Dear Class of 2016-2,
We asked the 2016-1 Class what advice they’d give to help
you through your Academy and this is what they had to say:
Put your head down and
get to work.
Recruit Peters
Study at least one
hour each weeknight (except Fridays!), and four hours each weekend day.
Recruit Sauter
Stay Honest on PT all
the time!
Recruit Dow
Don't wear "boat
shoes" to PT and remember the acronym NGU - Never Give UP!
Recruit Thorson
Ladies: Keep some
chocolate in the locker-room. Bring really good snacks for break time. Buy an
extra PT shirt for the range and ACT. Lint rollers, sharpie pen, lighters are
great for taking care of your uniform. Meal prep on the weekend, saves you time
during the week.
Recruit Daniel
Don't chew gum in
formation... Or ever. Buy mints.
Recruit Castillo
Think before you
speak. Lock your lockers. Don't speed. You will get a ticket.
Recruit Fraser
Set two alarms in the
morning.
Recruit Marshall
Fake it til you make
it.
Recruit Steinmetz
Walk with a purpose,
everywhere you go. Bring all of your gear, every day, even if you don't think
you will need it. There are no absolutes in law enforcement, don't expect black
and white answers. Don't throw your coworkers under the bus, help one
another...it’s hard enough without hindering each other. Stay up to date on
your surveys...they pile up fast.
Recruit Walker
Lay low, stay under
the radar. Be confident, even if you're totally wrong. First impressions are
everything. Embrace the suck. Make sure you prepare your items the night
before, so that when you oversleep it’s not a huge deal.
Recruit Saari
Don’t muzzle Sergeant
Greer...or anyone.
Recruit Albright
Study, but don't over
study. Take 20-30 minutes EVERY night to review material.
Recruit Bapst
Never make excuses.
Recruit Stanton
Come in everyday with
an open mind and a good attitude. Always be prepared and give 110%.
Recruit Sykes
Make sure you obey all
the safety rules at the range. Running the hill to check if the gate is still
there becomes a little annoying after a while.
Recruit Hernandez
Don't let anyone bring
you down and surround yourselves with supportive people. Make friends in the
academy. If it weren't for them, I would not have gotten as far as I did. Press
on, no matter what!
Recruit Eggleston
1-If you are Guard/Reserves,
request to be put on inactive status while in the academy. 2-Always bring extra
clothing to range days, normal weather patterns don't apply to Rooney Range.
Recruit Lovera
Make sure you use
spell check, always have each other’s back, and don't be a robot (Recruit
Nees). Recruit Saunders
Turn up every day
prepared to work hard and challenge yourself. Answer questions, get involved,
and take full advantage of the learning environment you have been given.
Recruit Mannerings
Remember, you're all
family now, take care of each other!
Recruit Cosselman
Study the material
every night. Do not let time get past you or wait for the last minute. Study
for every test like it's the POST test.
Recruit Schneebeck
Push yourself and
never give in no matter what. The only person you have to prove anything to is
yourself.
Recruit Giger
Always go the extra
mile. If you feel like something is too easy, you're probably doing it wrong.
Put in the extra work. Keep your head on a swivel. Be respectful. Pay attention
to the details. Be prepared- always keep all of your gear with you. Challenge
yourself! Don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them here.
Recruit Bellio
Take time to study a
little every night, that way you are not cramming on the weekend. Also, keep an
open mind and try to get something out of everything that is taught.
Recruit Mohr
Have the right mindset
and persevere no matter how difficult it may be.
Recruit Nguyen
Work hard and keep
working hard but also have fun. Now is the time where you make friends that
will be career- and life-long.
Recruit Strube
Just understand that
from the beginning, this will be one of the toughest things you will do, but
literally take it one day at a time, otherwise you will stress yourself out.
There’s a reason you were picked. You will earn everything in this academy, but
just know that you will make it out. We had 17 fail the first test, including
myself, but we all bounced back and had higher test averages at the end: “One
day at a time.”
Recruit Medina
Don't second guess
yourself on test questions, go with your gut.
Recruit Diehl
Don’t put .40 ammo in
with the 9mm ammo. Start learning street rotations now. You will not have time
once the academy starts.
Recruit Johnson
Do not let the tides
of common opinion or popular belief sway you. Hold fast to the values that
brought you this far, let them guide and strengthen you. Prepare always for the
day when you will meet your maker, and conduct yourself so that on that day,
you have no regrets. Never quit, never falter, never fail. Recruit A. Smith
Never give up. There
will be days you feel like you are not cut out for it, just remember why you
started. Pay attention to details and do your best every single day. Take it
one day at a time and push yourself. Recruit
K. Smith
Equipment
Break in two pairs of
boots—range boots and dress boots. Get a spit shine base on the toes of your
inspection boots before the academy starts. Purchase your duty firearm and get
familiar with it before the first range day. If possible, spend some time at
the range to ensure the sights are zeroed. Order at least two extra PT shirts. They
are fragile and you'll use them for much more than PT.
Some minor
things: Get a paper punch and sturdy
3-ring binder for your statute outlines. They’ll be an enviable reference even
after the academy. Pick up an extra cuff key. Keep pen and pocket notebook on
you at all times.
Mental
Maintain a sense of humor
at the academy, but keep it to yourself and your close friends. The course is
stressful and humor is best for coping; however, don't share it with the staff
or be flippant. Police business is deadly serious, and the academy is a formal
training and academic environment.
Physical
Good diet and
conditioning is key to surviving the rigors of these 22 weeks. Crossfit is a
difficult program, and includes many pull-ups, burpees, and long runs. Be rested, eat well, and keep in shape.
Recruit Alonso
Ladies, turn off the
light if you're last one in the locker room. But, DON’T turn the light off on
your fellow recruits when they're in the bathroom. They will be less than happy
with you.
2016-1 Ladies (Mostly
Recruit Bellio)
Put in the work. Learn
to be slow in a hurry. Be sharp. Plan ahead. Chop your own wood. Grind out this
process inch by inch. Embrace the suck.
Best of luck,
Class of 2016-1
COURAGE HONOR
FORTITUDE