SacPD Academy 2 – The Recruits Graduate!
After 24 weeks of hard work and dedication, Sacramento Police Academy Class 2007 BR-1 graduated on August 16, 2007. This class included 33 graduates from SacPD and three outside agencies.
Two of our recruit bloggers from SacPD, Rana Mann and Michael Littles, will go on to complete their police officer training including three weeks of department orientation, training in handling traffic accidents, and in the use of the taser and computers. From there, they will work with a Field Training Officer (FTO) for six to nine months. Our third recruit blogger, Rick Randolph, will go on to complete his training with his agency, the Roseville Police Department. Even though they are through the Academy portion of their careers, big challenges still remain in the coming phases of their training. We wish them all luck!
Below, after having their badges pinned on their uniforms by loved ones, they talk about their final reflections on life in the SacPD Academy.
Rana Mann
Finally, we made it!! 07-BR-1 has graduated. There are so many emotions rushing through all of us right now. I will give it my best shot at explaining them.
Last Wednesday was the first time we had a real taste of graduation. We went to the Convention Center to rehearse. There were a few moments when I thought to myself, “Wow, this is really going to happen.” But it still wasn’t completely real. I was nervous, because I didn’t want to mess up on stage in front of all those people.
Then, Thursday arrived. We had waited so long for this day, it seemed surreal that we had finally made it. It was beginning to feel real, and the excitement and nerves were still there. Now, I was also feeling sad. I knew the sadness was because I would be losing some of my best friends to other agencies.
As we took the stage, it was almost as if I was watching it happen instead of participating in it. All the hard work, sweat, and tears had finally amounted to this day. Each and every one of us on that stage had really earned the right to be there. As I watched my classmates receive their badges, I was filled with a sense of pride. I was excited to finally become a bigger part of this department and this workforce.
Congratulations, 07-BR-1, I look forward to many years of a rewarding career with all of you!!!
Respectfully submitted,
Officer Mann
Rana Mann received the Outstanding Female Fitness Award.
Michael Littles
Well the academy is finally over and the excitement is really starting to begin. The graduation was great and it was everything I wanted it to be. I could not believe the turn out that night and it really gives a good impression that we are truly cared about by our loved ones. The support shown that night by the various family members and the upper level officers was great. I think it is easy to say that all the recruits (now officers) felt that were we joining a wonderful family of people who care and want to make a difference. The graduation was not all happiness though, I will definitely miss all the outside agencies that we have all spent so much time with, and if you guys and gals are reading this, we all really miss you. Although this was a great undertaking for all of us, the real test lies ahead, and as much as I want to get excited about our accomplishment, the journey is not over. Once field training begins, all the new officers will have to be bigger and better than we have ever been before. So, hopefully this will not be for the final time – I ask everyone out there to pray for us and wish us good luck.
Respectfully submitted,
Officer Littles
Rick Randolph
It is hard to say exactly how I feel about graduation. Of course there was a sigh of relief, but there is also a fear of what is to come. While one weight was lifted another was waiting to come crashing down.
I smiled the first time I saw myself in my Roseville Police uniform. I was excited to see my family and friends from all over who came to see me graduate. It made me proud to have my father, a retired California Highway Patrol Sergeant, pin my badge on. There were several times during the ceremony that I got emotional. It was strange, but an honor, when the Corporals insisted I call them by their first name.
My sisters came in from other states with their children. My in-laws drove all day to be there. My mother was so proud, making sure she got pictures of me with everybody. Friends of my parents, former cops mostly, were there to celebrate. Former co-workers and mentors from past careers came to congratulate me. High school buddies showed up, one in full dress California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection uniform.
This was a pretty big day in my world.
But the best moment of my night was when my five-year-old-son jumped into my arms and touched my badge.
“Daddy,” he said. “You’re a policeman. Can you believe it? I can’t believe it.”
He had been reminding me all week.
“You know dad,” he said. “Thursday night you are going to be a policeman when grandpa puts your badge on you. He’s going to make you a policeman.”
My two-year-old daughter kissed me, hugged me, and said, “Good job, daddy.”
My wife kissed me and told me she was proud.
That night, after it was all over, as we all rode home together, my kids sang “Zippity doo dah” and “Twinkle, twinkle.”
My wife just kept looking at me asking how it felt.
I didn’t have an answer. I just wanted to smile and listen, knowing how lucky of a person I am.
Respectfully submitted,
Officer Rick Randolph
Rick Randolph received honorable mention for having a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 98.58%, the second best of his class.
