Weeks 11 – 19: Uniforms Start To Fit

This is the second installment of a diary by recruits in the current Class XXI at the New Haven Police Academy. This is the second installment. Click here for installment 1.

Week 11

Week 11 started earlier for us than past weeks. We began on Sunday by marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. We all arrived at the department early and were given a tour by Drill Instructor Officer Acosta. This was also going to be our first experience seeing how a line up worked. As we were listening to the supervisors call out all the officer’s names and assignments one of our classmates had an unfortunate incident. During the lineup they made the mistake of locking out their knees. As a result of this she passed out onto the gym floor with the aid of three other classmates. We were all quick to take care of her and the moment is now a constant joking point for all of us. We then made out way outside to get ready for the march.

During the march it was great to see all the support the community had for the police department. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa made sure we stopped at major points in the parade to do push-ups for the crowd. The whole day was a great experience that we will not forget anytime soon.

As classes began the next day it was time to learn about DUIs. This was a very extensive learning process. The thing that was the most difficult about it was to make sure that the wording of the testing procedure was perfect. We learned about the three standardized field sobriety tests. As stated previously, we had to make sure we explained the tests word for word how we learned it. It was explained to us that lawyers will do whatever they can to prove the test was invalid. Something as simple as a couple words not included could make the test useless. As we got later into the week the instructors had volunteers come in to help us simulate what a DUI stop would be like. This was extremely beneficial to everyone and the whole concept seemed to stick in everyone’s heads after we completed it.

One additional thing that goes with being in white phase is learning more about the Drill Instructors. This week Drill Instructor Officer Acosta and Drill Instructor Officer Young had their own class session allowing us to ask them questions about their lives. It was a great experience to hear the things that both of them have done in their careers. It was also nice to learn about them outside of the department as well.

This week was also the first time we were able to use the department’s new gym that we all helped build. Captain Johnson turned up a Journey song during our warm up and started singing. Feeling the energy, some recruits joined in. The workouts were very exhausting and intensive. However, it was clear to see that everyone was pushing themselves to their limits. Some recruits were amazed at the progress that they have made with their physique and conditioning.

At one point during the week, the ladies were disciplined by doing pushups in the locker room because they had candy in their lockers. However, after the smoke session, one drill instructor took all the candy he liked before leaving the locker room snickering.

As we all are getting closer together and more comfortable with each other and the drill instructors, we were all snapped back to the reality of the police academy. Some were getting very lackadaisical and the drill instructors let us know by threatening to send us back to the red phase. Everyone’s heart dropped when Senior Drill Instructor Officer Rosa pulled out the red ribbon insinuating that we were going back to red phase; however, he gave us another chance at white phase and put the red ribbon away. We all felt an instant relief and never want to be in that position again.

The saddest part about this week was having Officer Ryken’s last day with us. He had been an officer previously for 17 years in Arkansas and was a lateral transfer to New Haven. He was a great resource and a person that the entire class seemed to look up to. He was always giving us great advice and putting the lessons we learned into some of his real life scenarios. After Thursday was completed we all said our goodbyes and gave him a long round of applause after he gave his last words to us. We know he will be a great officer for the city of New Haven.

Week 12

Week 12 was a four day week and we all anticipated a long drawn out week full of traffic crash classes with Drill Instructor Officer Young and Officer Rasile. On Monday we were consumed with learning crash reconstruction; however, our day was broken up by an actual two car collision that occurred in front of the academy. We all went outside and observed the vehicles involved in the collision. We examined the vehicles, skid marks, debris on the road, and vehicle positions to try and determine the cause of the collision and who was at fault. This unexpected exercise had everyone, including the instructors, excited. We were able to see an actual incident and use the tools that we just learned. This week could not have started off any better.

Our class time all week was spent examining mock traffic crashes from interviewing each person involved in the crash to inputting all information into the software program. This took up most of our time and interrupted our normal PT schedule. We were disappointed in the interruption in PT which was a completely different reaction compared to the first few weeks of the academy.

Most of the week we had very little contact with our drill instructors and many became relaxed and pushed some of our limits by talking in the hall and in the cafeteria. We were immediately reminded of our boundaries by our drill instructors and were ordered out of the academy, in our uniforms, to get smoked. One portion of this session will not be forgotten because we were ordered to hold rainwater filled tires over our heads and squat. Although soiled with the foul water, we still pushed through the smoke session. We all snapped back to the discipline we must sustain at the academy.

Thursday was the last day of this week and we were all eager to start our three day weekend. The day ended with PT at East Shore Park which overlooked New Haven Harbor. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa began our PT with a short lecture on OC spray and an indication that part of our PT would be being sprayed. The feeling of excitement of a three day weekend ahead suddenly changed. In an instant, the thought ​“oh no, this is happening” changed into an ​“oh yes, I’m ready for this.” We were all immediately motivated and prepared to take on whatever we were faced with and that is exactly how we need to be as a police officer.

Our dedication brought us together on Saturday for the annual Chief’s Cup hockey game between the New Haven Police Department and the New Haven Fire Department. We rotated between being volunteers and spectators with our families and friends. This was a grand event that attracted many spectators, including Mayor Toni Harp and United States Senator Richard Blumenthal. We were excited to be there for the recognition of the Police Officer of the Year, our very own Academy Commander, Captain Julie Johnson. As the recruits sat back and took a good look at everyone and everything going on, some verbally expressed the feeling of being proud to be a part of an amazing organization, the New Haven Police Department.

Week 13

Week 13 was a very interesting week for Class XXI. It started off with a moment that none of us saw coming. We all came back from a break during class time to see Captain Johnson and Sergeant Rosa in the room waiting for us. Immediately all of our hearts skipped a beat. We all thought that someone had done something wrong and we were all about to pay for it. However, Captain Johnson started speaking to us and we all knew this was not the case. She had announced to us that she was retiring in a few months. This news came as a shock to all of us. Captain Johnson was someone that we all looked up to during this process thus far. She has shown us what hard work and dedication can do for you. During her illustrious career she has risen through the ranks to become one of three captains in the entire department. We will all be sad to see her leave in a few months, but thankful for the opportunity that she gave us as well as the time we got to spend with her and learning from her. Captain Johnson will always be a true inspiration to all of us, especially the females.

Tuesday was a very strange and different day for us. We started off the day with a four hour class on stress management. It started off as we all expected. Someone came in and explained to us how stress can affect us more due to the line of work we were choosing to be in. We all knew this coming in and have learned to accept it. It was nice to see that there are many resources available to all officers and their families to help deal with the stressors of this job. Once that session was over, the class took a very different course.

The second session of the class started, and it was a very hands on and practical class. We started off by going through breathing exercises and going into a meditative state. This was a very different experience for some of us. Throughout our time in the academy thus far we were so used to moving at 100 the entire time, so it was very different and confusing for some us to have this drastic change. From there we went outside and our instructor led us through a basic yoga class. This was a relaxing and even a humorous experience for some us. It was an activity that was so different and away from our comfort zone that we could not help but laugh a little at it. A lot of us looked back on day 3 of the academy during this session. During day 3 we had the shark attack where we first met our drill instructors. It was a loud hectic day with equipment and uniforms being constantly thrown around. If you told any of us on day 3 that we would eventually be doing yoga outside the academy we all would have told you that you were crazy.

Thursday was a very exciting day for some, and terrifying for others. For the first four hours of the day we did water safety training. Some people loved the idea of being able to go swimming and get hands on teaching. However, for our classmates that did not know how to swim this was the opposite of what they wanted to be doing. Many of us quickly found out how heavy the uniforms get once they become wet. During our time in the pool we were taught basic techniques on how to get someone out of the water when they are both above and below the surface. A few classmates even had the opportunity to see what it was like to dive down with the scuba gear. At the end of the session the instructors had all of us compete in a relay race. When this training session was over some people were upset that they could not stay longer, while others were glad that they could finally get out of the water. The big lesson we all learned from this is what our skill set is. The instructors stressed to us that if you don’t have the skill set to save someone in water then you don’t jump in. The last thing that we want to do is have more people in danger.

We ended the week learning about surveillance and narcotics with Sergeant Jacobson and Detective Podsiad. The whole class really enjoyed the way they taught their class. As they would go through their PowerPoint they would make sure to relate it to a real life story that they had experienced. They also didn’t mind if the conversation during their lessons went a little off track as they were able to find a way to relate it to what they were teaching. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to sit in on an Intel meeting at the police department. Some found the content of the meeting to be intriguing. After meeting both of the instructors and seeing how they taught the class and conducted the Intel meeting it has many of our classmates interested in being a part of their team some day.

At the beginning of the academy all recruits were assigned to a district and were given an opportunity to meet with the district managers to discuss participation in community service. This is a nice way for us to begin our interaction with the community. Some recruits volunteered at a fellowship center that offers services to those with mental health issues. They served dinner and participated in a special event which included dancing with the members. Everyone was happy to see the recruits so involved. Others volunteered at a Gateway Community College class on social deviance. The question and answer session gave the college students of various ages the opportunity to ask police officers and recruits questions ranging from police in the news and social media issues to personal questions relating to their own lives and how to deal with it. Many students appreciated the chance to interact with police officers and recruits on such a personal level. We are looking forward to more community service volunteer work.

One thing we have noticed during our time at the academy is the toll that it takes on the body. Many people have started to get sick, once one person gets sick it seems to find its way to spread throughout a majority of the class. It also takes a big mental toll on everyone as well. After a day is complete many people are ready for bed and to relax. However, we have all been there for each other throughout the entire process. We make sure that everyone monitors their own health and that we take care of ourselves during the entirety of this process. We have a long way to go, but we are able to see progress in ourselves and our classmates every day.

Week 14

Week 14 was filled with countless hours of class time with many interesting topics. Just when we think we were interested in one unit in the department, we learned about yet another unit just as fascinating. This is what is great about becoming a police officer in the City of New Haven — there are endless opportunities.

This week began with more discussions about drugs. We were able to actually see, feel, and smell many of the common drugs we would encounter on the streets. This hands-on learning experience was a good way for us to identify each drug as most of us have had minimal or no exposure to drugs. We all recognized that we will gain more confidence with more experience out in the field.

Another class this week was about the street gangs of New Haven. This was an eye opener and we saw the correlation between violence and individuals in the city. We learned about the origins of various gangs and of the gang members, many of which were youths. The instructors told stories about their interactions with the members. They explained how they try to help the gang members and their families get away from the violence by doing the right thing and changing their lives for the good. They also explained experiences in enforcing the law. We are still all intrigued by this line of police work.

We spent a lot of time this week learning about crime scene investigation. The most interesting part of this class was when we saw actual crime scene photographs. Some of the photographs were more grotesque than others. We reviewed crime scenes and tried to figure out what happened. Some of the recruits have a strong interest in becoming part of this unit in the future.

We were all excited to get back to combative training in PT. During one of our sessions Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa asked why anyone didn’t quit. A response was, ​“We don’t quit, sir.” At that point everyone felt a small sense of satisfaction. We now knew that we had proven the people who thought we would quit wrong. As we reflected back on the earlier weeks of the academy we knew the reason that we all made it to this point was that we all had each other’s backs no matter what. Even when some people had the thought of quitting, the rest of us knew that quitting was not an option and we would rally around each other. Being police officers is what we want to do and we will push each other to that goal.

Unfortunately we had a huge awakening on Thursday. Some of our classmates failed to do what they were supposed to and we all suffered for it. We were ordered outside into the pouring rain to endure a smoke session. Both the instructors and the weather were coming down on us hard. We all got the message loud and clear. We needed to keep it together and help one another stay on task no matter what it took. It is our responsibility to have everyone’s back here in the academy and out on the streets. Our class leader was almost stripped of his position which had everyone in somewhat of a panic. Everyone saw the look of disappointment on his face — disappointed in himself or disappointed in all of us. Squad leaders felt disappointed in themselves for not staying on top of their squads. The true testament of a person is not revealed when they are at their highest point. Instead, it is determined by what they do when they got knocked down. As a class we pushed our mixed feelings aside and came back on Friday stronger than before.

Some of our classmates had the opportunity to get out in patrol cars for four hours during the weekend. They were all excited and had a great time. They said that it really put all the pieces together with a lot of what we have learned. This hands-on experience tops them all.

The academy staff has really done a great job of revamping the curriculum. We all could not ask for a better experience and cannot wait for what is in store for us in the remaining time here at the academy.

Week 15

Week 15 began like every other one for class XXI. We all arrived for lineup at 0745 hours on Monday ready to begin the week. This was a very class intensive week. There were also several officers in the academy throughout the week going through their rifle training course. This gave us the incentive to make sure we were extra squared away during the week to leave a good impression on them.

Tuesday was a day full of classes for all of us. However, they were classes taught by Captain Johnson. This made most of the class excited. Since we all know about Captain Johnson’s upcoming retirement we try to take every opportunity we can to learn from her. Having a full day of classes with her was the perfect opportunity. Throughout the day we learned about child abuse/neglect, hate crimes, and officer involved domestic violence. Captain Johnson was very informative on all of these topics. Each class we have with her makes the class realize how important of a resource she is and has been for the department.

One of our favorite classes of the week was Fair and Impartial Policing taught by Lieutenant Cain and Sergeant Colon. When they first introduced the class to all of us is started off with talking about biases. This made many people in the class apprehensive at first. We had previously had a class on biases in an earlier week that turned into something we did not expect. During that session we all felt as if we were being attacked because of the uniforms we wore. However, once we started this class with Lieutenant Cain and Sergeant Colon we knew it was going to be much different. They first started off by surprising us by bringing in a couple of our classmates’ parents to talk about a negative experience that they have had with the police in the past. It was very eye opening to us to hear these stories from people who are so close to law enforcement. The main lesson we were able to take from this was to treat everyone person we interact with how we would want our family members to be treated. As we continued on in the class we learned about several studies to show the biases exist in every person. The object for us is to acknowledge them and try to understand how we can fix them. The main reason we all liked this class is because we understand that it is a major focal point in policing right now. It seems all too often that we here about how some cops are profiling people based on their characteristics instead of their actions. The first step to overcoming this is acknowledgement. This class did exactly that. Now it is up to us to make sure we take police action in the correct way.

Another class that we all enjoyed was Critical Incident Management taught by Chief Patton from the Yale Police Department. During this class we learned how a major incident such as a terrorist attack, natural disaster, active shooter, and many others should be handled. We were able to listen to radio transmissions of incidents that were handled very well and some that were not handled so well. The major point that we all took from this class is that communication is key and that everyone has to do their job. If everyone is listening to the on-site supervisor and completing their tasks, then the process of getting back to normalcy can be accomplished much quicker.

One major highlight of the week for our class was the beginning of our new fitness program. Throughout the week we had instructors coming in from Crossfit Milford to lead our physical training sessions. From here on out they will be running our PT sessions using our newly renovated gym. Many people in the class were excited, and the few classmates who have already done crossfit were even more excited than others. The instructors seemed very excited to be there since running this program with police recruits was a first. Having these new instructors seemed to push many people, as we always want to make a good first impression. By the end of the week it seemed as though we had done that. We are all very excited to see where this program can take us and where we can take it.

Week 16

Week 16 was very different from last week. We started the week off with tactical training outside in the sun which boosted everyone’s mood. It was nice to be in the fresh air all day. We were allowed to talk softly during lunch and one recruit said it changed the environment from a jail lunch to feeling like an actual normal person. During our training everyone went through a short gauntlet utilizing many of the tactics we have worked on. It was a good day. We all felt a shift occurring.

Defensive tactics continued on Tuesday and everyone noticed that every single person in the class improved significantly since we first started training. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa arranged a surprise for all of us — a visit from some members of the fire department. We each partnered up and sparred while the fire department hosed us down. We all fought through the powerful water spraying on each of us and fought through the muddy ground as we rolled. When the sparring was over, we all took one last run and slide through the mud as if we were children. We even got Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa to get down and dirty as he did a forward roll through the mud. This was definitely one of the days we would never forget. We ended the day in a huddle with Sergeant Rosa linking our arms over shoulders. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa gave us words of praise and encouragement. We all felt that we made him proud. There was definitely a shift. We felt even closer to each other.

Wednesday came and it was time for practical skills. We were all very nervous and the day felt like it dragged by as we went through three different types of scenarios. Some felt defeated and it showed during our crossfit training at the end of the day.

The next day everyone was on edge as we anticipated our OC training. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa initially discussed and answered questions about the practical skills scenarios. This helped everyone get through the feelings of defeat. We understood that the practical skills scenarios were a learning experience and it was better to have made mistakes during the academy rather than on the streets. The morning continued with classroom time where we learned about OC spray. We also had more time on the mats with defensive tactics. We were paired up and each of us had a chance to go one on one while everyone cheered and the drills coached the opponents. This was fun for all of us and it gave us time not to think about the inevitable OC spray which we were about to endure. Much to our surprise, we were allowed to order pizza for lunch. Everyone was very excited.

After lunch, it was time for hands on OC training. There were two recruits that went at one time. Each got sprayed with OC and went through a gauntlet. After the gauntlet was completed, a recruit guided their classmate to the bathroom for a wash down. Most said it was the worst experience they have had in their entire lives. This experience not only gave us the knowledge of what it was like to get sprayed, it gave us a better understanding of each other. When each of us was at our most vulnerable, we all helped and comforted each other. If you walked through the bathroom, you would have saw everyone doing what they could whether it was holding someone steady so they would not fall, getting a towel, getting soap, rubbing someone’s back, and talking everyone through all the pain and discomfort. We definitely felt the closeness and devotion of the brother/sisterhood. This was a turning point for class XXI as a single unit.

Much to our demise, on Friday we were pushed back to red phase due to some of the behaviors from the day before. The moment we all were brought outside and shown that our guidon bore a red ribbon, our hearts sank. Several recruits were extremely disappointed in our classmates’ behavior that had pushed us back to this phase. However, we knew that it was collectively all of our faults. We cannot only rely on our drill instructors to police our actions, we have to be able to police each other and keep each other in line. We know right now that we have disappointed the department and our drill instructors. Before we were dismissed for the day, we were told to lick our wounds. Our class leader made sure to take charge of it this weekend and address all the problems that had occurred. It is now up to all of us to take action and make sure that this is the last time this happens to us. We will not tolerate it as a class anymore.

This whole week was a roller coaster of emotions for class XXI. We started out at one of our highest points thus far in the process. Then due to our actions we were definitely at our lowest point by the end of the week. We must do everything possible now to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward. There is no time to feel bad for ourselves, we must acknowledge the mistakes we made and use them as a learning experience to ensure it does not happen again. It will be interesting to see how everyone comes in at the start of the week, but we have full confidence that class XXI will rally together and come out stronger.

Week 17

As Monday began we were all prepared to show that last week’s behavior was not going to be a repeat occurrence. As the day started we were all checking each other’s uniforms making sure everything was squared away, and we all stressed to each other that we were going to be machines this week. Everything we said was going to be with conviction, clear, and to the point. We went through that Monday continuing this behavior, and at the end of the day we were visited by Assistant Chief Casanova. As he walked through the entry way of the class room we made sure to give him our loudest greeting of the day, it seemed to take him back a little. He then explained to us that being here in the academy was a privilege. While he acknowledged to us that the statement he made to us earlier in this process that the department needs us out there, he would not allow someone who was not ready or deserving to go out to the streets. The message was received loud and clear by all 29 of us.

Even with all of this happening we were all still extremely excited for this week. It was firearms week, and it was something that we have all been waiting for and looking forward to for a while now. We were all broken up into four teams led by Drill Instructor Officer Cotto (Team 1), Drill Instructor Officer Acosta (Team 2), Officer Hoffman (Team 3), and Drill Instructor Officer Young (Team 4). It was a nice change to see our Drill Instructors in a teaching role and Officer Hoffman is great resource as he seems to know everything and anything about firearms. During this week many of us had the realization of how lucky we are to be learning from the drill instructors. We have realized that our drill instructors are the cream of the crop and some of the best at what they do.

We were all eager to get down to the firing range and start shooting; however, there was still plenty of class time that we had to go through before we could go down to the range. We started off by learning all of the safety rules of firing weapons. This was something that was drilled into our brains constantly during the week. We were told that our instructors can fix almost anything when it comes to how to shoot, but one thing they would not tolerate was safety violations. We were all able to understand why they were implemented this way and no one had any major safety violations throughout the whole week.

After going through some lengthy powerpoint presentations we started doing some hands on work. We were able to examine all the safety features within our handguns, Glock 22 .40 caliber. From this we were all able to understand the mechanisms that prevent the gun from accidently discharging and how they all work together to ensure it fires correctly. From this we were able to learn how to correctly field strip (take apart) our gun. This process eventually turned into a contest to see who could field strip their gun the fastest. The fastest time recorded by one recruit was an astonishing 7.7 seconds, with many other recruits only a few tenths of a second slower. Our instructors seemed impressed by this and were even encouraging cheering us on to try to get a faster time. While all of us know that our drill instructors want us to succeed, it was extremely encouraging to see them express this towards us.

We continued to learn many aspects of firearms such as proper draw, how to align our sights, proper grip and many other aspects that go into shooting. We kept going through drill after drill, and many of us were starting to wonder if we were ever going to go down to the range to shoot. Finally on Friday we headed down to the range. There were a variety of emotions being experienced by everyone. Recruits who had previously dealt with firearms were excited to show off skill they already had, recruits had not shot before or had not shot in a while were a little nervous, and everyone was glad to finally put together the skills we had just learned throughout the week.

Once on the range we were able to see how well we were able to incorporate all the skills we had just learned. As we were shooting the instructors were able to observe us in action and show us corrections that would help us improve our shooting. One problem many of us seemed to be having was that after we shot, we all had the tendency to look at where we hit. This made us have to start the process of aligning everything up all over again. To correct this, our instructors had us start to shoot metal silhouettes instead of paper. All we had to do now was listen for the ​“ping” of the metal to know that we hit our target. Once we started this some recruits were able to hit the metal every time, while others struggled at first. However, by the end of the day everybody was able to hit the target. The excellent instruction we all received indubitably paid off.

As the week ended many recruits expressed an interest amongst each other about the possibility of changing instructors in the future weeks. Each instructor has their own unique teaching strategy and many believe it can be a great benefit to experience all of these strategies and see what works best for them. At the end of the day on Friday we were delivered the unfortunate news that we would not be doing firearms for the next two weeks. Many recruits were disappointed and some upset by this. Not only is it one of our favorite subjects thus far, but for the people who have not shot regularly, two weeks is a long gap to make sure that they do not lose any of the skill that they gained during this week. We all understand that the schedule is the way it is for a reason. However, it does not change the fact that we wish it could be different.

One final thing that happened at the conclusion of the week was that we had our third round of squad leaders implemented. There were mixed reactions amongst the new squad leaders ranging from excitement to nervousness. We as a class know that every one of us is capable of leading and the experience of being a squad leader will only help all of us in the future of our careers.

This week clearly ended on a much better not than next week. Now we must continue to keep it up, even if we may be in the classroom for the majority of the next week. We must shift our mindset towards the classroom setting and be ready for whatever is thrown our way.

Week 18

After an exciting week of firearms training, we all knew this week was going to include a lot of classroom and the week began with HazMat training all day. Everyone was aware of how tough it was for some to stay focused so we all were on the lookout for those fading. The day felt like it would never end.

However, some were woken up by Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa in an eye opening sense as they wore their PT clothing with logo outside of the academy and were smoked multiple times throughout the day. If they did not realize the seriousness of this incident, they now knew because it was made very clear, for an additional and last time, that wearing your uniform outside of the academy was unacceptable. Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Rosa explained that, in addition to him instructing us not to wear our uniforms, we may possibly be construed as police officers and people might need help or might possibly hurt us and, in both instances, we would not be able to handle the situation. These recruits saw the disappointment on his face and, at the same time, his sincere concern for their safety. They knew this was reprehensible and was never going to happen again. Due to this incident we have not been allowed to wear our academy uniforms to and from the academy. While some people like the idea of wearing civilian clothes on the drive in, others do not like the speed at which we have to get ready at the academy in the morning now. We have taken this punishment and stride and have adjusted accordingly, but some recruits are still hopeful that this punishment will be lifted in the future.

With much anticipation we knew Tuesday’s training on crowd control and civil disorder included exposure to CS gas. Many were concerned that it would be a repeat of when we were exposed to OC spray. After the classroom and outside training, we all lined up and held the shoulder’s of the person in front of us and walked through the wooded area behind the firing range for our CS gas exposure. Most were concerned while others reassured that it was not going to be as intense as the OC spray training. As we walked through the smoked filled building, we held on tight to the person in front of us. Everyone had different reactions — some more severe than others. The best way we could describe the reaction would be that your lungs feel as if they are on fire and it feels like you can never get enough air back into them. However, to our surprise, the effects lasted a mere three to five minutes.

The week continued with a lot of classroom time in which many struggled to stay focused but the days were broken up with traffic control training on the streets. We directed traffic in two situations — when one lane was blocked and in a busy four way intersection. We all realized very quickly that you needed to be alert and pay attention to everything and everyone. To some initially it was terrifying but after getting the hang of it, it was a lot of fun.

Earlier in the week, one of the squads was assigned a research project on the first law enforcement officer to lose his life in the line of duty, Marshall Robert Forsyth (1754 – 1794). They put together a PowerPoint and presented it to the class. Their presentation was very informative and eye opening. It was interesting to see that even many centuries ago law enforcement officers had to deal with many of the issues law enforcement officers have to deal with today. In the upcoming week, each of the remaining squads will be doing research on different officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and presenting it to the class.

One thing that stood out this week was when Sergeant Runlett came into class while we were waiting for our instructor. Some recruits discussed their ride-along experiences and we actually laughed with Sergeant Runlett. It felt good to be able to be a normal person with him and not be on edge, just like we were able to do with some of the drill instructors.

While the days may feel like they are dragging, the weeks seem to be flying by. It feels like it was only yesterday when we pulled up to the academy for the first time, and yet there are only 12 weeks left. We are all getting excited as we get closer to being out on the street.

Week 19

Week 19 had started and you could see that there was a certain level of excitement within all of us. We knew this week was going to be all about motor vehicle stops. We were all ready to get out of the classroom and have some hands on learning experience.

However, every week still has to have some classroom time, and this week was no different. We started off on Monday learning about the basics of motor vehicle stops. This lesson included car positioning, how to approach a vehicle, our positioning, and many other details. One lesson that was drilled into our brains was to remove the word ​“routine” from our vocabulary when talking about the job. Officer Rasile made it a point to us that anything can happen at any stop no matter how minor of an infraction it may be for. Another major lesson engrained in us this week was the importance of leaving our fingerprints on the car as we approach the driver’s window. To make sure that we understood this lesson we were given a task to carry out every day this week. Every time we exited the classroom we had to make sure to touch the doorway with our hands. Punishment came in the form of pushups, starting with 50 on Monday and increasing to 100 by Friday. Many of us throughout the week found ourselves having to do several rounds of pushups.

During this class time we also learned about high risk felony stops. We were taught the whole process of how to instruct someone on how to get out of the car, the roles of each individual officer on the scene, how to clear the car, and many other aspects. One thing that was clear was that after we finished learning about this, all of us were itching to go outside and actually get some repetitions in executing them.

For the remainder of the week we were at our offsite facility running through practicals so that we could all get some experience with running these stops. It was now finally time to go outside and start getting in some repetitions with motor vehicle stops. Throughout the week we spent our time running through the scenarios and also watching our classmates go through them. We were even able to drive police cruisers during the scenarios. To many of us this was the most exciting thing we have done thus far in the academy. As we began to go through the process of the stop we all quickly learned that it is not as easy as it sounds the first time. However, after some repetition it slowly became easier for us to complete, and by the end of Thursday many of us seemed to understand the whole process and be able to execute it properly

While the week up to this point had been a great experience, there were still some setbacks and confusion throughout it. When we first started running through the scenarios we were broken up into two groups. Each of these groups was assigned a couple of instructors and they showed their groups how to actually execute the stop. Each group felt great about what we were learning; however, once we made our way back into the building we discovered that each group was not being taught the same thing. This put all of us in a very uncomfortable position. We were trying to figure out how to ask which way was correct without saying that some people were being given the incorrect instructions. It was clear to us that there had been a communication breakdown between our instructors. This seemed to carry on during the week and our instructors seemed on edge. Sometimes it was at the point where we would see the arguing with each other on the proper way to complete the training. Seeing this go on made many of us not want to ask questions as the week went on. We felt that with each question we asked, we were throwing one of our instructors under the bus because of our confusion. However, even with all of this we still learned great lesson throughout the week and still have full confidence in all of our instructors to get us to the level of training that we need.

Friday was another first for class XXI. We were working second shift, 1600 – 0000 hours. This was done so that we could practice nighttime motor vehicle stops. For the first few hours we were at our offsite facility getting more repetitions with the scenarios. Then for the second half of the shift we were taken out to East Rock. The setting looked like something out of a horror movie. There was minimal light, fog created very low visibility, and the entire park had an eerie feeling to it. It was the perfect setting to practice all of these stops. This was a great learning experience for the class, as it showed us what these stops may actually be like on certain nights.

One thing that stuck with us happened when Drill Instructor Officer Young told us at the beginning of the week that they would be breaking our class up into groups to work with. He stated that we have to be able to work with everyone and not just the people that we were close with. At that point a fellow recruit made the comment that we are all close with each other. Drill Instructor Officer Young acknowledged this and stated that he could see that we were all close and that it was a good thing because some classes in the past have not been like that. At this point we all consider ourselves family. We may fight and argue with each other at times, but the bonds we have with each other are stronger than that. We all have a major shared experience that we are still going through together; it is the academy that is forming the relationships that will last the rest of our lifetime. Each of us can easily say that we all have another 28 brothers and sisters.

On Wednesday evening some recruits helped out at the New Haven Police Department Awards Ceremony. The recruits were there to check everyone in and to take pictures and videos. They were somewhat apprehensive at first since they were the recruits amongst so many veteran officers. However, they were quick to realize that everyone at the event was very kind and many congratulated them. To see the officers and their families intermingling was evidence to the recruits that this was truly one big family. It was a great night.

On Sunday we all met up at the academy again to prepare to march in the Freddy Fixer Parade. All of us know some of the history of the parade and knew of some of the negative events that had happened in the past at it. However, we all still wanted to be there to show the community that we are there for them. We consider ourselves a part of the New Haven community and will take any opportunity to interact with the citizens of this city. While we were waiting for the parade to start, we noticed that the Bridgeport Police Academy was also going to be marching right behind us. Throughout the parade there seemed to be a mini competition with which academy could be the loudest. At the end of the parade we all decided to do sprints around their formation shouting in cadence how they want to be like us. This was all in good fun, and all of us in the law enforcement community embrace the phrase, ​“One team, one fight.” We know that whenever they need help or we need help, we will all be there to have each other’s backs.