Day 6

Today was a great day! Started the morning off with Test 1 covering EVERYTHING from this week. I passed with a 96. The entire class 621 passed so no one went home!

After the class we had class. We covered ethics and courtroom procedure. Gonna have to go back and study that again cause we were all exhausted and everyone was ready to get home for the weekend!

We have next week off due to the 4th. Here's wishing everyone a safe week back home at your respective depts.

Also special shout out to Seal Team 6: we are hands down the best study group ever! The combo of RHPD/Aynor/Irmo/Orangeburg averaged a 95 of the exam! Our lowest was a 90 and highest 100. Doesn't get much better than that if you ask me. JP Strom better BOLO cause one of us will be taking it home.

Won't be posting next week but will be back July 6 as we head back!

"Sometimes there is Justice...sometimes it's Just Us" - Anonymous

55 (my favorite 10 code - DUI)

Day 5

Another good day at the SCCJA. Learned about Arrests and Detentions in class. Lots of information but have a good grasp on it.

Had DT this afternoon and did High Risk speed cuffing at gun point. Then how to search a suspect.

Study time...our first test is tomorrow.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

56

Day 4

Day 4 went well. It was actually semi enjoyable. Covered Probable Cause and Exclusionary rule in class. Then had DT. Learned how to handcuff semi combative subjects. We learned the iron wrist lock take down. Hurts like hell but is extremely effective. Still have some practicing to do on it but one of the Irmo guys, Chris, and I went and practiced a bit tonight and were able to help teach some other people the basics behind it. Really fueled my desire to be a FTO one day (assuming we get through these 12 weeks).

Food SUCKS....but could be worse. These 12 weeks are not going to help the fact that my belt is already too small to hold everything it needs too.

The study group has expanded from Aynor and RHPD to now include Irmo PD, Orangeburg DPS, and York County Sheriff's Office. One of us better win the dang JP Strom award as much work as we put into this.

A basic day is: wake up, formation, breakfast (skip and eat in room...allows quiet time/alone time (you will need to get away from certain individuals for those of you who maybe reading this coming to The Academy later)), formation, march around the barracks, class time, lunch, PT/DT, dinner, extra option DT with Mr Evans (again future Academy people: GO TO THIS whether your agency mandates you too or not), then study study study. Thanks to the extra week off we are not studying for DT tests yet and only focusing on legals. I will read/study DT all next week.

Again everyone is still doing well and our class is holding strong at 65. First big test is Friday morning.

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 " (thanks Mom!)

57

Day 3

Will edit later to include what we did.

Woke up at 0500 this morning, we will just call it getting used to 0600-1800 day shift. Got ready only to find out it was raining...so after standing out in the increasing rain for about 10 minutes waiting on people to show up to formation I'm back in the room. Protein bars for breakfast are better than mystery breakfast in the cafeteria...plus there is Diet Mountain Dew in the drink machine...and I NEED caffeine!!

Everyone is pretty sore from yesterday. Only going to get worse today. PT today includes push ups, running, etc...will let you know how that goes...unless the soreness gets better it's gonna suck pretty dang bad! 

About time to take books to class and get ready for formation...will update more tonight.

**UPDATE**

About to start studying for the evening but a quick update on what we did today.

Had class on Civil Liability this morning. Very interesting and useful but a TON of information to get down and learn.

Had our first Physical Training (PT) today. Did a 12 minute run...everyone completed it without walking. Then 3 sets of 10 push ups, 3 sets of 15 crunches in various forms, and 3 sets of 10 air squats. Got through them all...really sore now though.

Had DT again after and began working on speed handcuffing. Caught on to that pretty quickly wasn't bad at all. Tomorrow we start pain compliance techniques so will probably be VERY sore tomorrow. Lots of classes tomorrow as well.

So far food has been decent. Haven't gone to breakfast...been using that as quiet time and getting ready...lunch and dinner though haven't been bad at all.

Time to get the Aynor PD/RHPD study group going again. Everyone is doing well.

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet." - Aristotle (Thank you to Mjr TJ Geary with USCPD for the encouragement)

Some of you know that I'm big on quotes/verses so if you come across anything good please shoot them my way. Almost to the mid week point and encouragement would be awesome.

58

Day 2

Quick update before studying. Covered the history and different parts of the Constitution and Bill of Rights and how they pertain to LE today. Started Defensive Tactics (DT). Worked on Interview Stance and the first basic steps to keep a suspect from attacking you. Lots of lecture on DT tonight. Physical Training starts tomorrow before DT...probably going to be terrible...couple of people slept through the DT lecture...and seeing as he is the PT instructor this is NOT going to be pleasant.

Roommate is from Aynor PD...great guy. Jesse is doing well. All going to study here in a few minutes. Everyone is exhausted and ready to get this behind us. 

Special thanks to Austin for making me do extra shoulder workouts...paid off today big time! Thanks bud.

Sorry it's short and too the point...lots of reading to do.

Will update as soon as I can.

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight the paths for your feet" Hebrews 12:11-13 (Thanks Caroline for sending this!)

59

1-1

Day 1 – Today we arrived at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia around 1300. We were supposed to do our Physical Abilities Test (PAT) at 1400. From 1300 – 1400 we literally walked around the perimeter of the gym. At 1400 we signed the remaining paperwork and lined up in alphabetical order and ran the PAT. I ended with a time of 1:15…around 16 seconds quicker than my time during the RHPD application process. After the PAT we lined up and practiced marching, turning, standing in formation, etc etc. We then broke for dinner and returned to campus around 1845. Upon return we went to our classroom for orientation. During orientation we went over rules etc. We then had accountability at 2000. This is when we did head counts with all the academy classes to make sure everyone had returned. Being the newbies we were required to do 20 pushups which SUCKED…they weren’t straight…we had to do them as the instructor called them out to us…so up when he said and down when he said. Then back to the rooms for the evening.

My roommate is from Aynor PD. So far so good on that front. Jesse from RHPD is also doing well. Time to just put our heads down and get through it. Tomorrow we have to be in formation at 0630 and then eat at 0655. Will try to post tomorrow night on what the day holds.

Texts/FB messages are still greatly appreciated. We were told the first 3 weeks will be the most stressful and hard to get through. Prayers are also greatly encouraged!

Didn’t have time to proof this one…it’s late and I’m ready to sleep.

1 Peter 2:5 “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”