San Diego Police

[tuebor]

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[exComptonCop]

Does this mean it is more of a college type academy? After seeing the LASD show, I can see why alot of people do not want to get into police work. Thank you.

You thought that bit of reality TV was scary? I went through the LASD academy in 1985, and brother, you don't know skeeeery!

What exactly do you mean by a "college type academy?" If you have a mental picture of students causally strolling across campus, wearing cardigans and pausing briefly in the Quad area before their nest class, to shoot the carp, think again. I'm not familiar with the SD police academy, but as a SOCAL LE academy, I see no reason why it would be any different than what you saw on TV.

As for the people being scared off after watching the show...good riddance. Had that one female recruit that went DOR, known what she was getting into, she would not have cost the County of LA time and money; and possibly cheated a qualified applicant out of spot in that academy class

[xdrcx]

At the San Diego Regional Academy, you will get yelled at for the first couple of days. You always form up at breaks and lunch and the end of the day (about nine times). Each time you form up, you may do push ups (usually every time). While on the academy grounds you have to double time from place to place, no loitering around. Breaks and lunch have to be spent in the area up three flights of stairs (that you have to run up and down). Sir, Ma'am at all times. You will have uniform and equipement inspections. Any mistakes or problems will result in an Arjis-9 report about your mistake. PT will be two to three times a week. You can't have your cell phone on academy grounds. I could go on....

Hope this helps you get the idea the academy is not a "college" type academy. The first two days ARE high stress. After that, if you have your head on straight, it becomes pretty routine.

[tuebor]

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[tuebor]

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[Sully49]

Thanks for the reply XdrcX, good information. That's what I was checking into.

X-Compton Cop, who said anything about being scared? Your mindset is exactly what I am talking about, old school. I , along with many other civilians read this board for various reasons. IE:relatives in LE, or past interest in LE. So I am well aware that there will be no cardigan sweaters (didn't those go out in the 60's?) at the academy. Does it make you a better person being dehumanized and desensitized? I realize they are trying to stress you because you will confront violent and irrational persons on the street, and they want to see how you will react.............BUT as an adult with life exper. and education under my/our belts, that in your face training is not required........isn't that why they give you a stringent background check, psych test, interview? Police work (in my civilian mind) is about people and communication skills.........customer service so to speak, not the kick %$# and take names of the old days.

I just watched The Academy the other day as well. Didn't you see what the drill instructors said while they were being interviewed? They explained why they teach the recruits the way they do. One of the reasons they scream and yell and get in the recruit's faces is because once they graduate and are out on the street, if they are in a situation where people are screaming/cursing/yelling at them, they need to still be able to process information and recall that information crystal clear later on, i.e., like maybe when you are called to testify in court? I'm not a police officer, but I want to be someday, and I can understand why they do the yelling and screaming and put as much stress on you as they can. It's not a normal 9-5 job. You will be working in an environment that can become very high stress in a matter of seconds. These instructors have a huge responsibility to make sure these people will be able to handle the job and serve the public. If they can't handle being put in high stress situations in the academy, how will they be able to handle themselves out on the street with people who might try to kill them? And excompton cop i see what you are saying about that girl who quit right away, but I would think it would be inevitable for academies to lose one or two people after the first day. It's one thing to think about doing it but then being put through the paces even someone who truly thought they could do it might think 'what did I get myself into?' At least she was honest with herself and didn't waste anymore of their time, rather than go through with it, and be terrible at the job and possibly endanger people's lives.

[tuebor]

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[DOAcop38]

Let's agree to disagree, and move back to the post about what the SD Police Academy is like please. I respect your ideas and you have valid points, but I have steered to SD being they are more of MY mindset. (Or appear to be, I may be mistaken) Thanks again.

you are in for a RUDE awakening- looking for a "comfortable" academy is not what its about-ALL teach according to Ca. POST standards,with some putting a bit more emphasis "stress environment" training-Stress environments are meant to do one thing- prepare the mindset of the "individual" to become a team member,as well as simulate "pressure".The only thing i can tell you is this- San diego is not a "walk in the park"-They tend to have a high amount of officer involved shootings,assaults on officers and UOF issues-maybe not as rough as parts of L.A. or Oakland,they none the less are quite busy.The problem I see with applicants like "you"? you think the system should accept you and that you don't need to conform to the "system".This probably comes from the many yrs of ciritcal media and opinion about police depts in CA, particularly those under scrutiny from the "media" due to scandals ,violent events,negative exposure.

While your "mindset" is your own- it doesn't mean diddly the first time you meet a "felon" thats decided that you are as good as any door or gate to got thru! Communication and people skills? have you ever lived in a house with 9 people,and heated only by the oven( when the gas was actually on)? Your moms a crack head and daddy in and out of jail?slept on the sidewalk or an alley and shaking from D.Ts??? If not,tell me how the HECK are you going to communicate with someone like that?with an "uninformed" attitude like that,those type of folks would eat your condescending butt up!!! most of the people you will deal with will not be Joe or Jane "everyday"-maybe a traffic stop or two,maybe a flag down and complaint about loud noise,but the people YOU will deal with EVERYDAY are the "class of skidrow"-and they don't GIVE a POOT about "customer service".Police work,just like a trash truck operator,is dirty and unhappy work -period.don't let those smiling faces on the job Flyers FOOL you(FYI- most of those folks are NOt in patrol and couldn't give a darn about what their fellow officers suffer in patrol).Police work is a hard job that requires hard people(not evil or cruel people,but hard and decisive people)-no matter where the agency is.this job doesn't tolerate fools,"individuals",or the weak.for someone like yourself,you may say all the "right" PC things to get into the job,but you need to be in a place that teaches and demands "humble",yet focussed and tough people.Thats the only way you'll survive.good luck

[Sully49]

Let's agree to disagree, and move back to the post about what the SD Police Academy is like please. I respect your ideas and you have valid points, but I have steered to SD being they are more of MY mindset. (Or appear to be, I may be mistaken) Thanks again.

Okay tuebor, you're the one who just wrote an entire post about how you feel 'in your face training' isn't required! So that's what I was responding to! If you're going to write something like that, be prepared for people to challenge it. In any event, good luck finding a nice quiet academy where you won't be tested/stressed out and everyone is nice to you all the time. Those drill instructors on the show had about 20 years experience each and have seen more on the streets than you or I could ever possibly begin to even imagine/comprehend, but I guess you know more about the job than they do.

[willowdared]

San Diego PD recruits attend a Regional Academy....recruits from several agencies in the county attend along with SDPD candidates.

The classrooms are in a seperate area of the campus, so won't be rubbing elbows too often with the general student population.

I'm sure every academy class has it's own unique tone, based on who's in the class, who's training the candidates, and what agency is in charge at the time. (I believe it alternates between SDPD and SDSO)

[nobody33]

Can anyone give me some information on the San Diego Police Academy? I found the following info from the city website's FAQ:

Does this mean it is more of a college type academy? After seeing the LASD show, I can see why alot of people do not want to get into police work. Thank you.

From your post I can assure you that San Diego is not for you. Actually So Cal is not for you. Try Northern California... I've heard there are some weak academies up there (But not at ACSO or SFPD). SD Regional is not LASO, but it's not camp snoopy. All the academies here are just varying degrees of stress here. SDPD, LAPD, OCSO, SBSO, RSO... etc.


College is fine. I went to college. I wouldn't want to be trained to deal with people who are trying to kill me from a college type environment though. That may be fine for the south or back east. But not where we have a ton of gang members and one cop on duty for every 30k people.

[tuebor]

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[exComptonCop]

Police work (in my civilian mind) is about people and communication skills.........customer service so to speak, not the kick %$# and take names of the old days.

Well, if this place exists, I hope you truly find it someday. BTW, there's nothing wrong with kicking a** and taking names. It was around long before I arrived, and will be around long after both you and I are worm food

good luck

[beachcop05]

At the San Diego Regional Academy, you will get yelled at for the first couple of days. You always form up at breaks and lunch and the end of the day (about nine times). Each time you form up, you may do push ups (usually every time). While on the academy grounds you have to double time from place to place, no loitering around. Breaks and lunch have to be spent in the area up three flights of stairs (that you have to run up and down). Sir, Ma'am at all times. You will have uniform and equipement inspections. Any mistakes or problems will result in an Arjis-9 report about your mistake. PT will be two to three times a week. You can't have your cell phone on academy grounds. I could go on....

Hope this helps you get the idea the academy is not a "college" type academy. The first two days ARE high stress. After that, if you have your head on straight, it becomes pretty routine.

They yell at you for more then just the first couple of days, it continues up until your final weeks.

[jato]

Police work (in my civilian mind) is about people and communication skills.........customer service so to speak, not the kick %$# and take names of the old days.

It is about people skills... and kick @$$ too.

You might take a theft report from a VIP one minute and put a carload of gang bangers who just shot someone at gun point the next.

The San Diego academy is pretty easy by SoCal standards.