What is your view on forgetting what you learned in the academy?

[missouricop]

Hello everyone, I have been working at a small town DPS now for about 2 months and it seems that a lot of what I was told in the Academy is not exactly how it happens on the job. While doing my internship a lot of officers I worked with told me to forget what I was told in the academy because it just don’t work that way. My response to this was “I am 2 sponges for knowledge, one for school and one for work." Have any of the veterans here had similar experiences?

[mcsap]

I would say that " forget what you learned in the academy" is proper when it can be replaced by either more current, accurate or appropriate information within your dept.

And I havn't noticed you around before so welcome to RP. Since you are using the screen name of a LEO , you need to seek verifcation which will open up additional LEO only areas of this site.

http://forums.realpolice.net/showthread.php?t=14290

[1depd]

I've been through three academies. The first one was a comprehensive academy. I was told when I was at my first agency to forget everything I learned and do the way I was taught by the agency. The main reason is the area I worked took a long time to update their academy, while the agency changes quickly.

The second academy I attended was essentially law and legals and high liability. Since it wasn't as comprehensive I did have to forget anything from the academy. I had to forget old bad habits.

The third academy taught much more than I needed to know. Out of a 12 week six day a week course I have used two or three hours of the training and that training was on the operation of inspection equipment. The rest was forgotten quickly.

[Group9]

I view training at the academy as police work 101. They can't tell you everything you need to know at the academy. All they can do is give you enough of the basics, to have something to build your experience and field training on. I would say that rather than forgetting what you learn in the academy, what you are doing is supplanting it with real world experience as you get it.

There are some things that can be taught, and there are some things that just have to be experienced to learn. That doesn't mean either one is useless.

[retdetsgt]

I would say that " forget what you learned in the academy" is proper when it can be replaced by either more current, accurate or appropriate information within your dept.

Rep sent

How much do you remember from high school? Any academy is so info crammed that all it can do is introduce you to the material. That's why people have to go through field training for a number of months to learn how to apply that. You have to have the schooling to get you started, but you really learn how to be a cop from other cops. No one could attend an academy and then go right out and do police work.

[serenityBlue]

What I learned from Training School (different Country ) was the law. I learned Policing from experienced officers on the street.

[Samuel]

While doing my internship a lot of officers I worked with told me to forget what I was told in the academy because it just don’t work that way.

Specifically, What were you told to forget and/or What didn't "work that way" (and what was the alternative)???

IF patrol trainees are being taught/directed/whatever to forget or disregard what was instructed in the academy, especially in large quantities, there is something seriously wrong - either with what is being taught or with what is being done in patrol...

[kels]

You get the concepts in the academy.

On the street, you get the real life applications.

The two are worlds apart................

Now if you want to really piss off an instructor,
point out that the academy is staffed by retired management
from big city agencies who cant find a job and havnt worked
the streets in YEARS:eek: (at least in KANSAS)

[missouricop]

I want to thank all of you for your responces.
I have tried to get verifcation, with no response yet.
one thing that im having alittle trouble with is reading to much into the charges.
I'll give this as an example:
A guy Tries to steal fuel from a parked truck, he doesnt get any and is caught by the owner he is stoped soon after and admits he Tried to get the fuel but couldn't I aked him why he was getting the fuel and he said for his tracktor.
Everyone says Tampering the way i see tampering according how I was taught to think of legal terms in the 1000 hour Advanced Academy is that purposely means, that this was your goal you set out to acheive the outcome.
Mo. RSMO says A person commits the crime of tampering if for the purpose of causing a substantial interuption or impairment ... to me just this statement is all thats needed to eleminate Tampering, since he said it was for his tracktor.

Am I close at all or just thinking to much?

[missouricop]

please forgive for any mistakes im working on 76 hours of on the clock time no telling howmuch off the clock and i have an hour or so drive to work

[Samuel]

I want to thank all of you for your responces.
I have tried to get verifcation, with no response yet.
one thing that im having alittle trouble with is reading to much into the charges.
I'll give this as an example:
A guy Tries to steal fuel from a parked truck, he doesnt get any and is caught by the owner he is stoped soon after and admits he Tried to get the fuel but couldn't I aked him why he was getting the fuel and he said for his tracktor.
Everyone says Tampering the way i see tampering according how I was taught to think of legal terms in the 1000 hour Advanced Academy is that purposely means, that this was your goal you set out to acheive the outcome.
Mo. RSMO says A person commits the crime of tampering if for the purpose of causing a substantial interuption or impairment ... to me just this statement is all thats needed to eleminate Tampering, since he said it was for his tracktor.

Am I close at all or just thinking to much?

How about 564.011 / 570.030? Are you still with a T/O? If so, what does he/she say?

[mcsap]

Here I would charge him with Attempted Theft.

[missouricop]

Thank you Samuel and mcsap,
for your quick replies I am not with a FTO I had about 2 weeks worth and due to being way under staffed we just do not have the manpower to keep me with a FTO, the department and myself feel I will be able to stay alive and keep others safe. I know when a crime has been commited just getting to the charge takes me a bit, but i stay in touch with the PA and everyone else is helping the best they can. I just have to carry by little Blue book with me and keep reading the RSMO right now on staff we have myself, another officer that was hired the same time as me a 3 year exp. and a part time less than 1 year. so im learning as i go.
I looked up 564.011 / 570.030 and yes that seems correct.
i laugh in saddness because i am doing the job and dont know these things, again i think i read to much into it.
Thanks again.

[Kimble]

I have tried to get verifcation, with no response yet.

Send me your information (real name, department, and a contact for dispatch/supervisor/etc who can verify you) via PM and I'm make sure it gets taken care of.

[Ispbear]

Missouri,

I guess my opinion is that you don't want to forget about what you learned in the academy but you want to build upon it. The academy only gives you the basics and then you need to figure out where to go from there.
Working in an area where there are several small departments such as yourself don't hesitate to go outside of your department for advice on how to handle something. If you get into something your not sure of as a local trooper or deputy that is out for their advice. Putting an officer out on the street with only 2 weeks FTO is like sending somebody running around blindfolded. Most of the time you will be OK, but eventually you will run into a wall.
Good luck, Stay safe and get verified.