The Making Of A New Haven Cop

Matthew Curran and Nicole Motzer are members of New Haven Police Academy Class XXI. They’re keeping a diary of their training; the first installment follows.

Week 1

With much anticipation Class XXI was ready for the first day at the New Haven Police Academy. We all were very excited to begin this great journey to becoming New Haven police officers. On the first day, Chief Dean Esserman addressed our class and explained the core values: Duty, Honor, Integrity, Courage, and Compassion. During the course of the first two days, Captain Julie Johnson and Sergeant Brett Runlett went over the Recruit Handbook, radio codes, and some of the General Orders. The first two days of our first week started off in a calm setting. As one recruit said ​“the calm before the storm.”

Day three was a trying day for all of us. A recruit referred to that day as chaotic and intense. We had our first drill and we all did not know what we were walking into. Everything everyone did and/or said was incorrect and not up to the drill instructors’ standards. Some of us were not prepared and the drill instructors let us know exactly that. We had a visit from Assistant Chief Luiz Casanova who talked to us about professionalism, integrity, and respect. As the day went on, we learned some basic turns in formation and went running. Most of us went home that day in disarray.

As day four came, we all did not know what to expect; however, we did know that we needed to keep each other in check. We began to understand that we all are one. For most of day four, we listened to guests who gave us information about the union, pension, and benefits. At each break, the drill instructors kept all of us in check by making sure we were squared away.

On day five we had our first class of Note Taking and Report Writing. We were all excited to be learning. We learned about police reports and the proper way to write them. It was refreshing to have Officers Nick Katz and Paul Mandel in class talking to us about some of their experiences. Meanwhile, we anxiously awaited our breaks for interaction with the drill instructors.

Throughout the entire first week, we were drilled with squaring ourselves and others away — ties straight and properly clipped; shirts ironed, tucked in, buttoned, and no strings at the seams; straight gig line; and boots polished and shined. On Saturday, a recruit began to understand some of what the drill instructors were instilling because, without even realizing it, they were consistently making sure they was squared away. They were changing.

Week 2

As week two begins we, Class XXI, came in Monday morning ready for a new challenge. After having a weekend of rest and relaxation we thought we were fully prepared for what laid ahead. We quickly learned that you must be able to snap out of that relaxing mode at a moment’s notice. It was time to get back to work, and it was made clear by our drill instructors that we were not in the right mindset for the week. This was quickly corrected before we began classes for the day. We now knew that we had to do a better job of balancing our personal and professional lives.

As we began our classes we were given back some of our assignments from the previous week. From these assignments we saw what we needed to improve on. More importantly, we were able to see who was stronger in certain subject areas. This has allowed us to know who within our class we can turn to when one of us is struggling.

As the week progressed we continued to learn about important areas of policing, such as, report writing, hunting laws, liquor laws, substance abuse training, and many others. One of our favorite subjects as a class was The History of the New Haven Police Department. Within this class we were able to learn how the department got started, important events in the department’s past, and were able to see a lot of the old equipment used in previous years. After this class was completed the major point we took away was to make the men and women who wore the badge before us proud of this department.

A highlight of the week for us was beginning to learn basics of defensive tactics. We were taught correct form of punches, kicks, and the first step to an effective takedown. As we concluded the week, we all headed home with sore bodies and drained minds. We were excited for the weekend, but ready for the new challenges that week three would hold for us.

A Special Message from Recruit Christina Altieri:

Five years ago my uncle Henry Bayer who lived in the same house as I, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Every day I watched the effects that the disease had on him. It started with minor memory loss and progressed into losing the ability to walk, and perform any task on his own. Eventually he rarely remembered who anyone was. On Jan. 8, my uncle passed away peacefully in his sleep only a few hours before my academy day started. I knew I had to stay focused, but the day was extremely hard to get through. On January 12th, 2016 I attended the funeral services for my uncle not expecting to see members of the academy staff there to pay their respects. A beautiful escort was also provided by the traffic unit for the services, a gesture that was appreciated by everyone in the family. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Capt. Johnson, Sgt. Runlett, Sgt. Rosa, Officer Aponte and the traffic unit for their support during such a difficult time for my family and I. Also, to all of my classmates in Class 21 who reached out to me to make sure I was alright, I could not have wished for a better group of people to go through this journey with.

Week 3

This week was a week full of learning. We spent every day learning penal codes with Mr. Spector and we diligently went through different statutes. We all felt that we grasped a lot of information in a short time. One of the highlights of class was when we talked about actual cases, the court’s findings, and how each statute applied. We had group discussions on other possible statutes that we thought would apply and we had the opportunity to argue our finding. One realization that many of us had during these exercises was that most of the time there is not a clear cut answer as to which statute a person should be given. As we reviewed some of the cases, a lot of us were confused, and some even upset about what people were charged with. However, Mr. Spector showed us that many times other statutes do fit, and the courts just chose to go another route. Overall this was a great learning exercise for all of us.

Many recruits have begun to feel a strong connection with their classmates. Day after day we pushed each other with positive reinforcement and came together as a team. They stated, ​“There’s nothing better than knowing 29 people will always have your back.”

The week ended with a great workout. Sergeant Runlett and Officer Cotto recognized and complimented many of the recruits for their hard work and effort. Those compliments really gave us a sense of accomplishment, motivation and determination. Even with this, we still know that we have a long road ahead of us. We are determined to improve ourselves each and every day, so that we can become the best officers we can be.

Week 4

This week one of the drill instructors made the decision to replace one of the squad leaders with another recruit. The rest of the class was quick to support the former squad leader and to remind him to not hang his head on it. The big message to him about it was that we will all mistakes and we will be there to pick each other up in their time of need.

One of our days started off rough. A recruit was late to class and we all suffered for it. We were instructed to fall out into the hallway for corrective action. From that point until our class instructor arrived we were doing many physical exercises. Some of these exercises included push-ups, air squats, flutter kicks, leg raises, and several others. In the small and narrow hallway, we all find it difficult to get enough space for ourselves to complete the exercises. Banging heads, elbows, and knees with fellow recruits has become the norm for us during these activities.

When someone is reprimand for a wrongdoing, their squad leader and the class leader are required to join them with the drill instructors every hour to receive their retribution. Squad leaders are now starting to take a more proactive approach with everyone now. This includes doing uniform inspections outside every morning before heading inside, checking everyone’s binders to ensure they are in order, and sending nightly reminders about what needs to be completed for the next day.

One evening our class leader sent a communication which informed everyone of his annoyance of enduring the physical exercises on his breaks because of others’ lack of attention to detail. Further in the communication the class leader provided a helpful, detailed guide to evening and morning routines for getting prepared for the academy. He also provided a reminder of the proper chain of command and detailed information concerning the upcoming Family Night. The class leader’s closing comments included:

“We need to keep our heads in the game.”
​“Keep pushing forward.”

This week was a very class heavy week. We spent approximately six of the eight hours every day in the classroom learning about Penal Code and Arrest Laws. This was a lot of information to take in, and it was definitely mentally draining. Throughout these class lessons we would be given a break every hour. When this occurred you could clearly see the split between people who wanted to take a break and those who wanted to stay in the classroom. Those who wanted the break just needed to be able to relax their brains for a minute. Those who wanted to stay in the classroom knew that there was a chance of being made to do physical exercises in the hallway during the break. It’s a fine line that each and every one of us tries to walk every day.

As the week went on, some of us were reprimanded as the others sat in the classroom listening to them in the hallway enduring their punishment. Some felt a sense of helplessness and a want to join them so they don’t have to do it alone. At that point, there was a realization of a caring family being formed.

Our week ended with a pleasant discussion with Drill Instructors Officer Cotto and Officer Young. They allowed us to ask questions and gave us policing examples and tips. We discussed the need to be respectful and fair in order to gain respect. This talk session was very educational and informative. Everyone in the class really enjoys the times when our drill instructors switch from their disciplinary roles to teaching roles. The class believes that even though some days they try to break us, that they still want to see us succeed.

Week 5

It was another interesting week for Class 21. We began the week learning about the powers of arrest with Mr. Jack Kelly. We all enjoy having Mr. Kelly as a teacher. He does not just teach straight from a power point and have us write note after note. Instead, he chooses to interact with us and make sure that we all fully understand the current topic before we move on. During our time with Mr. Kelly this week we had one test. We will be receiving our grades from this test on Monday, and we are all eager and a little nervous to know what the results are.

Monday ended for us with a situational style workout that the whole class enjoyed. We were running consecutive 50 meter sprints, starting at 50 percent pace and working our way up to 100 percent. Before running the last sprint, Drill Instructor Officer Acosta called us in for a conversation. He stated to us that for the last run we would be trying to catch up to the drill instructors. This was to simulate what it would be like to chase a criminal. During this time none of us were able to catch up to them and realized how much farther we had to go with our physical fitness.

One memory that has stuck out for many of us during this week was a humorous one. We were in class, and one of our fellow recruits could not help but smile. Drill Instructor Officer Acosta did not believe that there was anything funny going on at the time, and subsequently ordered him to ​“come here and die.” Everyone in the class assumed that he was calling him up to the front of the class for corrective action. Our fellow recruit ran to the front of the class, fell to the ground, and acted as if he had just died. All of us could not hold in our laughter after witnessing that. We all may have paid for it later on, but to us it was worth the price.

Throughout the week we continued to learn about teamwork. Drill Instructor Officer Acosta explained to us what a team was by an illustration on the board. He spelled out in block letters the word ​“T E A M” and colored in the spaces in the A and told us there is no ​‘i’ in TEAM, only in the A‑hole. As funny as it was, it stuck with all of us. This was shown to us when an individual was pointed out for being the only one that had military creases in their shirt. In order to be a team, everyone was instructed to iron military creases.

During our lunch, Drill Instructor Officer Acosta lectured about nutrition and the effects certain foods had on our bodies. He scrutinized the meals that some of us were eating. He explained in detail what types of foods a police officer should include in their diets in order to get the most out of the foods. It was very informative and made everyone think about what they were putting in their bodies.

Thursday night came and it was time for the class to host family night. All members of our family and NHPA staff/family were invited to dinner at the academy. Many of us were nervous about how the night would go, since we had been planning it all week and wanted everyone to enjoy it. Everyone in the class worked together to set up for the event by arranging tables and setting up the food. We had the pleasure of hearing speeches about the department and academy from Chief Dean Esserman, Assistant Chief Luis Casanova, Assistant Chief Anthony Campbell, and Captain Julie Johnson. It was a great experience to have our families see the building and be able to begin to understand what we go through every day.

We ended the week with a workout session at the off-site location, located on Wintergreen Avenue. We were able to start learning more combative exercises, and some of us are starting to see how it all flows together. We ended with an AMRAP (as many reps as possible) workout, consisting of 4 different exercises. The exercises were jumping lunges, hand release push-ups, jump squats, and ab v‑ups. Each exercise consisted of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest continuously for 4 minutes. As we were going through this we were reminded that the pain we felt during the exercise was mental pain. It was our body’s way of telling us that this was not fun/enjoyable, but we had to push through it to make ourselves both physically and mentally stronger.

Week 6

This week started off with more class time with Mr. Kelly. We learned about Miranda, reviewed for the upcoming test, and learned how to complete an application for a search and seizure warrant. One of Mr. Kelly’s teaching techniques that will never be forgotten was when he used the board for illustrations. We were all amused by his drawings which gave the class a much needed laugh after hours of lectures. Mr. Kelly is definitely an awesome instructor that will be missed.

We learned further about search warrant preparation by Detective Femia. His class was very fast paced. We were all feverishly taking notes trying to keep up with his lecture and take notes.

One positive thing that is starting to show through this process is the bonds that are staring to be made. We are not allowing the academy to be the only time we saw each other. Many recruits are getting together for gym sessions, dinner, and study groups. One person stated that by the end of this academy we will probably know more about each other than our significant others do. We are all creating long lasting relationships through a common and challenging experience. It is something we all hope to continue on much later into our lives.

Throughout the week, we worked on defensive tactics during part of our breaks. On Thursday our PT took place in the hallway of the academy. The drill instructors set up a hall gauntlet and got each of us pumped up before our turn. Some sounded off with a warrior cry as they ran out of the classroom into the hall. We did not know what to expect. We ran out of the classroom and were confronted by people who jumped out in front of us. They screamed out what we were expected to do and counted for us. The drill instructors yelled and encouraged us. We had to do straight punches, A‑frame kicks, and palm strikes. At the end, we were grabbed from behind by someone and had to get out of it in the manner we learned. We all felt immense energy from this exercise.
On Friday our last class with Mr. Spector ended with a Law & Order Special Victims Unit episode. As we watched, we took notes on what we saw. Periodically throughout the episode, we discussed the events. This was a great exercise because we actually saw what we learned being used in a crime investigation and we were able to pick out what was lawful and unlawful.
This week, our class leader was given more leadership responsibilities over the class. However, when one of our tests demonstrated a lack of studying, our class leader was told by staff that he sucked as a class leader. He felt bad about it and told us that everyone might start hating him but he was going to get on all of us. His reign as class leader showed when he spoke with us.

We all felt terrible that some classmates did not do well on their test; however, one of the squad leaders gave us great words of encouragement — don’t let it get you down, move forward, learn from this mistake, and do not let it happen again.

We then had a wakeup call from Captain Johnson. She stated that not just seven people failed, we all failed. We all need to work together to get each other through every step of the process. We must all be 100% dedicated to learning and studying. We need to devote our evening and weekends to studying everything we learned while in the academy. The information we learn during the academy is not just for passing a test, it’s for knowledge we need to take with us every day as a police officer.

We ended the week by having everyone stay after for a class meeting. During this meeting the class leader and squad leaders stressed to everyone that things were going to change. They all stated that a more hands on and supervisory type of leadership was going to happen. The class leader stated that we all may not like the way things start happening, but ensured us that we will do whatever it takes to make sure everyone gets through this academy. We left the academy ready to take advantage of our three-day weekend to make sure we are ready for next week, and prove that the past test scores are not a recurring theme.

Week 7

As the week began, we all felt more refreshed than normal since we had Monday off. However, we all showed up with a sense of determination to make sure the mistakes made last week did not happen again. We started off Tuesday learning about courtroom testimony with Attorney Alaric J. Fox. We were provided many tips for giving a good testimony in court. Two of our classmates were called on for a role playing activity. Each classmate was put on the stand to testify using police reports that they wrote for homework assignments. Attorney Fox examined and cross-examined to show us what it would be like to be questioned on the stand. During each of the activities, we saw that there were many crucial parts left out of the police reports. This exercise really gave us a clear understanding of why it is so important to write every single detail in our police reports.

This week we also learned interviewing techniques and skills with Sergeant Wayne Bullock and Sergeant David Zannelli. This class was very interactive and we all enjoyed how well the instructors were able to work together seamlessly. One point we all took away from the lesson was how well the interviewers are able to flip the proverbial switch and be a different person when interviewing. When Sergeant Bullock showed us his interview tape we were amazed at the different persona he was able to put on to get the job done.

One class that was a struggle for most of us to get through was juvenile law. We learned in this class that the laws pertaining to juveniles are very different than pertaining to adults. This concept became confusing to several of us. The main concept was to make sure you know the juvenile’s age, because that will determine how you can handle the situation. While the class was hard to digest, we all understood that it was something that would be very important to our job. This is because we know we will be interacting with juveniles on a daily basis, and we need to know the appropriate action to take.

A class that everyone seemed to enjoy was about de-escalation. This was taught by former Lieutenant of the New Haven Police Department Ray Hassett. He was the main reason why everyone enjoyed the class. His outgoing personality was immediately able to connect with us. The class itself was also very intriguing. It was all about how we can use the way we talk and act to calm and control a situation so that we do not have to use force. Even with these skills, it was still stressed to us to be prepared for a fight in all moments. It was stated that some people just have a switch that flips, and they decide that it is better to just attack us and hope for the best. One thing that stood out was Lieutenant Hassett’s comments about what type of police officer each of us will be. He stressed that we really don’t know who we are right now — we need to think about it and it will come out in time. These comments hit home. We have learned so much and will continue to learn the skills necessary to become a top notch police officer. We are given so many tools for our toolbox and each of us will learn to use the tools as we go through each day as a police officer. We will be transformed into the type of police officer we will be through our experiences.

Physical training one day was a 5k run with the Academy Commander, Captain Johnson. As we were jogging through downtown New Haven, Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa called on us to tell him our class name. At this point we had not chosen one yet, and that became our new assignment for the remainder of the week. Trying to get 29 people to agree to a name was a near impossible task. During breaks in classes we would discuss several names; however, we could not seem to find one that would stick. Eventually we came to the name ​“Sheep Dogs.” It comes from the saying that there are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheep dogs. The sheep do not like the sheep dog, because it reminds them of the danger present in the world. The wolves do not like the sheep dog, because it prevents them from getting to the sheep. We took this message to heart and understand that we will not always be liked at times. However, we will always do whatever we can to protect this city and its citizens.

Later on in the week it was told to us that we would no longer be having a class name. We had not been given the chance to even reveal the name that we had chosen. To us though, we will still be the sheep dogs and its meaning still holds true with each and every one of us.

This week also began defensive tactics. When we saw it posted on our schedule we were all eager to learn everything we could. During this time our drill instructors showed us some basic takedowns, arm lockouts, and ground escape methods. As we moved along into the week we moved into some situational tactics. The main situation we focused on was how to defend ourselves from a knife attack and how to disarm the attacker. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa and Drill Instructor Officer Acosta stressed the point that if this situation appears in real life, that we are going to get cut. It was all about making sure that we did not get cut in any fatal locations. We all loved finally getting some hands on tactical experience and are looking forward to learning much more.

A lasting thought for all of us at the end of the week, was how the idea of transitioning to a new phase in the academy has been dangled in front of us a few times now. A class leader has stressed this point to us. He stated that it is within reach, but we have to earn it and prove that we are ready to move into it. We know that with this new phase will most likely come more responsibility and stricter standards. It is something that we are all ready to prove we are ready for, and will continue to take further strides in the coming weeks.

Week 8

As week 8 began we all continued to put forth our best effort to earn and prove that we were ready to move into the next phase in the academy.

The week started off with more juvenile law. We had guest speakers who explained a new program for juveniles called Project Youth Court. Project Youth Court included a trial in front of a judge and a jury comprised of volunteer high school students. We learned that the program was designed to help juveniles understand what they did and why what they did was unlawful.

We were excited to get more time on the mat practicing defensive tactics. Everyone was issued sparring gear and we learned some basic boxing techniques.

One day was consumed with class with Sergeant Bullock and Sergeant Zannelli for more interviewing techniques. Detective Wuchek and Detective Perrone came in to speak to us about investigations and the role of a police officer on a crime scene. They brought in an actual case binder for us to look at so we were able to see the detailed investigation of a crime.

We were surprised with a visit from Mr. Kelly who came in to go over our search and seizure exam. Everyone was excited to see Mr. Kelly as he is one of our favorite instructors.

Wednesday was spent outside of the academy. We marched down the streets of New Haven in cadence lead by Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa. Our destination was King Robinson Magnet School to participate in World Read Aloud Day. As we marched to the school, we were welcomed by students who played drums. When the students arrived, we were lined up and ready to greet them. As all students funneled through, all recruits interacted by saying good morning and high-fiving. We saw the excitement on their faces as they walked or ran through. All recruits were assigned to a classroom to read to the students in Pre‑K through grade 2. This was a great experience for all of us. It was an eye opener to see the children’s reactions to us and to the New Haven police staff. Then some students asked about guns and some told us about their home life and families. A few recruits learned that some student’s mom and dad fight with each other, a brother ran away from home because he had a party with his girlfriend, and a mom died. This was the reality of the families in the community. One of the recruits encountered two students who wanted to be police officers. One first grade student was excited to meet a police officer and, with disbelief, inquired, ​“You are a police officer in New Haven? I live in New Haven.” The recruit saw the intense emotions and expressions on her face as she said, ​“Maybe I will see you near my house.” This was very moving.

The day continued with a round table luncheon with some of the community leaders in New Haven. In the morning, the discussions included a slideshow that defined bias which was very informative. We were provided lunch and given the opportunity to interact and converse with the speakers. This gave us good exposure to some of the community leaders. During the afternoon session, however, it became apparent that we were already being judged as biased police officers. The forum turned into a one sided attack on all us. When asked to give our input, we were reluctant to speak and kept our silence so as not to cause any disruption. We were highly offended with the rhetoric coming from the supposed leaders in the community. The recruits as a whole looked for someone to intervene to stop and confront many of the falsehoods and allegations that were being confirmed as factual circumstances. While we did feel attacked during this portion, many of us still understood that it was something that we had to hear. It is important for us to know what the community thinks about our job. One message we want to convey is that we do understand that there are some bad cops in the world. However, we will not judge someone based on any characteristic, and we in return do not want to be judged just because we wear blue. The forum ended with Captain Johnson stepping up to defend the men and women of the New Haven Police Department.

The high point of the day was when Captain Johnson gave us the rite of passage to the next phase in the police academy. This was a great reward. We were now in the learning/training stage and able to look at the police academy staff when addressing them while in the interview stance instead of at attention. Even though we had just been granted this transition, we were quickly reminded that it could be taken away from us at any moment. We now had to push each other even harder to ensure we would not take any steps backwards.

Another high point was receiving our duty belts. Everyone was very excited. One recruit said, ​“I finally am starting to look like a cop!” We spent a lot of time this week learning how to handcuff, fight, pat down, search, and use our batons. During the fighting portion, we were paired up and were put on the mat to practice what we have learned and try to put our partner into the lock out position. We all enjoyed the challenge of the fight. While we learned to use our batons, it was realized by all of us and the drill instructors that we finally found something one of our recruits was good at — striking with the baton. As time goes on, we are all recognizing our classmates’ strengths, weaknesses, and personalities.

Our week ended with a full day of training. We continued to practice handcuffing, using our batons, and fighting. We also learned how to conduct a pat down and search. At one point, we were told by Sergeant Runlett to sit crisscross apple sauce because we were acting like children when it came to reporting injuries. We were told that soreness was not an injury and that we need to suck it up. He told us that if we did not want to be there we knew where the door was. As a whole we all need to embrace the philosophy of, ​“pain is weakness leaving the body.”

During our training, Drill Instructor Officer Acosta admitted to us that the police academy staff did not hate us and that they actually liked us. This was so refreshing to hear. It showed us that the academy staff truly cares about our progress and wants to see us succeed. Hearing this seemed to give several recruits a push to improve even more.

Our training on Friday was interrupted by a detailed discussion with Assistant Chief Casanova about the luncheon with the community leaders. Assistant Chief Casanova expressed his sincere apologies. He stressed that our honest opinions mattered and we were able to speak our minds about what transpired. We felt honored to be in a department where someone ranked as high as Assistant Chief went out of their way to hear our opinions on an event. We all felt relieved after our discussion and appreciated that Assistant Chief Casanova valued our opinions.

Our PT ended with 4 sets of 400 meter run, 50 air squats, and 25 pushups for time. When each of us finished, we cheered on and motivated our classmates. Captain Johnson trained with us and we all got down and did the remaining pushups with her.

Week 9

This was a very eventful week for Class XXI. We started the week off with Family Violence Class led by the Academy Commander, Captain Johnson. During this course we learned about several aspects concerning family violence and how to be able to deal with the numerous situations that will be presented to us in the streets. Captain Johnson stressed that we really need to know this well, as it is one of the more frequent calls in the city. As a class we enjoyed being able to learn from and interact with Captain Johnson.

This week was loaded with defensive tactics. We spent several hours during multiple days on the mats. We continued to hone our skills in take downs, lock ups, and submissions. For the first time, we were rewarded by Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa. Our class leader and a squad leader were allowed to go out and buy everyone Monster energy drinks. Everyone was very excited that we received this reward as it was starting to become apparent that our hard work and dedication was paying off. Before we started defensive tactics this week, we were informed by Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa that this week would be the last time we do defensive tactics for three months. We were all visibly upset and disappointed by this news. Defensive tactics has become something that all of us enjoyed and most of the class looked forward to it when it was on the schedule. This news has prompted many of us to take additional training during our off time. Several classmates have been meeting up on weekends to continue practicing and push each other further.
During the end of defensive tactics day, we had sparring matches with each other and with the drill instructors. The drill instructors informed us that we were the first academy class to ever spar with each other. Many of us felt both honored and privileged by this news. We have all quickly learned that a lot of the stuff that we have done and will be doing, will be firsts for the New Haven Police Academy. We are all aware that this puts more pressure on us to make it look good; however, everyone is up to the challenge and willing to prove how good these ideas are.

The sparring sessions were a great bonding moment for everyone in the class. We would all go from trying to make each other submit one minute, to complimenting each other on our moves once it was over. It was also a major benefit to be trying to moves at full speed. We could drill the moves all day to learn them. However, once we were able to see and feel it at full speed it made us understand how difficult it can be sometimes.

We continued with our community relations by visiting the Clinton Avenue School and reading to kindergarten through fourth grade classes. The children were thrilled to have us in their classrooms. All of the recruits enjoy the many opportunities we are given to interact with the children of New Haven. When we left the school, we were driven through neighborhoods and given a guided tour of various parts of New Haven. This was very helpful as some recruits were not familiar with many of the locations we were introduced to.

One major event for Class XXI on Thursday was our first practical skills day. Throughout the day we were put through four different scenarios. The scenarios were as follows: a suspicious person, an emotionally disturbed person, a robbery, and a domestic violence incident. As we approached the day all of the academy staff told us not stress out or worry about this. However, many of us could not help but stress at least a little about it. None of us really knew what to expect. As we went through the day we were applying several of the skills and knowledge we had learned over the past 8 ½ weeks. Some scenarios went better than others, but the main point was that it was a great learning experience for everyone. We had a short debriefing after each scenario with the academy staff. During this time we learned what we did well and what we had to improve on. Almost everyone in the class wished they had more time with each scenario so they could feel what it would be like out on the job. We all understand that we only have so much time to fit everything in and that it would have been nearly impossible for this to happen.

The next day we were debriefed on the day as a whole. The academy staff complimented us on how well we did with the training we had. They stressed that we still had a long way to go, but we had a good starting point to build off of. As a class we all enjoy hearing these compliments because we know they are not given freely. We understand that when we get a compliment, it means that we really earned it that day. Now we must keep pushing forward and not settle for just good. Now we want to continue to raise the bar higher each and every day. A further reinforcement of our hard work was at Friday’s dismissal when Drill Instructor Officer Cotto told us that we did a really good job this week.

On Sunday, we participated in our first major community event. Class members and academy staff participated in the 99.1 PLR Shamrock and Roll 5k which was a first for the New Haven Police Academy. As we were out in the street running and shouting chants we could see smiles forming across other runner’s and spectator’s faces. People were continuously coming up to us and thanking us for coming that day. It was something that we all truly appreciated. We were all also honored to take a selfie with Captain Johnson before the race started. As we finished the race the academy staff informed us that we did a good job that day. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa informed us to start getting used to everyone looking at us. He stated that people will always look our way, and sometimes they will not be as friendly as everyone was at the race.
Overall week 9 was a great learning experience. It was both physically and mentally tiring. However, it was definitely a great bonding week for the class. As we all left the run we knew it was time to switch gears and get ready for what week 10 had in store. 

Week 10

At the start of this week, some expressed disbelief that we have been in the academy for 10 weeks already. However, within these weeks so much has happened and we reflected on our experiences.

Much of our days this week were consumed with hours of learning motor vehicle law both in and out of the classroom. In the classroom we learned Connecticut statutes and how to issue tickets for misdemeanors and infractions. We were given scenarios and had to find violations and complete the appropriate ticket. For the first out of the classroom activity we were each assigned a classmate’s vehicle and inspected it for violations. This was a rather short exercise as we had already been yelled at during the first week for any violations that our vehicles had. We also went to various intersections in the city and looked for violations. We saw firsthand that many operators violate motor vehicle laws. It was great to get out of the classroom and actually apply what we learned to real life situations.

At one of the intersections where 32 of us were standing, our classmate, a 17 year veteran police officer from Arkansas, scared a bicyclist when he informed the bicyclist that he ran a stop sign. This made us laugh and he will be missed because next week will be his last week at the academy as he will be starting his field training.

Our class was visited by a guest speaker, M. Quentin Williams, Esq. Attorney Williams talked to us about a book he wrote, A Survival Guide: How Not to get Killed by the Police, Part I. He told us interesting stories about events that happened in his life and his interactions with police. He was able to tie in his real life scenario which taught us the value of building relationships on the streets and how strongly these relationships can affect an outcome of situations. He turned his experience with the police into a positive instead of a negative reflection of police officers as a whole.

We were highly motivated by Captain Johnson and Sergeant Rosa for a three mile run this week. In retaliation for the New Haven Fire Department offering us doughnuts during the Shamrock and Roll 5K last week, we ran to the fire department and delivered them a sack of potatoes for them to cook while officers are out fighting crime. It was so nice to be able to smile, laugh, and have a little fun with the police academy staff.

During that run, a recruit knew a car load of people which pulled up next to us honking and waving. The recruit told them, ​“Shut up and go away, you’re going to get me in trouble.” As another recruit witnessed this, he ran into a pole followed by another recruit that ran into the same pole. Others just watched it happen and could not help but laugh. This is evidence that we were still getting closer as a brother/sisterhood each day.

It was an emotional Friday for us all this week. Lieutenant Herb Johnson came into our class to discuss the shooting of his best friend, Officer Robert V. Fumiatti. Lieutenant Johnson explained the events that took place the day of the shooting and presented slides containing the crime scene photos. He further explained his role in the investigation and the conviction of the shooter. Throughout his discussions, Lieutenant Johnson could not hold back his tears. We all felt his pain. Later that evening, one recruit said ​“if you didn’t tear up today, you have no soul.” During our break, separately in the ladies’ room and the men’s room, you could have heard a pin drop. No words could express what we were all feeling. Lieutenant Johnson shared with us a slide show of Officer Fumiatti’s life. It was incredible to see the line of officers when he came home from the hospital. The support that officers have is fantastic. We all have great respect for Lieutenant Johnson for being able to talk to us about his best friends shooting and passing.

Friday ended with a different type of PT. We all helped prepare for the assembly of the New Haven Police Academy’s new fitness center. Everyone worked together as a team unpacking numerous boxes of equipment. On Saturday some recruits volunteered and spent the entire day assembling an amazing state of the art fitness center. We are all very excited to be the first to train on the new equipment.