nunyun wrote on May 27^th, 2005 at 6:42am:


Nunyun,

You will travel far with your work ethic. You already  seem very seasoned for your time in. I wish you continued success.

Fred F.

Fred.

F.A.T.S. is a nice piece of equipment but only utilized at the academy and about once a year after that.  We have a "Combat Town" and shoot simunitions.  Video is nice but nothing gets your adrenaline running like the sting of the sims.

FTO's years ago were at times only on the road two years out from the academy but now I think you have to be out on the street for at least five years or so......how long a boot?  I still am........ 8)

Anxietyguy,

The FATS system is great technology! I just wonder how many departments utilize it. At the SO they have the laser village, But this seems far superior to that

Fred F.

In regards to the LE training for your everyday patrol officer I have found the Firearms Training Systems to be the best training tool. Commonly known as FATS it is a live video screen which places you in life like situations; i.e. school shooting, armed subjects, and domestic disputes. 

A third party controls the reaction of the subject on screen and you actually fire your own simulated service weapon. There is also a machine that pans your movements and fires rubber bullets at you while responding to the situations. By far the best training I have ever had. Also gives you a video walk through of where your shots landed and which ones would be fatal hits.

nunyun wrote on May 25^th, 2005 at 4:47am:


Nunyun,

In reference to "Dark Blue"  How long were you considered a boot? and how many years did your FTO (P3 correct?) have in the streets before being considered for this vital training? I know that in the SO many FTOS have been in the streets for a short time themselves. Shouldn't an FTO have more than a few years in the streets?

I agree with your point regarding wanting to constantly train to keep prepared.  If you are involved in any special ops, constant training is the essence to successful field ops and survival. And of course, the "Winning Attitude" is what keeps you safe to go home to your family.



Fred F. 

Agree with everything you said, One thing I would hate about being a deputy is the fact that they have to do time in the jail first.  It just never sat well with me so I wear "Dark Blue".  You have to want that constant training beyond the academy to hone that muscle memory when things go to shit.....Not to mention the "winning attitude".  Me I just want to make it home to Momma and the baby every night.......as far as the poly, I think Dimas and I have beat that horse pretty good.....I am sorry to hear about the "pot head" in the other thread though.....

Stay Safe......

nunyun wrote on May 25^th, 2005 at 3:40am:

Nunyun,

That is why it is important to get more people hired and cut down the amount of time the deputies spend in jail. As long as the polygraph is being utilized in the manner it is, these goals seem very lofty.

The patrol training is refreshed before they hit the streets, however, the boot has to depend on his FTO to provide him the necessary insight into patrol work. This has to include potentially violent situations.

You raise a good point that you were at a SWT training session.  This is why you seldom see SWT memebers make mistakes because they are constantly training and preparing for situations that can and will occur.

Patrol deputies need to have training updates at more regular intervals and it should include live training with the video updates.

As for Maverick..... Well, you can be my wingman anytime...


Fred F.  

Fred,   

I have read some of your post in the past but never had a chance to strike up a conversation.

In the case of LASD we were just having a SWAT tactics class last week and talked about this incident.  I want to reiterate that I hate "Monday morning" another officers descision.  With that being said I think what happend is all to common with the old adrenaline rush of the situation.  It can happen to any of us.  We talk and talk about that "tunnel vision" that occurs in these high stress situations but without discipline and continued training to stay calm it is easy to lose focus of the suroundings.  They were so busy watching that Driver that they, obviously, lost the ability to see that crossfire coming.  They do a fine job up there and unfortunately attract the attention from there past, that it makes good training videos of what not to do.

"Maverick pulls a negative 4g inverted.  Although the move was succesful I think we've shown that this is a good example of what not to do"....."The defense department regrets to inform you that your son is dead because he was stupid, Great balls of fire"...........   8)

Quote:


Fair Chance,

The pay at the SO is great for someone who may or may not ever consider higher education. A regular deputy with a little OT can make  $65-70000/year.

As far as what you stated above. The SO has just put out several edicts on drinking/driving. It seems a few too many are getting arrested and luckily not hurting anybody. 

You make a great point regarding drinking.

Fred F.

Dear Fred F.,

You raise an interesting point.  The pay is not competitive, the applicant has to be "clean", and he/she has to pass a polygraph.

The same applicants have to want to work with the "untouchables" of life (high probability health risk of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, AIDS, TB, and who knows what else).  The applicants will most surely be exposed to only the "dark side" of emotions associated with illegal behavior.

Many deputies and correctional workers turn to alcohol which is an accepted "legal" intoxicant.  They band together and sometimes foresake their families for fellow employees because only those who walk their footsteps understand their plight.

After all of these turmoits, the first thing to be cut is the training budget.  Welcome to the typical state court deputy and  correctional officer's vocation, it is not so pretty when exposed to reality.

I am always thankful that they choose to serve despite the odds.

Regards.

nunyun wrote on May 17^th, 2005 at 2:30am:


Nunyun,

If you are referring to the SUV shooting in Compton, I agree that it was justified. However, if you viewed the tape of that shooting the deps involved are SEMI- CIRCLE around the vehicle. The deputy who was shot is fortunate to be alive. We had another dep killed just about a year ago in a friendly fire incident. He left behind an baby who will never know her daddy. 

The Sheriff is trying to perform major damage control by still crying bad training. But you have to be cognizant of the caliber of people you hire. 

The LASO poly failure rate is about 75%. Many people hired by the SO are very YOUNG (21-25) and just guessing most are NOT educated beyond high school. You get what you pay for after these kids spend 5-7 years sitting around in the jails waiting for their patrol school and only being trained and refeshed on jail ops. These deps hit the streets and when they get in the mix with a situation with deadly potential, well you saw the results.

As long as the LASD uses the polygraph as their primary screening device, they will never have the amount of people they need to do the job. The LASD just got a huge influx of cash from the Board of Supervisors to open closed jails and hire more deps. But when they speak of hiring 500 in a year, not going to happen, always said, never delivered.


Fred F.

In the last week there have been a number of officers KIA.  The shooting in Denver really pisses me off.  Anyway, wear the 'ole kevlar and cover your head.

Quote:



yeah I read that about that officer.  A Pittsburgh cop was shot the other day also chasing two robbery suspects he was killed.

MEANWHILE IN SoCal.......Thanks to LASO's shoot first and ask questions later.  Although I think the shoot was justified, it was the manner in which it was done does not look good for the deaprtment.

I am a little farther south and we have had several shootings, thanks to LA we stay out of the limelight.  As long we make it home to our familys, that is all I care about......Summer is here in SoCal let the good times roll!   

Yea drug usage was part of the preemployment questionaire.  Went over it before the test, passed the poly, and the examiner didn't say anything.  Oh well, I think I need a few years to decide if getting shot over a speeding ticket is worth it.

almosthalo wrote:

Quote:


Your memory is quite impressive to be able to remeber 25 individual "hits."  Most agencies I have looked into want to know the number of usages as in smoking a joint, not singular puffs.  Maybe have a go at counting in this manner.  Your uses will probably decrease if you do so.

You said you passed the polygraph.  As drug usage is a normal part of a pre-employment screen I am left to wonder.  Before taking your poly did you complete a background packet with questions regarding drug history?  If so were you honest on the packet?  Was the packet reviewed prior to the poly?  Did you know the agencies drug history guidlines?  Were you truthful during your poly?  Did you employ countermeasures?  I ask because in my experience as an applicant this information was asked right up-front.  If standards were not met, one does not proceed in the process.  I don't know the particular order for your testing.  My order was physical agility, written apptitude, background interview, poly - DQ.

To your question:  Recent drug use is an automatic disqualifier regardless of written or physical scores.  Police agencies have guidelines for past drug history.  Example: Arizona POST will not certify you as a peace officer if you have smoked mj within the last three years, agencies have no say in the matter.  Albuquerque PD has a requirement of 2 years since last use and they mention nothing of a maximum number of times mj can have been ingested.  So I would tell you not to lose hope.  However, if you want a law enforcement career you may have to expand your options beyond your first choice.  That is what I have had to do because of a hack-job poly.  Remember drug use will depend on each agencies requirements and POST requirements in each state.

Hey nunyun,

Stay careful.  We just had a Phoenix officer ruthlessly and cowardly killed while making first approach on a traffic stop.  They found the little bastards today.  Hope a needle in the arm is in their futures.

Life's not fair but I get used to it

25 instances as in each hit as an instance, I just don't see the logic in Dq'ing someone for usage in high school in college when the President, incharge of a nuclear aresonal, was convicted of DUI and used cocaine.. Only in America.

Although I agree some what with Wannabe.  Many West Coast Departments in SoCal have a two year policy, so you may want to check out each agencies policy before giving up.  However 25 is a lot of use in my eyes.  Once or twice was expiermentation more than that was an addiction............

Don't bother applying with another PD for AT LEAST another three years-- 5-7years is better.  You won't get anywhere if you you try again sooner than that.  Many PD's will auto-DQ you because of the number of times you used regardless of how long ago it was.  Hash is concidered a "hard drug" by many PD's and that will auto-DQ you with them for life.

Wait 3-5 years (minimum) and then contact the recruiters in advance about your drug use and see if you fall within thier hiring parameters.  There is no other way, unless you plan on lying about it in the future, which I wouldn't recommend.

Cheers.

Well this sucked.. I took the poly for a east coast state police agency, passed, but got the letter that my "past experience with illegal drugs exceeds our acceptable standards." "While you man not consider these incidents in the same light we do, when compared against other applicant files, which did not contain similiar information, your candidacy was compromised." 

Am I shot for life?  I disclosed marijuana use 25 times stopping a year ago, (from age 17 before i turned 21), one instance of hashish (highschool) and one use of percription drugs w.o. a percription (an A.D.D. drug to help study, first year college)

I am assuming the 1 year since MJ use wasn't enough, I can somewhat understand the logic dq'ing me for that, but I don't think it is fair to ban me forever, considering I just graduated with a good GPA from an excellent university, probably scored in the top 10% of the fitness test and scored very well on the written.. Any advice or hope?  Any current officers with an insiders prospective? Thanks.

-Bummed out  ???