each year. Instructors are responsible for
training offi cers at every level, from town
police departments to sheriff’s departments
the state police.
Departments choose which recruits to
send to the academy. The Rutland City
Police Department recently sent Patrol
Offi cer Mike Delehanty, who graduated
in May and has been serving on the force
in Rutland since. He said his training
prepared him for his job.
“They put you in as real-life scenarios as
possible to deal with when you fi nally get
out on the road,” he said.
He also appreciated the ability to
network with recruits from different
agencies. He said the most diffi cult part of
the academy was not having much contact
with home, though he added that the lack
of contact probably helped him focus on
his studies.
“Early on, you get one phone call for a
few minutes a night,” he said. “They give
you more later on, but there’s very little
contact with home.”
Delehanty said that he is proud of his
classmates at the academy, and of future
classes, for pursuing a career in law
enforcement.
“Nowadays, fewer and fewer people
are getting into this career,” he said. “I
JEFFREY BAUER, CENTER, SOON TO BE COLCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT’S NEWEST MEMBER, HOLDS THE AMERICAN FLAG AS IT’S
REMOVED DURING THE FINAL LOWERING CEREMONY AT THE 103RD BASIC TRAINING CLASS GRADUATION AT THE VERMONT POLICE
ACADEMY IN PITTSFORD ON MAY 26, 2017.
give everyone so much credit for getting
into this fi eld that so many people aren’t
pursuing anymore, or don’t want anything
to do with it, unfortunately.”
Gauthier said that pride in the job is part
of what the academy hopes to instill in
recruits.
“We want them to have pride in their
profession. We want them to understand
that they are public servants and that
their goal is to be of value to the public.
... We want them to understand that law
enforcement professionalism requires them
to follow the code of ethics,” he said. “The
overall expectation is that they would
conduct themselves to the highest standard
of the profession regardless of the scenario
they are in.”
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RUTLAND HERALD HOMETOWN HEROES JULY 2019 • 5