THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9509010259
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 149 lines
WHEN SGT. MARK SOLESKY responded to a domestic dispute last week, he knew someone was watching every move he made.
But it wasn't just curious bystanders who scrutinized Solesky as he went about his work. It was Aaron Creeley - a rookie, a recent graduate of police training, one of Chesapeake's newest crop of men and women in blue.
``I always wanted to be a cop,'' Creeley said. And now he is.
Last Monday, Creeley and 25 other officers graduated from the 35th session of the Chesapeake Public Safety Academy. Their graduation marked the end of five months of classroom study and rigorous physical training. But the ceremony didn't signify the end of the new officers' education or training. In fact, in the weeks ahead, the rookies face what could be the most important part of their law-enforcement training - real-life experience.
For the next few months, Creeley and his rookie colleagues will be paired with experienced officers, known as field training officers. The veteran officers will aid their less-experienced partners in all areas of law enforcement, from reducing risk in dangerous situations to managing the necessary but routine duties that go with the badge. But mostly, the FTOs pass along information gained from years on the job.
``When I was a rookie, my FTO taught me things the academy never could. Now it's my turn to teach,'' said Solesky.
And according to Creeley, the extra time to learn his profession is invaluable.
``It's a big leap from the academy to the field,'' Creeley said. ``It can be overwhelming.''
To better prepare himself, Creeley used the down time on a recent evening shift to study city maps and memorize street names and landmarks. At the same time, Solesky quizzed him on the proper procedures for filling out police reports and comprehending police codes.
``What's a Code 3?,'' asked Solesky.
``It means everybody respond to the scene,'' answered Creeley correctly. ``Drop everything and respond right away,'' he added.
As Creeley and Solesky spent the evening responding to call after call, the young rookie repeatedly referred to his training at the academy.
In one instance, after pulling a driver over for a minor traffic violation, Creeley, flashlight in hand, scoured the back seat and passenger side of the vehicle while Solesky interviewed the driver.
``I think I saw a drug pipe in there,'' said Creeley while the two checked on the car's license number and the driver's record from their cruiser.
``You sure?'' asked Solesky.
``Yeah, I think so,'' Creeley replied.
With the driver's permission, the two searched the vehicle but found no drug paraphernalia. Instead, they turned up an air conditioner bracket, a device sometimes converted to a pipe for smoking marijuana. Although in this instance the device was benign, Solesky, a former narcotics officer, praised his partner.
``Excellent call,'' he said enthusiastically. ``In the academy, we teach the recruits to look for devices that can be used for drugs. That was a good call.''
Life on the streets is pretty much what Creeley expected.
``The academy prepared us well,'' he said. ``I may not be ready to hit the streets alone, but I am ready to do my job.''
That's what academy instructors long to hear. For five months, instructors saturated rookies (called recruits in the academy) on a variety of topics including firearms training, defensive tactics, first aid, federal and state law, defensive driving and cultural diversity, just to name a few.
The department's community policing approach to law enforcement was constantly mentioned throughout the recruits' training. Community policing encourages officers to become involved with neighborhoods and residential areas in order to better work with the citizens to improve the safety of the streets.
Whatever the subject of study, the instructors aimed to arm the recruits with what they needed to know before tackling the city streets.
In some cases, instruction took place in a classroom setting. Defensive tactics, which involves close-quarters combat, demanded a more hands-on approach, which often left the recruits black-and-blue and sore.
The ``redman test'' is a defensive tactics test the recruits both love and hate at the same time. The test works like this: One recruit dresses in red protective head and body gear (that's where the ``redman'' terminology came from) and attacks another recruit posing as a street officer. The attack is no-holds-barred as the ``redman'' and the recruit come to blows, sometimes for several minutes.
``They need to know just how physical a confrontation can be,'' said Tony Boone, defensive tactics instructor. ``They might encounter someone that's willing to fight till the end, and it could take a few minutes before backup arrives. When you're fighting, a two-minute fight seems like two hours. It's exhausting.''
Recruits are advised to let the ``redman'' go if they're in danger of losing their weapon. If a recruit does lose his gun in the confrontation, he's considered a fatality. After all the recruits have taken their turn fighting the ``redman,'' they gather together to watch the results of the battles on video and exchange comments and constructive criticism.
Academy training was rigorous and seldom let up, but most of the recruits admitted they looked forward to several areas of study.
``Firearms and high-speed driving are the best,'' said Susan Mayo, while in her 12th week of the academy. ``They're both difficult to pass, but it's fun to take the car through the various courses. And firearms training is much more than just point-and-shoot.''
Fun or not, instructors made sure the recruits always knew the severity of their training.
``Forty percent of all officers killed in 1994 were killed in vehicle accidents,'' said Mike Swindell, the driving instructor. ``That's why this course is so tough and why we grade so hard. Fail here, and you're out.''
That sort of talk may have intimidated the recruits, but it also motivated them.
``It's been stressful,'' said Timothy Bonds, a Portsmouth sheriff's deputy who was taking a refresher course at the academy. ``The hurt will pay off in the long run. It's vital training.''
While teaching recruits what they need to know before wearing the badge, academy instructors emphasized the need to rely on the police officer's most important weapon. And it's not a gun.
``You have to think, people,'' said Boone. ``Use your brain and you'll have the element of surprise.''
And that's an edge Creeley never wants to lose.
``I never want to get to the point where I don't take traffic calls or any kind of call seriously,'' he said after wrapping up a traffic stop. ``That's when something is going to happen, and it could come at any time.''
According to Solesky, being alert isn't all Creeley and the other rookies will need to see them through their careers.
``This job is ever-changing,'' Solesky told his partner. ``You have to take it upon yourself to know about changes in the law, changes on the job. It's constant upkeep.''
That's why, for Creeley and the other rookies of the Chesapeake police department, the training continues. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
ROOKIES
[Color Photo]
Staff photos, including cover, by STEVE EARLEY
Rookie police officer Aaron Creeley, left, watches as Sgt. Mark
Solesky talks to a woman involved in a domestic dispute. In photo at
the top of the page, Creeley waits outside the 2nd Precinct in South
Norfolk.
Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
Rookie Aaron Creeley, left, listens as Sgt. Mark Solesky explains
how he and other police officers handled a domestic dispute.
Creeley stands near the passenger door of a van that Sgt. Mark
Solesky has stopped for a broken tail light.
Creeley stands near the passenger door of a van that Sgt. Mark
Solesky has stopped for a broken tail light.
by CNB