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Calguns LEOs LEOs; chat, kibitz and relax. Non-LEOs; have a questions for a cop? Ask it here, in a CIVIL manner. |
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#1
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Resources to prep for the academy?
I have until april to prep on my own for the academy, and after reading as much as I can, I am convinced I need to work on report writing, as well as several other things academically. So I would like to see if anyone here could pass on some resources for me to get started?
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#3
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Push yourself hard on physical training. The better shape you are in the better off you will be. If you struggle in PT, the Drill Instructors will ride you even harder. If you are excelling, they will focus on one less fortunate than you. You don't want extra attention in that area.
If you don't already know how, learn to spit shine shoes. We weren't allowed patent leather anything Sharpen your basic writing skills, spelling, and grammar. If your local community college has a condensed winter session, take a basic English course covering grammar and sentence structure. We had to print everything. Practice your handwriting. Neatness counts. Find out what kind of footwear the academy authorizes and get your shoes broken in before you start. Some, like LASD, do not allow you to wear boots during the academy except under special circumstances. Also make sure you break in your PT shoes.
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LASD Retired 1978-2011 NRA Life Member CRPA Life Member NRA Rifle Instructor NRA Shotgun Instructor NRA Range Safety Officer DOJ Certified Instructor |
#6
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Does it help with spelling?
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#7
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It may some. If you're a poor speller you're gong to have some difficulties.
When I went through, for every word spelled wrong, you had to write it 50 times. I spent at least an hour a day writing words. It REALLY sucks when you then spell all 50 wrong. I did that ONCE |
#8
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I suggest the following:
-Find a local tutor to help you with spelling, grammar and any other academic deficiencies you may have. -Either buy or make your own PC flashcards and study them now. They'll come in handy, trust me. -Prepare your body for PT now. Running (work up to 2 miles minium) and calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups) are a must. -As someone mentioned earlier, learn how to shine boots. Make sure the boots you're going to use are broken in prior to your start date. |
#9
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Thanks for all the insight everyone. I'm not overly concerned with the pt. I've dropped from 296lbs to 220lbs over the last few years. Pull-ups will be one of my major focuses since I can only do a few as of now, but thankfully I have several months. I'm more concerned with the academics. Report writing, pc memorizing etc.
I currently have a 2011 pc but am not sure of how to start studying it. Prioritizing what will be needed to be committed to memory, or how they will test on it. I would love to start making flash cards if someone can point me in the right direction of what pc's should be on the cards. Would this be a good start? http://www.flashcardmachine.com/capenal-code.html Any others you would recommend committing to memory? Last edited by ssteve; 11-14-2012 at 7:49 AM.. |
#14
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Check out http://www.lawtechpublishing.com/index.asp. They have a lot of valuable resources which can help you prepare for the academy.
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#15
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See if you can pick the brain of a recent grad from your academy. That will likely give you the most current info.
If you are weak in writing, take an inter-session English class and read some more. If the college offers it, take their academy prep class. It'll jump start you on procedures/protocols. If there is a recruit orientation manual, get it and start studying. Doesn't make sense to study "10 codes" if your area/department uses plain language. Get your gear sooner rather than later. One less thing to worry about. You can probably find flash cards for the common penal codes at the local uniform store. You do not learn the entire penal/vehicle/H&S code, only the common sections. PT...OK, the actual POST required PT tests aren't bad at all. Same typically goes for the department or academy test. That's assuming you are not a slug or re-habing some injury. BUT the regularly scheduled discipline throughout the day is what tears most recruits up. At a local academy, it is normal to bang out 400-600/ea push-ups, squat thrusts and mountain climbers through the day, every day before getting to PT. Then you get hammered with PT. If you need help running, check out the cool running website. Pick a 5K training program appropriate to your experience/current mileage. Hit day 1 of the academy being able to run 3 miles at a 9min/mi pace and you are likely on track. For the rest; P90X, Insanity, Crossfit and/or the navy SEAL prep program are all reasonable paths. A good boxing or muay thai place that does conditioning wouldn't be bad either. Your conditioning program should be high rep, body weight centered not power lift/body building weight room routines. |
#16
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Quote:
I remember during our PT test a recruit in the Army reserves was cranking out unbelievable amount of sit ups like 70+. He mentioned " Insanity helped me do this", the TO's were impressed by his fitness level.
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"All that is complex is not useful. All that is useful is simple." Mikhail Kalashnikov *... Last edited by Tacit Blue; 11-14-2012 at 12:52 PM.. |
#17
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That would be awesome and very much appreciated. Thanks in advance as well.
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#18
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I'm not super concerned with the pt, and know how to train. I'm ramping up my constant stuff like squats and push-ups by setting a clock for the hour and alternating each hour. Then as I progress ill be going to half hour intervals while I'm at work. I live just over a mile from my gym so my day starts by running there and then a hi rep/low weight routine and a run home where I sprint then job in intervals. My day off work is a five mile loop with four hill sprints, or a spin class for an hour.
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#19
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Quote:
I can run a mile under 8 mins, do 54 pushup in two minutes, over 75 situp in two minutes. Should I be worry about PTs? Last edited by Lugiahua; 11-14-2012 at 1:52 PM.. |
#20
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Yup thats it. Imagine him being your TO lol. 8 mile/min is excellent pace. Most of the fat bodies did like 10 to 12 mile/min.
Your more than good if what you say is true about your numbers. Get the regular version if insanity, not " fast n furious". Most people fail to realize what nutrition needs their bodies require, most academies with the PT burn like 2000+ calories. Each session is usually like 500-600 (based off insanity). I remember one guy told me he had a " sugar cookie this morning" then from 7:00 to 8:00+ we were doing pt getting smoked. He didn't fare to well. Pack your own meals everyday. And look at the " Harris benedict equation" which will tell you how much calorie intake you need for energy per day. At our academy we were attached to a community college. The recruits and myself were guilty of eating that horrible garbage at the schools caffeteria. I remember they had mexican food one day, and I thought to myself " this is going to suck" we had PT after lunch my stomach was jacked up. Best advice I can give you is don't cheat your bodies nutrition needs or you will pay for it.. Last edited by Tacit Blue; 11-14-2012 at 3:54 PM.. |
#21
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Quote:
and they think those number were" not good enough" (8min a mile was actually a barely passing for my age group.) How often and how long did you usually run in academy? did you run on flat tracks, around campus or cross-country? I was struggling with nutrition too, until I made a few friends in Kinesiology. Last edited by Lugiahua; 11-14-2012 at 5:02 PM.. |
#22
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The Army fitness standards are tougher than POST. But in our academy those times were from our first run around the track, most of us had pt prior to the run. The TO's put the runs usually at the end of the day, which contributed to the poor times. We were barley hanging on. The furthest run in ours is 8-9 miles around a lake which is required to complete in order to graduate. But it's a gradual incline in fitness, they wouldn't slam you with the lake run before assessing the classes fitness levels first.
I mean I remember the girls had it the worst on the "grinder" or "quad" which is a assembly area. Half of them couldn't do a push up without resting on their knees. The TO would come up and give them a ear full. Hell, half the guys had the same issue also. Group punishment is another fun game they'll play. One person screws up on I.E. facing movements, they'd bring you up front and have everybody yell "thanks recruit x" and you'd run up the stairs till your knees felt like their going to explode. |
#23
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Quote:
The most important thing you can do to prepare for the academy is physical training, mainly upper body strength and endurance. Get in a lot of cardio! Report writing is something that will be very difficult to prepare for ahead of the academy. Every department's report forms and styles of writing are quite different. If you are good with spelling and clean printing, you are ahead of the game. Report writing is something that you will learn in the academy and through additional training after the academy. What I learned after going through the academy, then working the jails, then going to patrol is; Every training officer you have will want you to write his way. My style of writing reports has become a hybrid of my style, a few old supervisors, and two training officers. Just make sure you are good with spelling, punctuation, and basic high school english. Report writing is not rocket science Go on some ride alongs and ask a lot of questions.
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"If you expect logic associated with California law, it will only make your head hurt.." - Ron-Solo, 2013 |
#24
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Putting myself through, but would ideally like to end up at one of the sheriffs dept in the Bay Area. If I was to go to a pd I would prefer SF. With that said I know I would enjoy starting my career anywhere that would give me the opportunity.
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