New Shoes for the Blues

I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and friends.  It was difficult to come back to Asilomar.  The plane ride home was long, my flight was delayed an hour and a half and my motivation to jump back into a fish bowl(academy) was low.  When I finally landed into San Jose I took a small transfer bus into Monterey.  It was an uncomfortable ride, at one of the stops a women came on and she stood in the middle of the bus looking around for a seat,we made eye contact so, I offered the seat next to me. There were probably eight open seats on the bus and she happily excepted my offer. Funny thing is I had the small seat where the floor is raised because below there's a tire. I sat a hour with my legs up to my chest and behind me were eight large open seats. The lady even looked at me and said, "it's kinda tight." I just smiled and nodded.  The bus dropped me off downtown Monterey where I transfered to a bus that would take me back to my temporary home.  Now, Monterey is real nice, but the central bus station was a bit shady.  I had been there a few times before but this particular afternoon I felt a bit suspicious.  I waited 40 minutes for a crime to happen before I got onto my transfer bus which smelled like body oder.  I paid my two bucks and read my book. At the third bus stop an old man was waiting, when the bus doors open the man yelled and waved his cane at the driver, "don't talk to me!"   It appeared to me that this old man was a regular because the driver just laughed.  The old man plotted down in a seat next to me and said to the bus driver, "Get me home so I can drink!"  I couldn't help to giggle and think to myself I'm the one who needs a drink. 

This week is only a three day week.  It's been a low week for me.  I don't know why, I just feel a little down and overwhelmed.  We've also been learning about domestic violence which isn't a cheerful topic.  I hate to be negative in my blog but it's just how I feel, I know the feeling will pass, it's just a natural emotion I know we all experience at some time or another.  I have to keep reminding myself of the reward at the end.  I had a plan to go to San Francisco for New Years but I caught a little flu and felt it be smarter to stay here. I also have a few big test and scenarios next week so this four day weekend I'll spend time to study. Im just hoping that someone is around for new years eve. Most people I know are going home. I might have to go buy some canned oysters (mom's tradition) and other fun goodies and watch Dick Clark on my own. 

Tomorrow I get out of class at noon!  I plan on going shopping to find myself some new shoes.

Fully Loaded

This week the class was split up into two groups. Half the class had self-defense tactics and the other half went to the range. I got to go to the range! The week was information overload but a ton of fun. Here are a few highlights of the week... 

Monday was the first day on the range in Hollister, it's about 45 minutes away from Asilimar. When we arrived we unloaded all our gear and holstered up our Smith & Wesson 4006 handgun. The moment we got out on the range a large dark cloud came across and it started to pour down rain. Most of us didn't have on our rain gear because it was clear outside before we went out. We stood in the rain laughing at the perfect timing. After two minutes of rain it started to hail!!! The hail was the size of small pellets used in a BB-Gun. During the hail storm the instructors sent us back into the classroom to get our jackets. Once we put the jackets on the skies cleared up again. The picture above was taken after the rain and hail. 

My shooting wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, I am left eye dominant and I can't wink with my left eye.  My instructor put tape over the left side of my  glasses and it seems as though I shoot better with one eye. So, my homework is to learn how to wink with my left eye. 

Tuesday morning I woke up to find a little bit of snow outside. It was a cold day shooting our Remington 870 shotgun. Lots of kick in this gun. My shoulder is a little sore from the recoil.  My eye disability was a huge issue with the shotgun and it became a laughable topic amongst my classmates. 

Wednesday was a warmer day and we spent it to re-cap on all the techniques we learned on Monday and Tuesday. I brought a small lifeguard patch and used it to cover-up my left eye. I got a good laugh from all the instructors and my classmates. I was the lifeguard pirate. 

Today, we played with the handgun and shotgun again. We also learned how to use our Colt AR-15. It was so much fun, a little complicated at the beginning but fun! 

Overall it's been a great week. The days were long and at times frustrating but I was real impressed with the instructors. We basically got one on one training because there were so many instructors. This was the first week of four that I get to train with firearms. The next three weeks are spread throughout the next four months. Hopefully I'll be able to wink by the end ;) 

On the left is the Colt AR-15 and the right is the Remington 870 and my Smith and Wesson 40

Jingle Bells

I bought bells for my regular shoes and wondered what would happen if I put bells on my work boots. I have class on Christmas Eve and thought it would be funny to wear the bells out to formation that morning. I'm curious if I would get in trouble. I think the laugh I'd get from my instructors would be worth any form of discipline. Take a vote on the left... should I wear bells? Or an even better idea, I can pass out one bell to every cadet and we can all wear them Christmas Eve morning in formation and all take the blame. 

The Moon

Shoot the Dog

Today we had a test on "Use of Force." At line up this morning, before the test, it was negotiated that for every person who didn't get %100 we would have to do a push up. The test was a 50 question test. I felt good throughout the whole test. I read the questions carefully and found my little happy place and breathed. The test was the type that if you thought to much about the answer or over analyzed the question you would get it wrong. The question that got me went like this, 

An officer responds to a small neighborhood for a report of an aggressive dog. When the officer arrives to the house the dog owner releases the dog. The dog charges the officer, the officer draws his weapon and shoots the dog, killing it. 

Was the use of force reasonable? 

Yes or No

I spent way to much time thinking about the answer. I read and re-read that question a dozen times. I thought it would be unreasonable to shoot the dog. Although it would be legal to shoot it, I didn't feel it was reasonable to kill the dog. I thought using my baton would be a better use of force. I was wrong. I was supposed to shoot the dog. Another reason I choose not to shoot was because when an officer decides to draw his weapon it's done out of fear for his or another's life. I didn't think the dog was life threatening.  

That was the only question I missed. I'm real upset about it. I was so close to getting %100. Ten of the cadets got %100's. So we did 31 push-ups this afternoon. 

Shoot the Dog!

 

Black Powder

The last two days we've been going over Crime Scenes, Evidence and Forensics. It's been kinda fun. The class broke up into groups and we spent a lot of time  investigating mock crime scenes. 

The best part of the last two days was the fingerprinting. We played with black powder and made finger prints, 

Lots of fun, but very messy, 

Point Lobos

Today I went to Point Lobos with two of the guards. We were planning on diving the area but found out you have to make reservations to dive there. We were pretty bummed and decided to hike around the area and make reservations for next weekend. Here are a few pictures from our hike. 

Long Days

It was a long week... we learned about, Use of Force, Cultural Diversity/Discrimination and Sexual Harassment. Here are a few highlights of the week that come to mind, 

We had 4 exams! I passed all...yahhhh!

We received a 200 page booklet on the California State Policies regarding the "Use of Force." I found section B particularly interesting, 

Section B states that we can discharge our firearm and kill an animal if it "poses an immediate or continuing threat to public safety and welfare, or to wildlife at the unit." When I read this section I raised my hand and seriously asked, "Sir, does this mean that if there is an aggressive animal, such as a seal, I can pull out my gun and shoot it?"  Everyone started laughing hysterically. I don't remember getting a straight answer out of the instructor. I'm looking forward to shooting my first seal! (sorry PETA.) Can you imagine, me, while on patrol, shooting an aggressive seal? 

Since we are going over "Use of Force" the cadets get to wear belts.  

The other side of my belt is my baton. When the cadets do push-ups we have to hold the baton in our hands and the baton can NOT hit the ground. Funny story about the batons and push-ups, when we had finished a round of push-ups and were asked to put the baton back into it's holder one of the cadets missed the loop the baton sits in and the baton fell to the ground. Our training officer asked who's baton fell and when he confessed we all had to do 25 jumping jacks. The person that dropped the baton ran to the front of the group to lead the whole group in jumping jacks, the funny thing is, when we completed the jumping jacks and he ran back into line he accidently hit the instructors car with his baton. The instructor didn't say anything about it but I almost died laughing. I wonder if that was subconsciously done.  

We also got to wear a bullet proof vest. Ladies, how to gain 10 pounds in five minutes, put on a bullet proof vest. Not only does it make you feel fat but it smashes down the boobs. Luckily the vest we're wearing are only temporary. We got sized this week for the vest we will be wearing in the field.  

Christmas Spirit at Asilomar, my roommate and I,

All the cadets are broken up into squads. I am in squad 1 and had the privilege of being the squad leader this week. Here is my mighty squad from my perspective, 

Lastly, I got my Hep B shoot, and did not pass out!