Week 19--Recruit Fratto

Week 19 started with our PT challenge up at Red Rocks. I wish I could explain the workout; however the instructors would like that I keep it a secret for the next class that comes though. What I can tell you is that it was a series of 11 exercises that lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours depending on your pace. 

Congratulations to Recruit Brennan for not only winning the challenge, but also setting the academy record! Also congratulations to the entire class! We have all come a long way from the beginning, and all improved our physical fitness levels dramatically. We have also displayed phenomenal teamwork throughout all of the workouts and never let anyone finish alone.

Wednesday – Friday we started our 24 hours on Standard Field Sobriety Tests (SFST). We learned a lot in three days regarding different drugs and alcohol that can impair you, and how to tell the difference between them. SFST is a standardized system used throughout the country that has a lot of statistical backing for getting positive results. So, my suggestion to those out there that want to drink and drive: DON’T. You will eventually get caught, and even if you can pass the walk and turn, or the one leg stand, “the eyes don’t lie.” 

We learned that thoroughly throughout our wet lab on Friday. For those of you who don’t know what a wet lab is, it’s when we have certain individuals come in to drink for a couple of hours so that we can get a hands-on, real-life approach to SFSTs. A lot of the individuals who volunteered weren’t even over the legal limit, and you could see a significant loss in motor skills already. So again, if you plan on a night of drinking, please find a ride.  

Drinking and driving affects so many lives. One of those lives was a guest speaker that we had named Devin Butler. Devin was a 15-year-old kid riding his bike to school one morning when a 19-year-old who was drunk and high hit him at 7 o’clock in the morning. Devin has gone through multiple surgeries, is paralyzed from the armpits down, and will never do the things he loved for the rest of his life. His life was basically taken away from him.

Friday also brought another side of law enforcement to learn….. court! Four of the recruits watched a video on a DUI stop, and had to write a report on the stop. We then went over to the Jefferson County Courthouse where they got a taste of what it was like to testify. It was a great experience for not only them, but for us watching. It really emphasized how important details are in our reports, and how to stay cool, calm, and collected during our testimony.

Week 19 is down and only 14 class days until graduation!