My Life in Law Enforcement: A True Life Story #7
Hey guys, welcome back and thanks for coming back! We left off yesterday telling about the power hungry maintenance man and the mishap running the POPAT obstacle course.
I've been trying to think really hard about interesting things to write about that happened while also trying to keep them in chronological order and to be honest, it's giving my brain a workout. There were a lot of boring moments in rookie school... a lot. I enjoyed elements of law and arrest, search and seizure but I couldn't stand juvenile law, first aid, HAZMAT and a few others. So I'm going to skip over the parts of just sitting in the classroom when nothing really happened, other than maybe a little goofing off from the back row.
I bet at least one of you guys that has been paying close attention could see this coming from the hints that I've been dropping about her. We finally overthrew our class president! That's right, we had been discussing it amongst ourselves and also with the director behind closed doors to make sure it was appropriate. The director was 100% on board with the transition. We had already determined who would be replacing her and it was the man that automatically jumped up that one day from the front row to lead the class in reciting the code of ethics when the president wasn't there. As you could imagine, she took the news really hard and began crying... it was a bad day. At first she was upset and then angry because we had been talking about her and then stripped her of her title. But she had already been warned by the director about stepping up her game and being more of a role model to the class, so it's her own fault for not taking heed to the warning. The drama with this one is not over with by far...
BURNING RUBBER!
The first part of the program we did a lot of the boring stuff. We were issued a calendar that showed what classes we had on which days and I was like a little kid when I saw the pursuit driving and firearms block of instruction. As I mention before, I love adrenaline so put me in coach! The pursuit driving came first and you could just feel the energy in the class from everyone. The instructors were showing off their skills by chasing each other around the course, drifting and just having a ball. Yes, I said drifting. Back then we had a choice between two patrol cars, a Chevy Caprice with an LT1 350 (and absolutely no traction control) with a police package or a Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor. The Chevy could literally burn the tires off of the rims and everybody wanted to drive that one. The track smelled like a drag strip on a Saturday night with all the rubber being burnt. Ahhh, I absolutely love the fresh smell of burnt rubber and gun powder, day or night, it doesn't matter.
After going through a bunch of safety mumbo jumbo from Safety Sally, we finally get to buckle in! Holy hell, is this really happening!? I will never forget the feeling I felt that night, it was so exciting! I chose to be the chase car while the instructor was the rabbit. It wasn't just a get in the car and go kind of thing. They made it as realistic as possible by having us follow the rabbit for a lap or two. If we observed the vehicle break the law, then we would radio in a traffic stop to dispatch accordingly and initiate a traffic stop. Then it was on like Donkey Kong, son! You were only allowed to hit so many cones before they would call the chase off and if the rabbit got so far ahead of you, then of course they would kill it as well. I can honestly say that I held my own against the instructor. It was so much fun and talk about an adrenaline dump! When those blue lights came on and the suspect vehicle began to run, it was just an amazing rush that I miss oh so, so badly. After chasing the instructor around the track, it was my turn to be the rabbit. I have to say that being the rabbit car was pretty awesome too! It wasn't as fun as being the chase car in my opinion but it was still a blast. And it was really difficult to shake the instructor off your ass, I couldn't do it! He pretty much stayed glued to my rear bumper the entire time. This is just a small part of the pursuit driving block of instruction. There's more things like high speed precision driving that I will get in to in the next chapter. To be continued
This post is part of a series of posts that will cover a large portion of my life beginning just before starting my law enforcement career. The content and pictures posted in said articles belong to @bluelightbandit. If you haven't read the prior posts, I highly recommend that you check those out to catch up to speed, thanks!
First post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-1
Second post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-2
Third post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-3
Fourth post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-4
Fifth post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-5
Sixth post: https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/my-life-in-law-enforcement-a-true-life-story-6
If only they knew about your previous shenanigans when it came to vehicles and police :p
great story man
One of my instructors actually charged me with trespassing several years prior to joining, but that story comes later!
oh dear. Well I know why you weren't class president then lol
Which car did you drive @bluelightbandit?
I was wondering if someone would ask me that. At first I chose the Chevrolet just because I've always been a Chevy guy at heart and that thing was so powerful BUT, I quickly changed my mind after driving both cars. Even though the Chevy was more poweful, the Ford was lighter and handled better around the track which resulted in faster times. I absolutely loved my interceptors during my career. Where I had so much gear in my trunk, the added weight in the back plus the beefed up suspension and performance Goodyear tires made those things corner like they were on rails! I would always increase the tire pressure when they put new tires on for me to fine tune the handling. The more air pressure, the less likely off tire roll... It's amazing I'm still alive.
Yes, I can well imagine...interceptors were used up here and with the police package they can be fast and tough as nails...Hahaha I've seen them fly through a rough field or two...never been in the back of one...well maybe once when I got stopped as part of a routine ride program for DUIs. I had just come from a dinner meeting with my work at the time and they served us wine at dinner. I answered honestly and ended up in the back of the car where I had to blow. The officer laughed me out of the car and said that I didn't even register...cool experience and now I know how that procedure works...I know it's a hell of a way to learn...off my bucket list. ;)
Just to be clear...what exactly did he make you blow while in the back of the car? I know of two devices that an officer carries that you can blow on that can help get you out of a DWI, I'm just wondering which one you're referring to? You said it, not me.
Now the pursuit driving is the fun stuff! Back in my early dumb days me and a couple buddies would play cops and robbers when we first got our cars. One time I was pulling away pretty good and didn't realize I was headed right for two big dips in the road. Well that was the first and only time I got all four wheels off the ground. Fun and scary all at the same time but we stopped that shenanigans right then and there.
Ahh man, that sounds like fun lol! Sounds like you and I were at the same maturity level when we started driving lol.
This is what I have been waiting for :) The pursuit driving! That was always my favorite part of cop shows and movies.. the chase! Its a shame you couldn't mount a gopro in the dash and take us along for the ride ;)
It sounds like you really held your own against the instructors.. must have felt strange being chased in a car instead of on your bike ;)
Haaha, good one! I actually have some old VHS tapes of the dash cam from my car where I was in some chases. I will have to see about getting them uploaded. I don't have all, but I have some. I also have footage of some undercover drug deals I done that I will see if I can share.
That would be cool to see! Especially the chases :) Definitely share them if you can.
I'm thinking that would probably make for a fun video game.
HAA! So true! I do love some Grand Theft Auto!
I would had loved that.
It was a lot of fun for sure.
your every writing I read.your life is very interesting.good story.
Thank ya!
so funny and interesting story it is.
Great job and great life, keep your spirit, success always for you brother
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