Graduation

This is my last blog. The academy graduation is at the end of this week. I would like to take this opportunity to express to you in a few short statements regarding my overall opinion of the experiences that I have been fortunate to have at this Academy.



This experience has been amazing. If you decide to move into law enforcement and are fortunate to enter the Jefferson County Sheriff Academy, I want to be the first to tell you that you will be challenged in many ways that you have never before experienced. It is very tough mentally and physically. It is difficult, but most important things in life and, especially in law enforcement, are.



The academy staff did a great job in laying the foundation of what is to be a career for all of the recruits at this academy. We by no means know it all. But as we gain experience it is obvious that the foundation that has been created here at the Academy will make us excellent law enforcement officers.



I hope that my entries have encouraged people who were thinking of entering a career in law enforcement to follow their dreams. Being a police officer will be a unique and rewarding career. The individuals with which you will be working are simply the best. I have had a great time, have gained an incredible amount of knowledge and experience. And besides the PT, being maced, tased, being on the receiving end of loud and forceful correction by the various instructors, being put in a constant state of stress, and all the other situations I have been exposed to, I am really looking forward to the experiences I will be gaining in law enforcement, using the information gained in the Academy.


I want to thank all of the instructors and staff involved at the Jefferson County Sheriff Academy for a great experience. I want to thank the recruits for the friendship, the bonds and living to the creed that “Those that go through sh*t together, stick together” that has been created during the last four to five months.


Welcome to the brotherhood of cops. And as was indicated in one of our first classes and described in an earlier blog, we are all sheepdogs at heart and we are the protectors of the innocent.


Congratulations to Academy Class 2009-2

Court

We ended our court session yesterday. This was one of the best exercises that we have done at the Academy. One had to apply everything learned in the academy and use it to present evidence from interrogations, questioning, and evidence gathering in a courtroom situation. We got an understanding of what it feels like to be testifying in a courtroom. It was nerve racking at first, but as was investigating the crime scene fun and exciting so was presenting the information in court.

There were two representatives from the District Attorney’s office with us today. One acted as the District Attorney while the other played the Defense Attorney. Each read your report regarding the crime investigation and started poking holes in your investigation to create what would amount to doubt in the minds of the jurors if this was a real case. It wasn’t personal, it was business.

Once the two representatives started doing their thing, it was easy to see where the weaknesses of each individual report existed. Under their cross exams, it was easy to see the weaknesses with the investigation as well. Like almost everything we have done in the Academy, this was a great learning experience that I will never forget. The mistakes I made I hope never to repeat. These are the concepts and experiences that one must learn to create the professional law enforcement officer that we all want to be.

Taser Day

We had “Taser Day” last week. This was the epilog to the macing experience from several weeks ago as described in this blog. The experience is something you should look forward to. In reality, the bad news is that being tasered is probably the most horrible physical pain you may experience in your life. The good news is that the intensity only lasts for about 5 seconds or so; a much shorter time period than the eternity of discomfort that one experiences with being maced. All your muscles tense up and you can’t move. You can think, you are aware of your surroundings, but you cannot move. If, in the future you decide to enter the Jefferson County Academy, you too will have the opportunity to add this experience to your life, if you choose. Being tasered is uncomfortable but it allows you to experience what an individual feels when tasered and how the process can incapacitate anyone, including a police officer. As a police officer on patrol, being tasered allows your weapons and whatever you are carrying to be available to anyone because it is very plain that one would be unable to prevent anyone from taking those items after the taseing.

I will tell you the experience is very uncomfortable but you will survive it.

Until next time……..

Mock crime scenes

Last week, prior to the Thanksgiving break, we started a new exercise called Mock Crime Scene. The exercise is conducted by the instructors. The instructors and recruits were split into five different groups. The goal is to get the recruits to apply the techniques and knowledge that has been learned throughout the academy. The instructors made everything as realistic as possible. Everyone involved, especially the recruits, proceeded through the exercise as if this was a true crime scene.

All recruits conducted interviews of potential suspects, victims and witnesses, writing search warrants, collecting evidence, and arresting the individuals that were responsible for the crime. Each suspect, victims or witness within the scenario is played by an instructor. Once the investigation was completed, the remainder of the day was spent writing reports and completing all of the paper work necessary to bring the case to trial. On Wednesday, all recruits will attend a mock court dealing with each scenario.

This experience was amazing. There were many mistakes made by all recruits. However the experience gained and what we learned from this exercise is very valuable. As stated, the next step of this exercise is the mock court. We will see how that goes.

Until next time…

Evidence Collection

This week has been spent covering evidence collection. We are learning how to document different types of evidence. It is very interesting and in its own way kind of exciting. The first question you will probably have would be “Is it like CSI?”. The answer is sort of but not really. There are similarities but a lot of what is seen on TV is to keep the audience’s attention. Especially true is that the time span and documentation is nothing like on TV. TV shows tend not to represent real life situations. Solving a complicated crime scene in an hour is not realistic.

Only two weeks left until graduation and so much to do and learn.

Driving

Sorry for the delays in making new entries. I have been very busy.

We had driving training all last week and I spent all of my time up at the track. I have to admit that driving is a real kick. Everything you wanted to do (and probably did) as a teenager but here it was legal! As usual our instructors were great.

We worked on turning at high speeds, steering, backing, avoidance braking and threshold breaking. This is fun stuff. Imagine doing all of these things, stopping, and being told to do it again. This is probably the only place where you can literally, on purpose, lose complete control of your vehicle, and spin out. Imagine that upon completing all of this and returning to the group, the instructor will ask “what went wrong?” You give the correct answer and he says “Good job and now go back out there and do it right.” Notice the phrase “slow down!” does not appear. Sweeet!!!

However, if you are losing control due to excessive speed you will be told that you need to slow down. I never have had so much fun driving. It was fun to test the limits of the vehicle, your reactions, and discovering where “the line” is.

It was fun but you need to keep in mind that you are training for high speed pursuits. Cones are set about the course representing pedestrians, children, vehicles, etc. The fun was locating and establishing that acceptable level of speed and and as always, civilian safety.

Good Day on the Job

Something very special happened to our academy class the other day. We had just completed having our pictures taken and were in formation marching back to the parking lot from the Red Rocks Amphitheater. As we approached the parking lot, there was a group of elementary students standing off to the side watching the formation. As we marched passed their location all the students fell in behind and marched with us. This group of students marched with us, in pretty good formation and with good discipline, all the way to the top of the parking lot. Upon reaching the parking lot, the students ran past the formation and got out in front of us. Every single police officer and deputy sheriff had to pass the student group. All of the young kids cheered and waved to us, and most chanted “You guys are awesome.”

This simple action meant a lot to both the experienced officers and recruits. I have always been proud of what I am doing and what I want to become as a deputy sheriff. However, this was something special to all of us. I can’t really explain it. It was a simple action by a group of youngsters that produced a memory that I will never forget. I and my fellow recruits, police and sheriff officers would like to thank the children for their actions and hope they maintain that attitude towards law enforcement in general.

Sexual Assault / Crimes Against Children

This was an 8 hour class and presentation. After sitting through this class, if you are anything like me, you will be depressed, angry and want to take all of the woman who are important to you, to a place that will keep them safe from this element of society. However, it is these types of crimes that determined why I wanted to get involved with law enforcement. This type of crime increases my motivation to be the best I can be. One day I hope to work my way into investigations and this is the type of crime I would want to investigate. Many ask me why this type of crime? The answer is simple: I want to be the person that catches these predators, stop this behavior from happening to innocent women and especially innocent children. I want to be part of the solution that removes individuals like this from everyday society.

The class was very well taught. Discussions of all of the laws relating to these offenses, the elements, the stories and studies related to sexual assault and crimes against children. The most memorable and disturbing are the pictures. Many of the pictures are very graphic causing the sadness, anger and desire to put a stop to this activity. It is a heavy class but very important. You are subjected to information that you cannot imagine an individual doing to another human being including what date rape drugs do to the body and mind and how to identify if drugs were involved. The instructors also showed us how to conduct a preliminary investigation on these crimes and how to document the situation and evidence. I can’t stress how much I learned but you have to prepare yourself for what you are going to be dealing with. Again this class enhanced my desire to be a cop.

Vehicle Contacts

We just finished a class on vehicle contacts. We worked on the procedures in pulling someone over in a traffic stop. I can’t stress this enough: Pulling someone over is a lot more then just walking up to the driver and writing a ticket. In my opinion this is actually one of the most dangerous aspects of being a cop. My reasoning is based on all of the unknown factors regarding this person. You don’t know who they are or what they are doing. The situation regarding weapons is unknown as is the drug situation. Thus, it is important to keep your officer safety procedures as the number one priority. It is important to remember and plan everything from preparing to stop an individual to your approach and your professionalism.

These are just a few things to keep in mind. Those of you applying will learn this but seeing hands of the individuals is a very important aspect of making a vehicle stop. Movements are very important. The instructors are great and I gained an amazing amount of knowledge in just one class. There are a lot of things to keep in your head, but the most important is to never, ever, become complacent. No stops are routine and one must always prepare themselves to be as safe as humanly possible.

Arrest Control: Choke Holds

We have done choke holds and how to escape from them during arrest control. Being choked will usually cause enough for most people to panic. When under duress, such as being choked, one still must remain calm and think about the situation. The first step, like most everything in law enforcement: Don’t Panic. Think of what must happen in order for you to escape.

As I have said before, when discussing training your mind, one must immediately come to the realization that if someone is choking you, they are trying to kill you. This is not martial arts class anymore. This is about your life. What I have learned is not to panic and to work yourself out of the situation. This means anything and everything is fair game to change the conditions of the situation. This person is trying to kill me and what am I going to do about it? My answer is what I have been taught from day one: WIN, NO MATTER THE COST! Again we don’t get paid to tie or lose.

Officer Survival

We recently had a class on officer survival. That class is geared in how to survive when things go bad. This class explains that having the right mental approach can save your life. Always maintain distance, know escape routes, always be ready to use force if necessary, and never be lulled into a state of being less than total aware of situations by apparent cooperation. We were taught that a truly prepared officer can depend on the fact that winning a violent confrontation is about 75% mental.

The most important piece of information I gained from this class is always stay aggressive and never quit. By staying aggressive you are more likely to wear down your opponent and win the confrontation. This dovetails with what we have had drilled into us since day one: we are not being paid to tie or lose fights. We are paid to win. For those of you who are going to apply and want to be police officer, my advice to you is to get into that mental mindset now and live by that statement. The other statement to set your life by is “lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.”

I would also highly recommend practicing being observant, practice identifing potential threats, practice looking for cover and concealment, and always play the “what if” game in your head as you go through life. An example could be what if someone walked in to the restaurant, pulled a gun and shot someone. What would I do? Where is the cover? How do I get to the shooter if possible? Little games like this will condition your mind to react when something happens.

Defensive Seating

We just finished a class regarding officer survival. The class was geared more to how to survive in a firefight and the mindset you must have in order to survive. You get to hear the facts that the majority of cops are killed when they are alone, usually shot with a hand gun and usually within 10 feet.

The class presented information regarding the different awareness levels of being a cop. It is important for those applying with any law enforcement department that you can never be oblivious as to what is going on around you. You must always be searching for potential threats, exits and must be aware of the people around you and their behavior.

I have found that with a girlfriend, and this new found knowledge, it has become customary to have discussions with your significant other about where to sit when you go to restaurants. What I mean by this is, as a cop, you always want the defensive seating arrangement. Meaning you want to sit with your back to a wall and hopefully in a position that will allow you to be looking out at the customers within the restaurant. This would also include the entrance to the restaurant, giving you line of sight to all that are coming and going.

Now, every time I go to a restaurant, I notice that my girlfriend takes “that” seat. In which case, I ask her to move. This usually results in “The Look.” Those of you with a significant other probably have been the recipient of “The “Look.” I have been told that over time, significant others will start to learn about “The Seat,” therefore avoiding the public rendition of "The Look."

Guest Blog: Reid!

My name is Reid, I work for Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and was asked to do a guest blog and wasn’t sure what I should say. I became interested in being a police officer when I was a kid, I always liked watching the old movies with the cowboys and the sheriff, I have since learned that you can’t do most of the stuff that is in those movies.

Now that I have grown up and know a little more I think this is one of the most incredible jobs, where else do you get so much responsibility and so much freedom? So far my favorite parts of the academy are the Arrest Control and Firearm days. We have been able to shoot over 1,500 rounds of ammo; shooting on the tactical range is the most fun for me. I have done a lot of shooting where you sit or stand still, but getting to shoot while moving at steel targets is awesome! We have had countless hours of arrest control, I have learned some Judo in the past, but this is more aggressive, we are not paid to lose. I have had more fun getting this training than I could have imagined.

If there is one thing that I want anyone trying to get hired by a department to know is that you have to stick with the applications, keep trying, it usually takes several tries. I had the support of my family, when I wouldn’t get through a testing process they were there to tell me to keep trying. So don’t give up, you can make it as long as becoming a cop is something you really want and you work for it. Overall my experience at the Jefferson County Regional Academy has been an amazing journey. I look forward to learning more, not just in the academy but after I graduate.

Firearms

In Firearms training we have been doing a lot of qualifications and training with movement shooting. I have to say this is so fun. Now I am no means an expert in shooting firearms but I feel like Jefferson County has the best instructors. Last week we had to run up a hill and conduct strikes and kicks on a pad. Basically it is a simulated fight. After the instructor deems you are tired he yells at you to come over. He then proceeds to tell you a scenario. You must then proceed to eliminate threats in the scenario. I have to tell you my mistakes for those of you applying. I rushed through the scenario and missed all my shots. What I learned is you must take a deep breath, take your time and remember your mechanics. When I did this I found that my accuracy went up. It was a great experience and I learned a lot.

Guest blog: Baloo!

Hello,

I was recently invited by Kevin (a.k.a. Sunshine) to share a bit about myself, my perspective about the academy, and share a few words concerning something most people don’t like to think about when deciding if law enforcement is the right career for them.

I attended college in Minnesota, married my lovely wife, and moved to Nebraska for graduate school. During this time, I had the opportunity to train as a post-collegiate athlete, and finished my athletic career in the finals of the 2004 USA Olympic Trials. Following graduate school we moved to Colorado, where I spent a few years in the insurance industry. For those of you who may be reading this from a cubicle, you will easily understand why I decided to leave insurance behind and focus on a career in law enforcement.

Overall, the academy experience has been a very positive one. Every day brings the constant challenge of trying to learn new information, while attempting to retain all of the other “stuff” taught from day one – this can be difficult and frustrating. If you have a competitive spirit, you can only imagine sometimes how discouraging this can be when you want to know it all, yet fail miserably! The reality of the academy life is that you do the best you can, take the punches when they come, and then get up and keep trying to improve – NEVER QUIT! One of the great things about a law enforcement career is the variety. There are some days you feel on top of the world and others when you wonder if you’re going to have a job at the end of the day.

This brings me to an obvious point: “This is not an easy job!” Not only is the training physically and mentally challenging, but it is important to acknowledge and consider what will be required of you besides “just helping people.” I imagine that every person has somewhat different motives for choosing law enforcement. For some of you, you may see an investigator on television that gets to a crime scene, evaluates it, processes it, and solves the crime in less than an hour and think, “Wow, that’s cool, where can I get me one of those suits, a gun and badge?” Others may not be quite that naïve, but still don’t have a full understanding of the sacrifice that law enforcement officers make to serve their community. Let’s evaluate some realities of the job that we discuss in the academy, and see if we can take an honest look at what you may encounter on a day-to-day basis.

First, after successfully completing the 20 week training academy, you may spend some time working in the jail. It is important to know that you will work every day with people who have violated a law, or two…or ten. These crimes range from murder, rape and assault, to failure to pay child support. These individuals may want to harm you and/or your family, and will most likely try to manipulate you, and/or see if they can compromise your professionalism over days or years. You will be directly exposed throughout your career to bodily fluids (i.e. blood, urine, spit, poo, puke, etc.), funky smells, ‘R’ rated images, death, and drugs. It is possible that your life will be in jeopardy at least once in your career, and that you will be attacked, assaulted, and/or harassed to varying degrees on more than one occasion. There will be times when you will be required to work long hours, work by yourself in secluded areas of the county, and face off with pit bulls, or even Chihuahuas! And for those of you who want to become an investigator, or work in a specialty unit, you will get the privilege of carrying a pager, which allows you to be called back to work at all hours of the day or night.

According to the psychologists that visited our academy, 75% of all male law enforcement officers will be divorced at least once, and for the females out there…well…if I remember right, that number rises to about 99.9%. Pretty crazy, huh?

So, now that I’ve provided you will a little reality, do you still have a desire to begin the long journey required to become a Deputy Sheriff of Jefferson County? I hope so, because it has the potential, beyond the seemingly dismal reality :), to bring an incredible reward. The truths of what we may encounter day to day are intense, but the pride, honor, and potential to influence others at a critical time in their lives are worth the risk and sacrifice. May you be blessed as much as I have been on your journey to becoming a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy.

Crowd Control

We had a class about riots and crowd control the other day. I have included some pictures. But it is important to note that in order to be good at crowd control, it helps immensely if you have experience as a member of a marching band. As a secondary note it will become instantly known to all if you were lucky enough to have been born with any rhythm or as in most of our cases……not.

The idea behind crowd control is trying to maintain order, or to reestablish order, during a riot. There are many slow movements with the need of many officers being in synch (or rhythm if you prefer). The hard part of crowd control is people are yelling at you, throwing anything they can find at you, and as always, trained officers must maintain professionalism at all times. The picture below is the recruiting class practicing the movements and commands. It was fun in a practice mode, but until I do it for real, I really won’t know if the fun will transfer over. Probably not.

Guest blog: Katherine!

Hi everyone! My name is Katherine and I am a recruit at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office academy with Kevin. He’s been a good friend to me for the last 13 weeks (even though he kicked me through a wall), so when he asked me to write a little bit about my experience I knew I couldn’t turn him down. I also come from a pretty different background from most recruits and think it’s important for people to see that all sorts of people can find satisfaction and pride in police work.

First thing about me: I’m not a native Coloradoan. I grew up in a really small farm town in Michigan. I just turned 29, and yes, I’m a chick. I had very little contact with any of the local police growing up: a few minor speeding tickets and one car accident. No one in my family has ever been a cop and I don’t think I’ve ever really known one personally. I didn’t form much of an opinion on the profession from those few run-ins and certainly never would have thought that I’d end up pursuing this career! I worked at a large sporting goods store all through college selling skis and snowboards and ended up moving across the country to the Colorado mountains to be a snowboard bum in 2003. I had various retail and customer service positions in Beaver Creek for four seasons, ending up as a dispatcher and driver for transportation around the resort.

After putting in a couple of great years at the Beav I was ready to really settle down and start working towards a long lasting career. I’d looked at the ads for 911 emergency dispatching in the newspaper for years and realized how similar it would be to dispatching for the resort, but with the added opportunity to feel proud of my involvement in my community. I knew I could make a positive difference in people’s lives when they needed it most. I applied in the fall of 2007 and have worked dispatching police, fire and emergency medical services since. It was the career that I’d been searching for and I was hooked!

It wasn’t long though before I realized that my real strength would be out on the street as an officer. I fell in love with the excitement and random experiences of police work right away, but my favorite part is digging through information to answer questions and solve crimes. I’ve always enjoyed puzzles and brainteasers and am really happy that I’ve found a job where I can do those things in order to benefit my community. I look forward to working on the streets for a couple of years to learn as much as I can and then working as a detective. I also really enjoy customer service and teaching and can’t wait to become a field training officer in a few years.

I think the most important thing to understand about this career is that any type of person (even with very little law enforcement experience) can find success, pride and happiness through hard work. There are so many specializations and opportunities, and no matter which ones interest you, you can find satisfaction in making your community a better place!

OC

Derek being sprayed with OC

Last week all recruits got OC’ed. OC, for those of you that do not know what the acronym stands for, we got pepper sprayed. I would have to say, after careful consideration and comparisons to all the other things I have done and all the things that have happened to me during my life, this was truly the worst.

Stephen punching the dummy for 30 seconds after being sprayed

As part of the drill the recruits must face three continuous simulations under the influence of the pepper spray. After being sprayed in the eyes and obviously the face and other exposed areas, the first simulation was to react to a simulated fight by striking a dummy for 30 seconds. This is followed immediately by a combat walk down the side of a building and arresting a suspect. This is followed immediately by a simulated reaction to a bad guy with a gun. The suspect might give up, releasing the gun, or give up and not drop the gun or may turn and attempt to shoot the arresting officer. This simulation is done with a paint gun.

Jamie punching the dummy for 30 seconds after being sprayed

The whole event was done in a very controlled environment. The purpose of this simulation is show each recruit how it feels to be OCed and to know how to react to various situations under the effects of the spray. Each of us now know that we will be able to fight through a pepper spray incident. This situation is no longer an unknown and therefore is not a fear to be conquered. We have already done that. This, in itself, is very important. To have the confidence that if this happens, you know what it feels like, you know it is going to be uncomfortable but you also know that you can react and function under the influence of the spray.

Baloo after being OC'd

Now for what being OCed really feels like. Everyone reacts a little different but for me, it feels like a sun burn that you get when falling asleep on the beach without sunscreen but maybe a little oil on your skin to intensify the action of the sun. Everything burns and your eyes shut involuntary. Now this intense burning experience last for a total of about 30 to 45 minutes. Then, and here is the real treat of OC, the chemicals on your face get reactivated when mixed with water. Therefore, every time you take a shower you get to relive the wonderful experience all over again. In other words, it is the gift that keeps on giving.

It took me about 3 to 4 showers before I had absolutely no sensation of burning on my face, eyes or any where else the OC spray had reached, either directly or indirectly through washing. Not to mention that once the water used to clear your eyes and face comes into contact with the pepper spray, whatever that water touches gets OC on it and the burning starts over in different locations. I will leave it up to the reader to create a mental picture of the potential problems that this redistribution of the contaminated water over, shall we say, the more sensitive portions of the male and female body, poses when you are taking a shower.

For all of you future recruits or others that might be inclined to put themselves in opposition to law enforcement, trying to earn the possibility of being OCed, you have been warned.

Until next time…..
Kevin

Photo

Here is another addition. In the picture is "Full Speed" or you can call her "Mini Hulk". The picture was taken in arrest control. We were doing a push-back kick, creating more distance. Unfortunately she was close to a wall.

Arrest Control

Hi all.

Well it is been a long time since my last entry mostly due to the fact that the recruits have been out of the classroom and working on arrest control, firearms, test and quizzes. I will explain arrest control. We have gone over pressure points and wrist locks to make individuals comply with demands by the officers. We also learned about different kicks and strikes. All of this is done in a safe setting. For those of you who want to prepare for arrest control, Jefferson County Academy uses the FBI arrest control techniques and methods. It has been fun because you work on technique with a partner. After each session I feel like I have been mauled by a bear. That is understandable because our first day I fought the human equivalent of a bear. His nickname is Baloo. I included a picture below. It is fun to go up against different types of people. Everyone has a little different approach and that is what makes it fun and that situation creates new experiences for you.

In this type of fighting, everything we are taught is to gain compliance with an individual. If the individual complies, the pain or strikes will stop. This is very important to know. In addition, this class teaches the force continuum. During this type of training you are taught to recognize what types of force should be used based on what the individual does. This means that the officer does not dictate the type or amount of force that should be used. The individual you are dealing with will dictate the amount of force based on their actions and reactions.

I will keep you posted on the other contact lessons as they come up. An additional high point for this week will be the opportunity for all recruits to experience the OC application (peppered sprayed). I will be writing about this experience once I have managed to remove the materials from my eyes and nose.

Having Fun

When you are in the academy you should be enjoying yourself. If you are not then there is something wrong. Even when I am being challenged, stressed, and making mistakes, which is common for all recruits, it is important to always realize that what you are doing is fun.

We are now in week 10 and I have never thought this was anything but fun. I have made mistakes and it hasn’t been easy. Deputy Johnson has put me in situations where I have literally just gone blank or had the answer on the tip of my tongue but couldn’t remember. It happens. Don’t get me wrong, you want to limit those as much as possible, but that is part of the learning experience.

I have always placed a lot of pressure on myself to be successful and have always worked to be perfect. The fact that I do this frustrates me even more when I fail to reach that goal. But when everything is said and done, I still enjoy myself. I still can’t believe I get paid to do this job, go to school, have enjoyable experiences, and gain new knowledge all at the same time. Getting paid to learn is a new experience for me and I am enjoying it immensely.

The point of this is you need to have fun while in the academy. When a recruit feels upset or frustrated most recruits will act as a support system because of their nature. Joking, poking fun at each other is really great and has become almost a mandatory reaction. To explain this, I will use myself as an example. My nickname is “Sunshine.” I got this nickname from an instructor when explaining to our class that everyone was going to work in groups. She looked at one of the recruits and said “You will be working with sunshine over there.” When I looked up, she was pointing at me.

Now I am not admitting why she picked sunshine to describe my attitude or facial expression, but since then, all of the recruits call me by that wonderful nickname. They continuously poke fun at me regarding this “wonderful” moniker. Actually, it been fun and it is important to have a sense of humor while attending the academy. Be able to poke fun at yourself and of course at other people. Learn to hand it out when appropriate and whenever possible. But more importantly, know how to receive it. It makes the camaraderie develop quickly, makes the time pass more quickly, and makes everything a lot of fun.

Till next time…..
Kevin

Firearms

Another week in firearms training is underway. When we first got out on the range I was not doing too well but I worked through it and kept trying. The next time we were out on the range, I really concentrated on what I was doing wrong my first outing. With a few little adjustments I started shooting really well. We ran through a mock firearms qualification. I scored 166, which for only the second time on the range, I was happy with. I need to keep working and improve on these scores. For those of you who are applying or will be going through qualifications for POST, the cut off is 130 and the high score is 180. If you are worried about qualifying, don’t be. The instructors are great, and like with me, will fix your little problems. It is your job however to keep working on what they tell you. Keep in mind when you are on the range to relax and have fun. It is a very enjoyable experience.

I will have more tomorrow.....
Kevin

Call in the experts....

Hi all.

Over the last few days we have participated in many different classes with many different activities and observations. We have just finished explosive recognition class with the bomb squad. Now, personally, I think being a member of the bomb squad would be fun, very exciting, an obvious adrenaline rush, but filled with the obvious dangers associated with this specialty.

There is a lot of training that goes into being a bomb squad member. The Jefferson County Bomb Squad appears to be very well trained and prepared to handle these situations.
However, for the recruits, this class was all about recognition of a bomb or other explosive devices and what our reaction, as a deputy sheriff, should be if we ever come across such a device. The essence of our expected reaction is very simple. Don’t touch it. Don’t look at it. Call in the experts.

After the class, there was a demonstration. I survived the demonstration with no physical damage other than the pressure damage due to the shock wave from the explosion from what I was told was a very small explosion. Mentally I have an expanded feeling of awe and respect for the bomb squad members. Regarding this class and demonstration, I will give you some personal advice that I have imprinted to memory and will follow very consistently. This advice is really obvious. All law enforcement officers should know who their bomb squad members and recognize them on sight. This is due to the fact that if you ever see bomb squad members running away from anything, you should be doing the same thing, very quickly and faster than the bomb squad.

I also included some pictures of our firearms training. Until next time which will be soon…

Kevin

Intro to Firearms...

Sorry all that I have been MIA. Last week we had a really big test, plus inspection, plus we had firearms training. This week we have arrest control and more firearms training. Its all fun but let’s talk about the really fun stuff…….. the firearms training. At the Jefferson County Academy, the first few firearms classes are taught within a classroom setting without ammunition. If you are a future recruit, rest assured, the extent of your firearms training has no bearing on what you will be taught. The instructors will assist and teach in the accepted methods of firearms according to Jefferson County accepted policies. If you have no experience with firearms, there is a good chance that you will probably be shooting better then anyone by the end of the class. You will have no previously taught or acquired habits that don’t agree with Jefferson County Policy. However, in this class we accomplished two things. The instructors taught us how to clean our weapons and how to draw the weapon out of the holster. Both were fun. We had to be able to get the weapon out of the holster and be ready to shoot in less than 1.5 seconds. That sounds fast but everyone made it. Now I know what you are thinking, good recruits or good instructors? Well jokingly I would say good recruits, however I truly think it is a mixture of both. It was also made clear to us that there are several active officers that are capable of accomplish this action in less than 1.0 seconds. Believe me….that is quick and not an easy accomplishment with police holsters and the other equipment hanging all over.

Now, I have been warned that there will be multiple times throughout the academy that moments of realization of what we are actually training and gearing up for will occur. I think the first firearms training class was one of those moments. When we started to work on our draws I came to the realization that not only will I have to do draw my weapon, point it at an individual, and be ready to use it if necessary. But I will also have to accomplish this faster than the criminal I am facing or truly bad things will happen. While this realization was sinking in, our instructors were explaining practice and the importance of muscle memory because once you are in a situation that could escalate into a gun fight, you will experience multiple adrenaline dumps into your system and I quote “everything we are teaching you will go right out the window and muscle memory will take over.” While that is reassuring, what I took away from it is the same as everything else we have been doing. Practice! Practice! Practice! I have commented in other blogs about the connection of sports, team plays, muscle memory, and practice. But once again, here is another example of expected practices and policies that must be repeated again and again and mastered. You must be good at what you are doing or it might cost you your life or a much worse, a fellow deputy’s life.

I don’t want to end on a down note. I have quite a bit of experience with firearms and safety. I have been very impressed with our instructors and their approach to this necessary part of our training. To be honest, following their lead, I am much more excited then worried. I realize that the policies and procedures, especially the firearms training, that are being taught are not to make the recruits afraid, nervous, or worried about what could or will happen as a deputy. It is to ensure that no matter the situation, no matter how stressful, grievous it may become, all recruits will be prepared to control any situation, mental or physical, and will go home at night. I feel I will always be able to go home after my shift for I will be given the tools and knowledge to do so and I will practice and train to perfect them.

"Sergeant..."

Hey all!!

I am sorry that I haven’t posted anything recently but a lot has happened last week and this week. As I said in the last blog entry, I was class sergeant last week. I will try to explain the duties of the class sergeant. Throughout the Academy, Deputy Johnson has assigned a class sergeant and an assistant class sergeant. The responsibility of both is to ensure that each day and all activities run smoothly. Any problems experienced by recruits are the responsibility of the class sergeants, whom are expected to either solve the problem or inform Deputy Johnson of the situation. If there assignments due, the class sergeants must ensure everyone turns it in. If there happens to be an inspection scheduled for your week, you, as the sergeant, have the responsibility of giving commands, tracking and identifying whatever is wrong with each recruits uniform or other situation during the inspection. In general, the class sergeant is the liaison between the instructors and the rest of the recruits. It is a big responsibility in addition to your normal class work and activities. And it is stressful for one wants to do it right.

With that being said, I actually enjoyed myself. Being in charge and making sure everything is working properly is a good test for the recruits. However, when the class sergeant makes mistakes, it is very obvious to everyone and that sergeant is subject to ridicule and jesting comments that at present appear to be fair game for the rest of his / her natural life. This is experience speaking. As an example of this, I was organizing paper work when Deputy Johnson came into the classroom and says “Excuse me sergeant.” I stood up and answered smartly, “Yes Sir?” Now this all sounds fine and indicates good protocol. However, unknown to me, there was an actual sergeant that was scheduled as an instructor for that day standing right behind me. It is easy to see the results of this exchange that appear to be following me for the rest of my career. In my defense, as I was answering, I did think it was rather strange that the head instructor was calling me “Sergeant’. However, the fact that I was at least thinking it was not right to be addressed as a sergeant does not really matter in the large and intertwined life of harmless harassments regarding mistakes. For the rest of the day, Deputy Johnson addressed me as “sergeant” in what I thought to be rather a sarcastic tone of voice considering the situation. I am sticking to my story that he really was talking to me and that he was just practicing, getting use to calling me by that rank for when it actually happens. (I am kidding of course). Even with the sarcastic comments I have received throughout the halls of the academy, it is all in good fun and was a good time. I enjoyed it.

Big test Today and must get back to prepping for that

…. Until later…

Kevin

"A very tough individual"

Hello readers! Well another week has quickly passed in the academy. I am happy to report that the Jefferson County Sheriff Investigator injured in that well publicized incident has under gone surgery last week and the doctors are happy with his progress.

This incident has made many of the cadets reflecting on our chosen professions. There are many incidents where police officers follow all officer safety rules, procedures and yet unconsidered results can occur. I guess this is where the phrase “that’s why I get paid the big bucks” originated. Yet, I have personally never seen or heard of a police officer that walked away from their job after a life threatening incident. I have never met this investigator nor do I know any of his family. However, we have had a couple of instructors who are good friends with this investigator and have worked with him for many years. ALL have said that the injured investigator would be back tomorrow if he could. They have explained to us that he loves his job and is a very tough individual. It is not a question of if he comes back to work but more of the question of when he will return. I admire his character and courage. Please have your thoughts or prayers with him as he recovers.

Now for my faithful readers who have kept up with the blogs, does this investigator sound like a sheep? A wolf? Or a sheepdog? The answer of course is a sheepdog. He has all of the characteristics. Another instructor pointed out a very important point. Police officers have to be a little crazy to do this job. When normal people run away from a situation, we run towards the incident. Once again, this Jefferson County investigator holds to these qualities and expectations.

When considering this incident and the character of this investigator, I would like to think I posses these same qualities. Yet I have never been tested in the way other officers have. .….. I have never been run over and drug by a car and come back and ask for more.
I will need to confront many situations and gain experience to truthfully make that assessment. Again, my thoughts and prayers are with our investigator and his family. I have no doubt that he will make a speedy recovery. I hope that he rejoins his Jefferson County family very soon.

I also have to tell my readers before I leave that this week I am class sergeant so I am not sure how many entries I will have this week. However you can count on an entry talking about this experience.

Until next time
Kevin

Investigator injured

In the news recently there was a Jefferson county investigator that was seriously injured last afternoon during an arrest operation by the Auto Theft Task Force. The investigator was hospitalized and is in serious condition. His injuries are not life threatening, thankfully he is expected to make a complete recovery. The Academy recruits along with all Jefferson County employees our keeping the investigator in our prayers and thoughts for his complete and full recovery. We hope he returns to our family soon.

A morning ritual ...

Deputy Johnson, one of the instructors at the academy has introduced a practice that really drives home the concept of the analogy of Sheep, Sheepdogs and wolves for me. I do find it moving, very appropriate, and I assume all the other recruits place the same thought and emotions into the request that I do.

Each morning, all recruits stand in formation and pay respects to police officers in Colorado that have died in the line of duty. There is a 20 second period of silence to pay respect and honor those whom have fallen. Following the period of silence, each recruit calls out the name of an officer that has fallen protecting and serving the communities around the state of Colorado. This happens each day. There are a couple of reasons for this memorial process. First, we pay our respects to each individual that has given their life in serving and protecting the community. Second, it truly drives home the reality of the dangers associated with the job. While showing respect to the fallen and listening to the multitude of names associated with fallen police officers, a true and cold, reality develops regarding the concepts of officer safety, the importance of training, and making sure that one understands and is able to perform all aspects of the job we are training for at the Academy.

We, as citizens of the United States and of Colorado, should acknowledge and appreciate those who have come before us and those who have given their lives in order to protect and serve. This acknowledgment is not just for police officers, but all first responders and military personnel. It is about being grateful to those who are willing to place themselves between the Sheep of the world and the wolves of the world. It is about honoring those that have paid the ultimate price to allow us the freedom of choice, the freedom of speech, and the freedom from fear that we all take for granted, especially in this country. Take a moment to thank them for their service.

Sheep, Sheepdogs & Wolves

As promised here is a midweek entry to the Academy Experience.

There are some concepts about how the populations of the world function in relation to police and military situations that I think all prospective police officers should consider before entering the academy. I was aware of how law enforcement addresses these concepts, though not in the exact terms of the analogy to follow before I entered the academy due to my K-9 training experiences and the fact that I hung out with plenty of cops during that training. These concepts were presented to the cadets in the academy through a paper authored by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman of the United States Army. He presents the concept that there are three types of people in the world. There are Sheep, there are Sheepdogs and there are wolves. In this analogy the sheep represent the everyday citizen. They are nice, peaceful, honest, law abiding and go about their business each day. Lt Col. Grossman believes these people are naive and unaware about what is happening in their surroundings and how the world is functioning around them. I am not sure if I agree with Lt. Col. Grossman entirely on this concept. I believe the sheep in this world have at least an idea of how the world works around them but for whatever reason, don’t want to deal with the problems that a functioning society within the world creates.

The wolves represent the criminals that routinely take advantage of the sheep. They prey on the sheep and use them for their benefit. The wolves can and usually are vicious or mean in some form; some are more vicious and ruthless than others. But all prey on the sheep in some method or form. Most sheep are scared of the wolves and truthfully do not know how to deal or stop the wolves’ actions. This is where the Sheepdogs enter the picture. The Sheepdogs represent the various law enforcement agencies around the world and all military personnel. These are the individuals that step forward, placing themselves between the sheep and the wolves; in other words, the Sheepdogs fight the Wolves and what the Wolves are attempting to do. The Sheepdogs are the saviors of various societies around the world.

The sad part of this analogy is that in real life the Sheepdogs don’t really fit into society life. The wolves don’t like them because they are constantly fighting and stopping them from hurting the sheep. The sheep like to have the sheepdogs around because of the protection provided from the wolves. But the sheepdogs make many of the sheep nervous because they resemble the wolf. They have fangs, they growl and they fight when necessary. The Sheepdogs hide within the population of the sheep, waiting for the wolf to appear to hassle or hurt the sheep; or to challenge the Sheepdogs. Sheepdogs never look for a fight, but at the same time, will never run away from one either. Sheepdogs will handle any situation in an attempt to help the Sheep. The Sheepdogs are always willing to “Protect and Serve”. Whether the sheep know it or not, Sheep could not survive without the sheepdog. Most sheep realize this but there are many that do not. That’s acceptable, because the Sheepdog doesn’t care how the Sheep feel. Sheepdogs will be there and will do the job no matter what the situation. It is not fame or fortune that the sheepdog is after. It is to fill the need of the sheepdog to “Protect and Serve”. Some believe that sheepdogs are born and they just naturally step forward and accept the responsibility. I believe that to be true, but also feel that Sheepdogs can be created. An individual just has to make a conscious decision to become a Sheepdog. To become a Sheepdog, there must be a natural sequence of decisions and actions that must be taken. This process begins with the establishment and acceptance of integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, and respect.

The point of this blog entry is not to promote or change anyone’s opinion of law enforcement or of the military. This entry is more about having all citizens think about whom they truly are. This entry represents an attempt to create an understanding about the role of those that protect and serve societies all over the world. For those of you contemplating becoming a police officer, please consider this analogy and the following paragraph seriously. I truly believe that the more one contemplates this analogy, contemplates who you are and what you represent to all those in your life, you will discover where you fit. The reality to consider is what are you really? A Sheep? A Sheepdog? Or a Wolf?

Week #4

I would like to start with an apology to my readers, I dropped the ball this week. After indicating I would have more entries in the blog, I got tied up with other responsibilities and was unable to keep my promise. The instructors must have read the line in the last blog where I indicated that I was getting things under control. I am sorry about my lack of entries. However, I am still planning to post more in the future.

We had our first skills day this week. We were introduced to CPR and first aid concepts. It was interesting and enjoyed the presentations and practical work. As much as I hate to admit this, I have never taken CPR or a First Aid class before this presentation, so everything was brand new to me. As indicated the instruction was part class work and part practical. We worked on everything from doing CPR on an adult to CPR on a child and become familiar with the AED. I have to say it was more fun than work. When completing the exercises, I couldn’t help but wonder when or who I would be doing this on in the future. During the Academy, I have heard a lot of stories from experienced officers, and I wonder how well I will do under the pressure of a life or death situation. Like most things in the academy, you are taught what to do and then tested on the concepts while under pressure through various tests and developed situations. I feel confident that I will do fine but until tested, in real life, no one can be absolutely sure of how they will react. All I can say for sure is that I have been well prepared, I know what I am doing, I feel confident in my knowledge and in the practical application of what I have learned and I will complete my duty to the best of my ability. The reason for the training is so that when one is placed in that situation, one reacts in the way that they have been trained. This is very similar to practice in athletics in which I have plenty of experience. One keeps practicing the basics, using the basics in practical situations, and come game time, one is prepared to react.

My favorite part of the class is when the instructors create a scenario and the members of the class had to apply what they had learned. Our group made some small mistakes but over all, we did a great job on the prepared scenarios.

We also had more PT (Physical Training) this week. I find PT fun and challenging. PT has consisted of running, running stairs and working out in the weight room. However, one day this week, the PT was a little different. We went on a run for about 45 minutes. I think in total we ran between 2 or 3 miles. I could be off on the distance. It felt like more than that for a large stretch was mostly up hill. It was fun and I enjoyed the challenge of the run and the self imposed competition between members of the academy. I was a bit tired when we were done. I take this to mean that in addition to the academy PT and the PT I am doing on my own time, I need to work out more. This introduction to running hills will be nothing to what we have been told we will experience when we run up Lookout Mountain. For those of you who do not know what Lookout Mountain is, it’s a large mountain that each Jefferson County Recruit runs before graduation! It is a right if passage and big workout. I believe we will all make it and will have fun doing it.

Until next time…. Which will be soon

Kevin

Katie doing mouth-to-mouth

Me doing mouth to mouth

Me doing mouth to mouth

Jerry with his practice baby

Ish being a burn victim

Me with me and my fake cell phone will pretending to be a victim that hurt himself during arrest control

Our burn victim again

Our class sargent explaining his first aid skills

Week #3

This blog post is for Teresa from Wheat Ridge. I have been told that she has been reading my blog when she is bored or has nothing better to do. I will take that as a complement. For those of you that are like Teresa and seem to enjoy reading brief summaries about our academy experiences, I am happy to tell you that I am going to make an effort to try to post more entries. I wanted to get situated with academy life, become familiar with what is expected of me, and I wanted to make sure that I was prepared each day to meet these challenges. We are now finishing up week three and I feel that we have been introduced to most of the routines that we will be dealing with for the next 17 weeks and maybe I will have a little more time. On that note, let’s take a look at this week’s activities.

This has been a big week for the recruits. We had our first inspection. Now, I am not going to lie about this,………. I was very nervous. For those of you that have not experienced a formal inspection, I will explain. An inspection is a routine common to law enforcement agencies and to the various military branches. Recruits line up in formation and while the instructor inspects your uniform for standard neatness and appearance, you are asked variety of questions regarding an infinite amount of subjects, of which you are expected to know the answers. For everything wrong with the uniform detail, your appearance, any questions asked that cannot be answered correctly or any fact that you have failed to remember that is obviously extremely important to the instructor, there is a mandatory follow up memo by the offending recruit to the instructor. This follow up memo will explain to the instructor the correct answer, why you didn’t know the correct answers, along with a list of everything that was discovered to be wrong with your uniform detail, appearance and a thorough explanation why this situation will never happen again. I will use my inspection questions as an example:

Instructor: Kevin, who is the Sheriff of Jefferson County?
Kevin: Sir, Sheriff Ted Mink is the Sheriff of Jefferson County, Sir.
Instructor: That is correct. Now, who was the Sheriff before Sheriff Mink?
Kevin: Sir, Sheriff Cook, Sir
Instructor: Good. And before him?
Kevin: Sir, I don’t know that information, but I will find that information for you as quickly as possible, Sir!

This first inspection, I believe, was geared to take an individual that is nervous and under stress and force them to think and create answers while under that stress. The questions would continue to roll out of the instructor until the recruit would have to admit they did not know the answer. In other words, I believe every person in the academy will be writing a memo of some sort to the instructor. As I have indicated, since I have already said I wouldn’t lie about it, I was nervous but I did enjoy the experience and the confidence you begin to build in yourself and the other academy members as we stand inspection, complete physical training and the classroom aspect of the academy. It is performing under stress. It is a good feeling. I enjoy it.

We also had our first exam this week. It was thorough and brought back memories of studying and prepping for college exams. I scored what I believe was above average but I can and will do better. The test questions covered everything we have been exposed to and have been introduced to over the past three weeks. There has been a great deal of information covered and you must absorb and retain everything. Your life and other lives can depend on this information.

I feel like I am learning a ton which is good. I will continue to learn and I will get better. However, one must continually prove this during tests and quizzes, practical skills and physical fitness. All the while performing under self imposed and purposely created stress. To be successful, we will all make adjustments, work harder, and I believe it will happen for all of us.

Until next time…….

Kevin

P.S. Teresa,………….. It will be soon and I hope you continue to enjoy these memos of our experiences.

PT and Class Work

Week #2 started with our first physical fitness session. It should be explained that the Jefferson County Sheriff Academy physical training does start slow. Meaning, the amount of physical training builds in intensity as the program proceeds. This is good for all the recruits, especially for those that might not have been warned about the role of fitness in the program and have failed to prepare. However, like most recruits already know, if you are thinking about applying with any police department there is a definite need to stay in shape. That was the advice that was given to me prior to entering the academy and that I took that advice seriously. I am passing that advice along to anyone that is interested in pursuing a spot in a police academy. Physical fitness is a very important aspect of your training. It is also important to note if you are going to be applying with the Jefferson County Sheriff or will be attending the Jefferson County Sheriff Academy, there is no flat land to be found in the surrounding area. Therefore, it must be said, whatever can be driven down hill will be used to run up. In this spirit, one should realize in their preparation for the academy, running hills is highly suggested for it will be the main course on the menu at the academy.

The academy instructors have stressed from day one that the importance of staying in shape isn’t for fun any more. Being in good physical shape is looked upon as the difference between going home at night and very possibly not. Being in good physical shape is the essence of being able to take care of yourself and the other officers you will be working with. Each officer relies on having the individuals they are working with being physically able to handle any situation. It is your obligation to be able to do so. This cannot be stressed enough. It will be drilled into all recruits from the fist day and will continue through each individual’s career. It should never be forgotten.

In week one and now in week two, there has been a lot of class work with power point presentations covering a variety of subjects including Criminal Justice Process, Bias and Ethical Policing, Crime Prevention, Stress Management, Nutrition, Physical Fitness and Victim Rights. Like with learning anything new, it is important to establish a foundation before you build a house. Each of the presentations is vital to building that foundation which will obviously be needed as one’s career progresses.

Until next week,
Kevin

The Academy Experience

Week #1

My name is Kevin and I have recently been selected to enter the Jefferson County Police Academy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. I have chosen to track my experiences and those of the other cadets as we work our way through the training. Hopefully others that are interested in participating in future police academies will benefit from our experiences and those that have completed the academy training will enjoy a comparison to their experiences.

I would like to begin this process by sharing some of my background. I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, a beach town known for its surfing. Both of my parents are public school teachers. I attended Washington State University obtaining a B.A. in Criminal Justice and in Sociology. After finishing my undergraduate work, I obtained a M.A. in International Security with an emphasis on Homeland Security, Intelligence, and the Middle East from the University of Denver.

I worked a variety of jobs during my schooling including sports camps instructor and at Costco Wholesale. I have completed an internship with Department of State Diplomatic Security Service in the Chicago field office. I also have experience in training K-9s with Mar-Ken International, a company that supply and trains K-9s for police use. I am a certified agitator; that’s the individual that acts as the “criminal” in each of the training exercises for the handler and the dog. These exercises result in the agitator being placed in many different scenarios most of which result in the agitator taking the bite. I have also completed certification with K-9s in narcotics detection and have experience in training K-9s in bomb detection.

I am very excited to be in the Jefferson County Basic Law Enforcement Academy. There are twenty- three of us selected for training from various law enforcement agencies around the Denver area and from other parts of the state. The last few weeks prior to the start of the academy have been busy in obtaining and getting fitted for uniforms, physical training outfits and other equipment needed during the academy and for our jobs once the academy is completed.

This last week has been a through briefing of what is expected from each recruit regarding appearance, behavior and the various expectations of the instructors in all aspects of our training. In absorbing this information as it is presented, it is obvious that each recruit must have the right attitude and must be able to apply him or herself to the lessons and expectations in order to be successful. Each recruit must absorb the information presented and be able to apply this information in real life scenarios. It appears that the old adage drilled into me during my youth of, “keeping your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open and pay close attention” will be very appropriate. My goal is to be the best Deputy Sheriff I can possibly be. To accomplish this goal, successful completion of the academy is the first step. Thus, the training must be taken seriously. In that I enjoy a challenge, I am excited for the next nineteen weeks with all of the challenges and experiences it will bring.

As I and the rest of the recruits’ work our way through the academy, I will be posting weekly reports on how we are proceeding. I hope you find them interesting and entertaining.

Until next week,
Kevin

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for bloggers from the new class of law enforcement academy recruits! Who will they be? Check back at this site in late July 2009.