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Photo caption: Recruits stand at the firing line to practice their marksmanship skills while shooting with one hand.
Once we arrived at the Michigan State Police Training Academy facility Sunday evening, we heard a short speech about the importance of staying locked in and motivated throughout the week, followed by a “Jeopardy!”-style law review put together by our instructors.
Monday morning started the same as every other morning in the academy, with physical training, or PT, at 0600. Our first lesson was a four-hour block instructed by David Greydanus, retired Michigan State Police inspector, and focused mainly on laws of arrest and suspect identification. After lunch chow, we reported back to the classroom for another four-hour block with Greydanus, focusing on admissions and confessions and operating while intoxicated, or OWI, scenarios.
Following dinner chow, Sgt. Kyle Bucholtz, our academy class commander, used our last two hours to focus on searching crime scenes. That evening after class, we received our department-issued long guns . Long guns are considered rifles, shotguns, etc. This was exciting because we already knew we were going to be on the range most of the week, but knowing that we were advancing to new tactics added a different challenge.
Tuesday’s PT started with a series of stretches utilizing a PVC pipe and warming up our legs doing barbell back squats. The real challenge began after the squats, rotating circuit training stations for the remainder of the hour. After breakfast chow and daily room inspections, we reported to the indoor shooting range at 0800 to review our handgun skills; it had been almost two weeks since we shot. We did a practice shoot for our Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards qualification test, which we would be evaluated on the next day. That afternoon, we became acclimated with our rifles and their functions and how to use our department-issued slings. Personally, shooting our rifles was my favorite part of Week 15, especially because every instructor we encountered reiterated that we were among the first people in the DNR Law Enforcement Division to receive these new rifles.
After dinner chow, we reported to the classroom for another class on searching crime scenes. The lesson covered what to do and what not to do when arriving at a crime scene. Sgt. Bucholtz gave us a lot of tips that have worked for him throughout his career. Class concluded for the day with us going outside to observe a mock crime scene.
PT Wednesday was in the tank (swimming pool) and included a series of circuit training exercises. We can usually count on at least one tank PT throughout the week. Later that morning we tested for our MCOLES pistol qualification, and then shot our long guns for the rest of the day. Wednesday nights we usually have an exam. That evening’s exam, following dinner, mostly covered admissions and confessions.
Thursday morning began with a 4-mile run, followed by stretching and then getting ready for our morning class on the shooting range. The first thing we tackled was our marksmanship test. Eventually, we all will be evaluated to earn our marksmanship badges using our handguns; those badges will go on our Class A uniforms (the formal dress uniforms COs wear). Although that marksmanship run-through wasn’t the real evaluation, I found this to be the toughest portion of the week because a few weeks ago I struggled on accurately controlling my firearm without jerking the trigger. We then moved to our long guns for the remainder of class. Once we packed up at the range, we returned to the classroom for a 2.5-hour lesson on proper cleaning of our long guns.
Overall, with another week in the books I can confidently say that we are trending in the right direction individually and as a team. It appears everyone’s confidence is starting to build and that everyone is strategically using their time so that any extra time can be used to help other recruits. I don’t think I’m the only one who is excited to see what Week 16 brings.
