So the last few months have been pretty interesting.  It’s been almost 3 months now.  Not quite.  I’m on my last phase of FTO as of tomorrow.  I go to morning watch (9pm - 7am) and complete the final phase there.  And that’s the shift I’ll be on after FTO.  

    I’ve learned a lot in the last month on evening watch.  Mostly how to handle problems without so much report writing.  And a lot of social skills on interacting with my fellow officers.  Believe it or not, that’s the hardest thing to learn.  Cops are a strange breed.  It really takes some getting used to.  Very abrasive personalities.  But the last few weeks took a good turn.  Earned some respect from some of the guys on my shift.  Did some things that impressed them (I was told through the grapevine) and made a few good cut down jokes that earned me some respect (yes insulting each other gets you further than trying to be nice, if you’re creative and funny).

    So now about the picture to the left.  I get a call last Thursday night.  It’s a "insane person" signal.  The radio traffic went something like this (I am changing our codes into ?? since I don’t need our dept codes publicized)  …

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    So it’s been about two months now.  Things are going great.  I’ve been having a blast.  Have to draw my gun almost daily (normally to clear a building or house).  Get to run code almost daily (full lights and sirens).  Everyone I’ve worked with has been amazing.  I’ve quit posting weekly because, well, I am just tired and like to turn police mode off when I am not on duty.  So I’ll tell a few stories as they come up.  Just won’t be as often as before. 

    The first thing is an announcement.  I have been switched to evening watch as of tomorrow.  I have about two or three weeks left on FTO because they want me on evening watch, so they want me to do a few weeks FTO on that watch so I am familiar with how things go.  Big difference there.  Day watch was like the easy setting, morning watch would be medium, and evening watch is hard.  I’m told a lot of the guys on evening watch don’t get along too.  So this could be a real buzz killer.  Guess I’ll find out this week.

    I finally got my own car too.  I spent all day Friday getting it equipped the way I want, getting it all ready, etc.  It’s an old piece of shit.  But not the worst in the fleet.  It was the Sgt.’s old car so it has a few bells and whistles that other’s don’t have.

    And last but not least, if you are wondering about the pictures in this post (yes I blanked out the words and numbers on my car).  I had my first "power lines down" call the other day.  And sure as shit, there were down power lines.  I had to block off the road while the crew came to fix it.  A tree had fallen on someone’s house.  No storm or anything.  It was actually a nice day.  It fell down, almost hitting the people outside.  But it landed on the powerlines, ripping it from the pole on both ends.

    So today was quite slow.  Had to deal with a lot of crazy people today (I mean that in a literal sense too).  Took a few trips to the mental hospital.  And at one point the channel 2 news team was at our station, some report they were doing about bank ATMs.  But it was all worth it when this one call came in.

    We were just finishing up on a report of a man sucking gas out of people’s cars in a shopping center parking lot.  We were parked side by side discussing the incident with our Lt.  A call came in for a suspicious vehicle with someone holding a camera filming the bank tellers at Bank of America.  We asked the dispatcher to confirm if they were filming the tellers (and how that was possible) or filming the ATM machine etc.   The dispatcher responded that the caller only stated "It’s a white van with blue lettering and they are filming the outside of the bank".

    I doubt I need to say anymore about this story :)  Needless to say we laughed our asses off.

    Well my second full week is over.  I’ve now put in two full weeksand two days (they wanted me to start on the first day of a pay period).  It’s been an adventure for sure.

    The question I keep hearing is "So how do you like it?".  I hear it from family, friends, co-workers, and even supervisors.  And my answer is always the same … "I freaking love it!".  I seriously cannot believe I get paid for this.  And paid well for it.  I am having a blast.  Even the most boring moments are fun to me.  The times when my FTO says "Hey man, sorry.  I know this is the boring part" I am thinking "Are you nuts?  I love it!". 

    The job is incredible.  I encourage anyone who is pursuing a law enforcement career to stick to it.  Three years it took me to get here.  Many thoughts of giving up and quitting.  And be sure you really try hard to get the department you want.  Many of the ones I interviewed with, I had secret thoughts of not staying forever.  But this one is incredible, and I plan on retiring here.  Everyone I have met, from the 80 year old maintenance guy, to the detectives, to the fellow patrolmen, to the brass, to the chief himself …. everyone has been incredibly cool.  I seriously have not had a negative thought about anyone or anything we’ve done.  I enjoy my job so much that I actually get sad on my days off or when my day is over.  Granted the getting up at 4:30am I don’t look forward to.  But once I get in my patrol car, I never want to go home.

    If you’re wondering about the sign.  We do a lot of mexican raids.  You know the spots where all the illegals hang out in the morning looking for day labor.  Well we have a lot of fun harrassing them.  The other day we played the cops theme song "Bad Boys" across the PA system as we rolled up in there.  It was hilarious.

    Well it’s been a fun first week.  Yesterday was the end of it.  And it was my first day as the driver.  My FTO and I have switched positions now.  It’s quite a fun job.  Most of the time is spent patroling around learning the city.  Arresting crackheads and illegal mexicans.  We’ve had a couple of butt puckering situations.  Had to draw my weapon a few times while serving warrants and such.   We’ve really had a great time so far.  Everyone in the department is great.  Sure they do some rookie jokes and such.  But overall they are very respectful and friendly.  Every rank, Chief included.  I am so happy with this department so far.  Not a single thing has rubbed me the wrong way.  Not a single thing have I looked back and thought "Man that sucks".  It’s great!

    My first day was interesting to say the least.  Within three hours into my law enforcement career, I already had to draw my weapon.  And to top it off, the bust that my FTO and I made, was 6 o’clock news worthy.  I recorded the story but haven’t digitized it yet, but I will at a future date.  Here’s what happened (note: I obviously have to leave out some details). (more…)

    Now it has sunk in.  Even getting my code book, department operations manual, etc.  Getting sworn in by the Mayor.  Filling out all my paperwork.  It still hadn’t sunk in yet.  Today I put on the uniform for the first time and it definitely sunk in.

    I also understand now why on my ride-alongs in the past, my friend kept his car so freezing cold.  This uniform is hot as can be.    So it’s official now.  Gun in holster, radio tuned in, and all sweated … err suited … up.

I am very nervous.  This will definitely be a diffucult next few months.  I know I can do it though, and do it well.

    Note:  The picture to the left is not me, just some random image I found.  So I did it!  I got a call from the Major wanting me to come in today and be sworn in by the Mayor!  I canceled the process with the other departments.  I did so politely and honestly.  And they were very polite back to me, even told me if I ever am looking for a department, to give them a call.  First I had to go to the range and prove to them I could shoot (which was so easy it was almost funny).  Then I went in and filled out some more paperwork, picked up my department operations manual, my law books, and then went to City Hall to be sworn in by the Mayor. 

This coming Monday I head in to pcik up my uniform and equipment.  Then I start hitting the streets with my FTO.  I will make another post next week once I get my uniform and have my picture taken for my ID card etc.

    So yesterday I had my psych test at "Hellotown".  The test was the usual 400 or so statements of "Sometimes I want to scream" or "I often feel down" and you pick "Strongly Agree" or "Somewhat agree" or whatever.  After that there was a test where you had to figure out patterns and then pick what would come next in the pattern.  I finished the tests rather quickly.  There was another applicant in there with me, I think he was on test #2 as I finished the final and 4th test.

    Today I had my psych test for "Littleville".  I had to be on the other side of Atlanta at 8:30am this morning.  I left at 5:50am and made it on time.  I figured that drive must be part of my test.  The first part of the test was handwritten.  We had to complete very open ended sentences that seemed almost like a ’set up’ to make you say something bad about yourself.  You know, something like "I really loose my temper when …." and you have to complete it.

    After that we took some computer administered tests.  There were four total and I know most of them had 300 to 400 questions.  We also had to re-fill out all our information from our applications.  Everything we’ve filled out a hundred times already.  No big deal though, I’m sure they’re just looking for consistency. (more…)

    So on Wed., "Littleville" called me  I had just returned from my interview at "Windytown", which went well.  They called and said they liked how things went on my panel, and would like to take things further.  He said they’d like to get me in for a polygraph, physical, and psychological test.  He then told me that if all goes well, then it’s just a matter of getting my uniform and equipment and I’d be good to go.  Basically that means "If you don’t screw something up, we’re thinking about hiring you".  He said someone would call me today or tomorrow to set up the time and date to have these tests done.  He doesn’t know this, but I literally jumped out of my seat, my eyes welled up, and it took every ounce of my strength to contain myself until we hung up.  Then I screamed a lot of positive profanities, pumping my arm in that "hell yes" motion.  And Immediately called my wife and mother to tell them the news.  My dream department had been the first to call me in for the next phase. 

    Within an hour, "Hellotown" called me.  They too wanted me to come in for their next phase, a psychological and physical.  They scheduled me for Monday.  I hoped, in the back of my mind, that Littleville would hurry up.  I wanted to work there so much more than these other departments.  And I didn’t want to lead anyone on or screw them over.  But still, it’s not time to start turning departments down yet.  And within yet another 30 minutes or so, Littleville called me again.  They wanted me to come in the next day (today) for my poly, drug screen, and physical!  I was floored with another wave of excitement.  Before I even had time to calm down, "Windytown" called and wanted to schedule a panel for me on Wed the 16th.  I know this all sounds far fetched, but it literally all happened within a few hours time.  I was overwhelmed. (more…)