SacPD Academy 2 – Introducing Recruit Mann
Welcome to the 07-BR-1 Blog. My name is Recruit Mann. This first blog will be primarily about me and why I chose this career, along with some information about academy life. I am 26 years old, and a native of Sacramento. I have been married almost 5 years, and I have a two-year-old son. About four years ago I was about to graduate from CSUS with my BS in Criminal Justice when I found out I was pregnant. I put all my job applications on hold, because my husband and I decided that it was more important for me to stay home with our son for a couple of years. When I was pregnant, I got all the usual comments, “Well, now you can’t be a Cop,” or, “That’s too dangerous now that you will have a child.” When my son was old enough for me to feel comfortable going to work I listened to all those comments. I began to explore other career choices. No matter what I looked into, my drive and passion always came back to law enforcement. I finally made the decision to go for it.
I chose law enforcement because I want a career that will keep me physically challenged, mentally challenged, and where I can continue to learn new things. There are so many opportunities in law enforcement, and I am excited to face all the challenges ahead.
So far, we have covered many academic domains. Our class is incredibly smart, and there is a lot of competition in the classroom. We have done quite a bit of physical training (PT) as well. I came to academy in pretty good shape, but I had no idea how much more I could be doing. The workouts that the Corporals put together are really helping me with my strength training. We have been doing Arrest, Control, Baton (ACB) for awhile. I’m a small person, but if I use the techniques the corporals teach us, I can take down the biggest guys in the class. Report writing started a few weeks ago, and there is a lot more to it than I imagined. We were issued our handguns last week, and there is a new sense of pride and confidence among the recruits. E.V.O.C. (Emergency Vehicle Operation Course) is the most stressful thing I have ever done in my entire life. I passed all my tests on my first day, but I still have 3 more sessions to go.
Academy life in general is intense, tiring, stressful, nerve-wracking, and at times intimidating. It is also fun, rewarding, exciting, and it fills me with an incredible sense of purpose. I have made many sacrifices to be here. I miss my husband and son like crazy. When I leave the academy at the end of the day, it isn’t about getting home so I can study, do my homework, shine my boots, clean my clothes, and clean my firearm. When I leave it is about getting home in time to see my son and husband before they are in bed, then I can get to my other responsibilities. After the first week of academy I told my husband that, other than the day I married him, and the first time I held my son, I have never been so sure of anything in my life. I know this is where I belong, and I have already developed relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. I have learned so much about myself, and the kind of person I want to be. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for me in the next 14 weeks, and I am honored to share it with all of you. Thanks for checking in; and until next time,
Respectfully submitted,
Mann, R.
