Recruit Shaira shared a little about our ‘dim light shooting’ but I have to elaborate a bit more... Obviously the shooting is a blast... the time our group spends together at the bottom of ‘the hill’ before we start class has become where we loosen up a teeny tiny bit. We are outside, have just eaten lunch (or only had time to down an energy drink) and anticipate shooting our guns soon. We sing, dance, tell stupid jokes, and make fun of each other--in a light hearted way of course. Those twenty minutes are the best minutes of the day. We done our range baseball caps, put on our eyes and ears, duty belts, lather up with sunscreen, and load our pockets with bottles of water. My secret is a stash of macadamia nuts in my secret pocket.
Anywho... ‘dim light shooting’ was a blast. Like recruit Shaira said at the end of the night we all got a little cranky. All we could do was laugh because no one was getting to bed before midnight and everyone was getting up the next morning before 6 a.m. Not only was it different shooting at night, it rained the first night! Always expect the unexpected.
This week was intense. We had our qualification test for Firearms at the range on Thursday. We have shot this course many times, but it's natural for nerves to kick in when you hear "today is the day." A handful did not pass on the first day but that is the reality of it. If it were easy anyone could be in law enforcement. This career is not for everyone and most of us, if not all of us, have been in positions where we have had to ask ourselves if this is truly what we want to do. I feel the instructors put all of us in those positions intentionally so we DO ask ourselves that very question. That thought has come and gone and been gone for a long time for all of us. We are here to the end.
On Friday we had our week's test first thing that morning. We all passed then off to the park. At the park we were divided into groups. Those groups went around the park to different scenarios. Each scenario consisted of instructors role-playing as suspects, and victims. They did an incredible job and we were so appreciative of their patience. Going in to a scenario you must mentally rehearse but sometimes that gets thrown for a loop. You must count on your common sense and your training to complete the call. In a nutshell I would describe the day as...WOW. All the laws, arrest control, decision making and pedestrian contacts we have learned in the classroom thus far were all utilized at once on these scenarios. It was interesting to see my peers in a different role other than playing ‘Gary on the kickdrum’ from the movie The Break Up. It was cool (it's better than saying neat) to know you're partner had your back on these calls. You absolutely have to trust your partner whether you are contact or cover. This is tough for some because of similar personalities wanting control but you find a way to work together because it’s a necessity.
At the end of day I put my brain to bed. It was done. I was done. I didn't even make it to Dateline at 9 p.m.! I felt like someone snuck something into my drink. It was as though two elephants were sitting on my eyelids. For the life of me I could not put words together to make sentences. I swear I saw llamas sitting in my living room. And I could not move any of my limbs. I was exhausted. That is a good day at work, let me tell you.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.