congrats so far. Sounds like you are nearly at the halfway mark. I hope the PT eases up but I bet you are in great shape!

the_Grinch

Thanks! Yup, after next week we are half way and PT wise we are at #23 so more then half way complete. Definitely in some great shape, but boy do they know how to kill you. I as in say decent shape before coming, but in really great shape now. But it seems as if just when I think I'm hitting my stride they change it up and I'm back to square one. Is what it is, but boy oh boy do I hate the beach. We ran what was probably about a .75 miles on the beach and I wanted to kill myself.