My name is Mike and I am a Lakewood Police Recruit. I am a part of the joint inaugural 2012 Lakewood Police Department /Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Police Academy. I am 42 years old, married, and have two elementary age children. I was asked to write something from this perspective.
My wife and kids have been extremely supportive and understanding as Academy life can be very consuming. I find it both challenging and rewarding. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to enter into such an amazing profession and because my family sees this as “meant to be” and something I want, they are behind me completely. Being connected and close as a family going into this makes us a strong team.
The academy is more intense than a 40 hour job. There are no days off; it is Monday through Sunday. My day starts at 5am and I try to cut it off at midnight. Time with family M-Th is limited but we make the most of the time we do have. From lunch made by my wife with sometimes hidden “surprises” from the kids, to dinner each night as a family, we are still a part of each other’s days. And, the creation of “Friday Family Fun Night” where it is special family time, no work, 100% attention has been exciting for the family.
Halloween is this week. I have a son and a daughter who are excited about canvassing our neighborhood for candy. My six year old daughter decided to be a witch this year, a good witch, which broke her three year stint of being a princess. My eight year old son has always been a Star Wars character, because the good guys always save the day. However, this year he decided he wanted to be a police officer—a SWAT Officer. I asked him why, and he said he wanted to save the good people from the bad people.
We just finished week 14 out of 20, and we are that much closer to protecting the good people from the bad people. I feel fortunate to be a part of such a good group. Each week we learn something new in the classroom or out in the field. Last week we searched buildings. There is an art to searching a building. It involves teamwork, good communication, and proper positioning amongst your partners—trust.
We also had our Arrest Control written and practical exams. It is amazing how much you can learn in such a short period of time. Our instructors were outstanding and we worked hard together to fine tune all the various techniques. We continue to add tools to our tool belt.
And really, that sums up life at the academy: team work, good communication and trust. We push each other each day, whether it is in the classroom, during PT, or out in the field (practicals). I chose this career path because I was looking forward to being a part of a group of people who embodied character, integrity, and honor. I have found that group of people and all of us are very dedicated to becoming a public servant.
