By Michael E. Simmons
Are you considering law enforcement (police or corrections) as a career? Not only do you have to live your life in a relatively ethical manner, but you must apply and graduate from the law enforcement academy.
To help you reach your goal of becoming an officer, here are some tips to prepare you to enter the law enforcement academy. If you follow these tips, you will not only prepare to get through the academy, but you will master it!
- New culture. Your life is about to change – dramatically. You must look at things differently when you enter into the law enforcement (police and corrections) culture. Step outside of your current culture and look around. 1) You are no longer a citizen; you are now a protector. You can not say, “None of my business,” and turn your back. You must take action.
- This is not about you. Get over yourself. It is all about teamwork. If your teammate loses, you lose.
- You can’t ignore crimes. You cannot turn your back when you see a crime occur. It is now your job to represent law and order, especially for huge crimes.
- Get in shape. If you are two years away from the beginning of the academy, get started now. If you are two weeks away, get started now. Plot out a 1 ½ mile course near your house. It can be ¾ mile from your house to run there and back, or it can be around several blocks where it totals 1 ½ miles. If you haven’t been running lately, start out by running one block and walking one block. Do this for the entire 1 ½ miles. Do that 3-4 times a week. Then, after a few days or a week, increase to running two blocks and walking a block. After that, three blocks and walk a block, and so on. Do the same with pushups and situps. Start by doing three sets of each. Do 1 pushup, wait…then another, wait…then a third. After a few days, increase to 2. Then 3, and so on. Do the same with situps. It will make the difference between you being tired after the academy physical training and you feeling like you are going to die.
- New Attitude. No longer can you act like you did in high school and try to get by with as little as possible. You must consider yourself a law officer, and do everything you can to learn about the profession because you will be looked at like a professional. Be one.
- Study Hard. In high school and before, most kids don’t have to study. They can usually pass tests just by applying common sense. The academy is not that way. Sure, the tests are not hard, usually something like multiple choice or true/false questions, but you have to know the answers. For instance, what if the question asks for the statute covering vehicle theft? The student must know the answer and that requires studying.
- Focus on your goals. The days at a law enforcement academy become “just another day.” It sometimes is hard to maintain concentration. Here is how to overcome it. Before the academy begins, think about why you enrolled in the academy to begin with, and what it is you want to get from it. For instance, you want to be a K-9 officer. When the school atmosphere with the tests, classes, and instructors begin to get to you, think about being that K-9 officer. It is the motivation for you to finish.
- Following orders. In every academy, there is at least one student that thinks he/she knows better than the instructor. Often the subject is defensive tactics. The student has taken a course, and now knows everything about the subject (or thinks he does.) When the instructor tries to show him the proper technique, he feels he wants to take the instructor on (wrong move.) The instructor’s goal is to teach the students what they need to know for the test. Learn from him/her.
- Being punctual. Have you ever heard this term, “being on time means you are late.”? How can you arrive as the instructor is beginning and expect to learn as much as possible? Arrive fifteen minutes early. An early arrival gives you time to settle in and get your mind on your studies. If you arrive late to the academy, your future employer (or your hopeful employer) will hear of it.
- Get used to a new world. Have you ever worn a bullet-proof vest? Have you ever shot a gun? Have you ever driven a police car? Talked on a police radio? Put handcuffs on anyone? Learned to fight for a living? Dealt with famous (or infamous) criminals? Get used to it. Your life will never be the same.
