The demands that add to the stress put on recruits include keeping their dorm( top) and uniforms immaculate and standing in attention in the chow line.
stress isn’ t too bad,” Labell states.“ Look, I’ m here because I want to be the best. I’ ve paid my own way. I’ ve paid for my own uniforms. I’ m going to work my butt off until I get that job.”
Peahota acknowledges that he didn’ t train as hard as he would have liked prior to the start, but that might result from being on the job in Avalon for the past couple of months. His perspective comes from one who worked as a Class 2 officer in Stone Harbor for three years waiting for a call with a job.
He also has the perspective of sleeping on the top bunk, where he says he has been waking up periodically through the night, feeling for the edges of the bed to keep from falling out.“ It’ s a big change not sleeping in your own bed, not having the comforts of home,” Peahota shares.“ But five months for the rest of your life; I can deal with that.”
The recruits and the drill instructors alike will come to love having Peahota in the class because he is one of those we’ re-allin-this-together guys. He talks about looking out for the little things like making sure nobody has a tag sticking out on a uniform that makes the heat come down:“ It’ s not one person being singled out. We’ re all getting punished,” he details.“ My dad always told me to try and learn from other people’ s mistakes as well as my own mistakes. See what they did, try to help them out and in the long run it will help you out.”
As for what he’ s learned about how to make it through this journey:
“ They tell us it’ s mind over matter,” Peahota confessed.“ It’ s true.”
During the coming weeks, Labell, Peahota and those who continue to survive the misspelled words will have to face training on room-clearing techniques, forcible entry and intuitive shooting, as well as classroom modules in crisis intervention, racial profiling, a week of criminal law and more than 100 other topics that are part of the Police Training Commission curriculum.
Nagel predicts a definite improvement will be showing by week five. Part 3 will pick up there, so let’ s see. Stay tuned. d
www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ SEPTEMBER 2016 53