Friday, July 22, 2016

Recruit Class 2016-2 Embarks


Please help me welcome Recruit Haleigh (pronounced Hay-lee). She is a member of the newest recruit class of Lakewood Agents. She and her classmates arrive at a time of great demands on law enforcement. Each has undertaken this journey knowing the realities their profession faces.

My name is Lakewood Police Department Recruit Haleigh. I am honored to be able to share my story and give you an inside perspective of the 2016-2 Combined Regional Academy.

I am originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado and attended the University of Northern Colorado where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and Tourism in 2010. Prior to joining the Lakewood Police Department as a Recruit Agent, I was fortunate to serve as a Code Enforcement Officer with the Englewood Police Department and as a Limited Commissioned Ranger with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. To say law enforcement and public service are in my blood would be an understatement as both my desire to “serve and protect” and my passion for this field in general go far deeper than simple genetics. Law enforcement is a fully enveloped lifestyle choice for me and I am incredibly grateful to be here.

So why did I choose the Lakewood Police Department, do you ask? Over ten years ago, I drove to Lakewood, Colorado for the first time to visit a friend and immediately had one of those cliché moments that you see in the movies, where everything just came together and “clicked”. I fell in love with the city and all that it had to offer. Eventually, I was able to call Lakewood “home” for the first time several years ago. That’s what led me to apply! What better way to pursue my dream of becoming a certified peace officer than in a city and department that I have nothing but utter respect and adoration for – sounds like the best of both worlds, if you ask me.

Now, for the good stuff…the reason you are all here – the inside perspective! The first week of the academy was an incredible, albeit challenging, experience. As my fellow recruits and I (all forty-seven of us) filtered through the doors on the first day – the mixture of nervous and excited energy could quickly be felt throughout the classroom. While eagerly awaiting the arrival of academy staff, I couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of pride. My fellow recruits and I were about to embark on a twenty-two week adventure that would not only try our own personal limitations, but also reinforce a unique bond amongst ourselves that would eventually lead us to success as a team.

By the end of the week, we had experienced our fair share of disciplinary running, two high-intensity CrossFit workouts, an initial fitness test, and more classroom-based material than I think any of us were 100% ready for. Our curriculum thus far has included: Ethics and Anti-biased Policing, Criminal Code (Articles 1 and 2), Crime Prevention, Criminal Process, Stress Management, and Law Enforcement Organizations. Each morning, we line up in formation for inspection to ensure our boots are shined and our uniforms are properly pressed with no visible lint or imperfections. During this time, we also review presented material with Academy Director Philip Baca from the previous days’ lectures and collectively recite our class motto.

At the beginning of our second week, we completed our first exam. While many of the recruits did exceptionally well – others ended up in that “palm-to-face” situation where, no matter how hard they may have studied, some of the questions still tripped them up. The academy staff means it when they say this program will be one of the hardest things we will ever endure!

Despite the sore muscles and information overload, however, the discipline and strict policies of the academy truly are implemented for a reason. The staff pushes us all to our limits and beyond, and rightfully so, as they know exactly what it takes to be successful in the law enforcement field. My fellow recruits and I came here as individuals, but we will leave in December as brothers and sisters in blue (and green!) with a unique story to tell and a sense of accomplishment that can only come by facing the trials and hardships of this program head-on. This process is by no means meant to be easy. It is designed to challenge the very core of each and every recruit so that by the end, we will have respectively earned the right to be called peace officers with our respective agencies – and I believe I speak for all of us when I say we take that title seriously.

Stay tuned next week for another blog from one of my fellow recruits!