Advice for the Next Class

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

Deputy Steinmetz's Final Blog

As we cruise right into our last week at the academy, it is hard not to think about how incredible the past 22 weeks of my life have been. It has been a dream of mine to have a career in law enforcement.  With that day hours away, I think back on the journey and remember just how special this experience has been. 

I think the most important thing I can take away from my time spent preparing to be a deputy is just how powerful this career truly is. Day one brought us all together. Even though we came from different backgrounds, some from out of state (one even from another country), we all had at least one thing in common: we had no idea what to expect but were willing to meet any challenge head on, conquering whatever the academy could throw at us. 

Day in and day out, we were offered a variety of opportunities to grow and become not only better people but upstanding members of the law enforcement community. Taking this journey with my brothers and sisters has taught me that we are truly united. From pulling through workouts to helping each other learn about the law, we are all one big family. To me, this feeling extends to fellow law enforcement officers throughout the country. 

One essential take away from my time at the academy is how much the rest of society counts on us to be unwavering and steadfast. We are the ones who have been trusted to always make the best decision, never backing down from any challenge and always being ready to step up when a need arises. I think this kind of trust is unique to this profession. While we will always face criticism in one form or another, we are entrusted to put our personal beliefs aside, uphold the law, and actively seek to protect and support our community. I know from the teachings we’ve received during our time at the academy, each of us has the ability to remain strong and answer swiftly and justly when called upon.

From the very first moment I accepted the offer from the recruiting coordinator, I have been extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity to learn at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Lakewood Police Department Combined Regional Academy. Since that initial phone call I’ve learned to be grateful for so many things. I am grateful for all of the amazing volunteers, instructors, and academy staff. If it were not for them and their tireless efforts, the academy wouldn’t have the success rate it does. I am grateful for all of the friendships I’ve developed along the way, most of which I know will last for a very long time. I am honored to be working for Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the only place I applied to and the place in which I knew I belonged from the very beginning. I am lastly grateful for the state of Colorado and being trusted to help keep it the amazing place to live that it is.

In the near future I look forward to beginning my career in Corrections. I want to spend time there so I can experience what it is like to deal with a part of the job that most people are unfamiliar with. After that, my goal is to move to patrol where, with any luck, I will be able to work in the Mountain Division (that fresh air is always calling my name). I am extremely excited to be working for Jefferson County and can’t wait to see where my career will go within the Sheriff’s Office.

As for advice for any future recruits, it is simple: enter each day with an open mind excited to learn and always have a positive attitude. Never let your confidence overtake your humility and be prepared to fail.  It is from our failures we learn the most. One last thing--don’t be afraid to surprise yourself.  The entire process is long, grueling, and extensive. Out of a job pool of literally thousands of applicants, the recruiting staff does an incredible job of picking the best. Have faith that you were chosen for a reason; a bunch of way smarter and more experienced people think you are perfect for the job.

And remember what the legendary Jackie Robinson said:  “A life is not important except in the impact it has in other lives.”

Week 20—Recruit Steinmetz

Week 20 brought us a full week of classroom work. While we are all incredibly anxious to be done, we maintain our focus and continue to study for the final test. Monday was a full day on accident investigation. While it is unfortunate that accidents occur, it will be our job to document incidents on the roadway. Drawing diagrams of accidents was interesting and reminded me that my artistic skills my not be as good as others.

Tuesday we attended a lecture from Judge Pautler about courtroom testimony. It is important for us to understand courtroom proceedings because we will all eventually be involved in a case once we graduate. The best thing I took from the class was how crucial it is to tell the truth. Honesty in law enforcement is essential and straying from the truth can lead to the end of our careers and loss of trust from the public.

I was very thankful for Wednesday as it was a full day of criminal code review with Director Baca. I appreciate these days not only for the opportunity to review the Colorado Revised Statute book but also because it reminds me that the Academy staff want us to succeed and will do anything they can to help us pass the POST test.

On Friday we had our final Academy test. Designed to be similar to the upcoming POST exam, it was a great test of exactly how much we have learned throughout the entire Academy. After passing the test, I was much more confident in my knowledge and readiness for the state mandated exam on the 8th of June.

We are so close to the end, but each day we continue to challenge each other with questions and scenarios that we could possibly face. It is impressive to see how far each of us have come, and awesome to see everyone to ready to start their careers.