Let's see what else I have done while in training (this is going to take a while):
August 20: We toured the detention center, got our IDs made, and got a whole lot of manuals. The other guy is already certified from a local agency. He's really nice and I like him.
August 21: We toured HQ; got SWORN IN (it was cheesy, but I LOVED IT!); a long lunch at a very nice restaurant with MKJ; went to Logistics to start to order and get fitted for uniforms and gear; and went to the county court house to sign the log book (to say we are available for court).
August 22: The other guy in training and I get along great. We are both punctual and get things done fast. On this day, we went to aviation for a little briefing; ticket control for a little orientation; long lunch; went to victim's advocate office for a short orientation; and then a short little tour around communications (where dispatch is located).
August 23: DUM DUM DUM....Firearm Qualification. Now, don't be scared, but I didn't qualify the first time. I guess I was nervous. The other guy is a firearms instructor. He is great. Such pressure. After a long lunch (imagine that), we went to K-9. We followed the officers out to the middle of no where--we got out of the car and he said, "Ok, you have 10 minutes. Run". Excuse me? Yeah, we ran. Opposite directions. For about 10 minutes. All of a sudden you hear people coming through the woods. Though I knew I was safe, I could imagine someone hearing that could be scared. It was the bloodhounds and the handlers. It was so cool. Then we put one of the officers in the "bite suit" and made him start running in a field then let loose a K-9 to attack him. Again, so cool.
August 24: We went to the Police Academy graduation in Columbia. Pretty much because they had nothing else to do with us!
August 27: I had to again, sit through the Report Writing talk by the training Deputy. There is a different guy that is now training with me. The one from last week is on the road now with his FTI (Field Training Instructor) since he was already certified. This new guy…his nickname is “asshole”. I dislike him. He is straight from the Marines. He was an MP. Nothing wrong with any of this, but he is just a cocky SOB. People have told me that sometimes guys straight out of the military don’t necessarily make the best cops. We’ll see. He has the marksmanship and the physical stuff down. He admits to the academic part of the academy that is going to be a problem. Great…that’s about 90% of it! After lunch, we were done for the day.
August 28: I was assigned to do a Ride-Along with the West district. I rode with a great deputy. She has been with the agency for about 14 years. We got along great. We did not get into too much stuff that day. It was still fun. The only call we really had was for a man being a disturbance in front of an office. The deputy was searching him and then realized he had shit his pants shortly before. We both freaked out because we both smelled him at the same time. It stayed with us all day. Yummy!
August 29: I was assigned to the Courthouse downtown for the day. I thought it was going to be boring. I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t totally boring. There were a few good cases. I met a lot of people and it was pretty cool to be able to see the behind the scenes of it all. That is such an easy job. Monday through Friday. 9 to 5. Only overtime if you want it. ONLY. Jeez.
August 30: DUM DUM DUM. Again. Firearms Qualifications. This time, I PASSED!!!! MKJ and I practiced some the previous week. On Monday, Asshole and I went shooting. Just because I don’t like him doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t take him up on shooting. He was also a firearms instructor in the Marines. It’s good to get different perspectives when practicing shooting.
August 31: This Ride Along was with North District. This is notoriously the most active district…at night. Not during the middle of the day. The bad kids are in school. And the dealers are sleeping from being up all night selling drugs. Awesome. We did some general calls…nothing too interesting. At all. But this officer was great too. He is also an FTI (as was the deputy from West). I learned that when he does talk, listen. When he does talk, it is something worth listening to. I found out the next day during the shift briefing, someone was talking shit about me. Well, a friend of MKJ’s works on that shift and he stood up for me. The officer I rode with the day before also stood up for me. He said I have something many of the officers out there don’t have: common sense. It was nice to hear.
Sept 4: Myself and the other two guys that are going to the academy with me went to register in Columbia. Once we got back to Charleston, we were done for the day. Nice.
Sept 5: I did another Ride Along with the North Division. I rode with the same deputy as well. We had a call for a disturbance at someone's house. When we got there, it ended up being a domestic call. We found the boyfriend that had hit this girl (she had a bleeding cut above her eye). He wanted to run so bad! We arrested him and he ended up having a warrant for his arrest anyway. After looking at his rap sheet, it was apparent that we were dealing with someone with violent tendencies. Well that would have been nice to know when we approached him!
Sept 6: I rode with West Division again. Same deputy. We had to go to court for a hearing she had. We did a few other things, but mainly writing speeding tickets.
Sept 7: Aviation again. But this time, instead of just listening to them, I got to fly! Three times!
And the last time, it was amazing--he let me fly the helicopter! I got some great pictures. It was so great. It's amazing seeing the city from that view. We went by MKJ's department and he was outside waiving at me! We went everywhere!Sept 10: We did some more shooting at the range. I have already qualified so it was just some more practice. That afternoon, we got Tasered (see post about the pain). Not a good time. That really hurt. The longest 5 seconds ever. What a ride!
Sept 11: I sat in Communications (Dispatch) for some of the morning. I go to listen to the 911 calls. They were actually really interesting. Some of the things that people call in for are insane! That afternoon, we got sprayed with OC (really hardcore pepperspray). Again, pain. Let me just say, I would rather get Tasered again than OC sprayed again. The pain lasted for over 30 minutes. WAY over. And when I got in the shower when I got home, it all happened again. MKJ worried when he walked in the door to my place and heard me yelling from the shower. Ha.
Sept 12: I was in Warrants all day yesterday. I was with a deputy that knows MKJ really well. We had such a good time. We picked up someone from the city that had a warrant. Booked him. We had a guy from Hanahan that had a warrant. Booked him. We served a woman in the jail. Crackhead. Good times. We ran into an attorney he works with a lot and the attorney bought us lunch. It was a great day!
Sept 13: TODAY: I was in CID (Criminal Investigation Division) all morning. It was pretty boring. One of the investigators was about to interview a suspect and bring me in on it, but I had planned on leaving at about noon. I did. And went to have lunch with MKJ and my best friend on the other side of town. Now, we are going shooting in a little while. Then going to a movie. Then spending the night at his house. I don't have to be at training until about 9. It's my last day there.
I GO TO THE ACADEMY THIS WEEKEND!!!
I have to admit I am really nervous. Terrified of failure. I am not much of a runner, but they can't fail me for that. Thank goodness. I so many people pulling for me, so it is that much more pressure. Nervous. Excited. Anxious (a lot). Happy.
I'll add more of my feelings tomorrow maybe. I have a lot to get together this weekend!
Wish me luck!
