Academy

I am about to go through the police academy at the Saint Petersburg college, and I would like as much advice as possible. What should I expect? It’s my understanding that out of 32 recruits, about 10 drop/fail. Is this mostly because of bad attitudes and lack of physical fitness? Should I get a 19 or a 17 glock firearm? How are the exams each week structured? Are the instructors there to assist, help, and guide the students, or are they known to be unhelpful. Do they do PT at the end of the day, and do all the students take showers (I was told they have showers there, a bit odd?). Where will I be trained to use my firearm? If anyone could answer any of these questions, please do. I would really appreciate ANY advice I can get. Thanks!

I am about to go through the police academy at the Saint Petersburg college, and I would like as much advice as possible.

After 25+ years as a LEO here's my advice - Don't Do It Kid, get as much education as possible (at least a M.A.) and then get a job that pays $$$$ for you and your family.

A better idea, get off your lazy a$$, stay off the computer and go down to the campus and watch for day. Ask the recruits questions at lunch. I don't have a crystal ball, but I don't see LEO in your future. Try KFC

I say take the advice of the person who said don't do it! go to school and earn a degree so you can make lots of money with better hours instead of being underpaid, overworked and not being able to much anymore..stop someone of a different color..your profiling and racist. Areest them you get your name in the paper..if they shoot at you and you shoot back and hit them, expect time off, court trial...poss prison...it's getting to the point that the criminal wins all the time... and we have to worry about all the crap..don't do it.

I am about to go through the police academy at the Saint Petersburg college, and I would like as much advice as possible. What should I expect? It’s my understanding that out of 32 recruits, about 10 drop/fail. Is this mostly because of bad attitudes and lack of physical fitness? Should I get a 19 or a 17 glock firearm? How are the exams each week structured? Are the instructors there to assist, help, and guide the students, or are they known to be unhelpful. Do they do PT at the end of the day, and do all the students take showers (I was told they have showers there, a bit odd?). Where will I be trained to use my firearm? If anyone could answer any of these questions, please do. I would really appreciate ANY advice I can get. Thanks!

Why post on a message that has no activity for nearly two months?

Oh by the way, sounds like you need a new career if you are a LEO.

Stay Safe!

Holy mother of nut, some of you pppd ego's are out of control. why do you always feel the need to bash potential recruits? are you that insecure? the way some of you a-holes talk you'd think you were some super cop at a major agency like pcso, for example. get over yourselves and your exclusive "club." :roll:

I am not of fan of the person who gave cat manure advice to the recruit but come on deputy. You my friend are worse. Please stay at your "major" agency. Then, take a pin and jab it into that inflated head of yours.

We get it...You use to work at the Park and most likely left about seven years ago or so. You have questioned your decision ever since because it has not stayed the same troubled agency as when you were here. You have reached the land of the mediocre at PCSO when you probably had a chance at something more here. Sorry for your luck.

Please try and enjoy working the extra years of your career to make up the time you could have retired earlier here since you reset your pension clock. Please don't take your bitterness out on the rest of us who have stayed.

Keep hoping that the County will one day take over the whole playground as opposed to just trying to steal everyones lunch money that way you can be justified that your decision to leave so many years ago was a wise one. Just hope it happens because right now...every two weeks the PCSO tax rolls decrease and various city budgets increase as cities across the county annex more property. Your patrol areas shrink as ours increase. We understand your frustration but we certainly understand that your Sheriff has to tout consolidation in an effort to sustain the very existence of the "major" agency you work for.

We wish you luck as we did when you left. Please extend us the same courtesy. Stay safe brother.

To The (trailer) Park: Bro you know that's just the PPPD way. Don't ever actually try to help anybody, just beat them down, till they leave. I believe Hemple (Porno boy) was the master at this. At leaast when I worked there they didn't bash the crap out of you until you actually started. Things are a little different now, I guess. Be safe all.

You are half right...When you left and Hempel was still here...morale was bad, verbal beat downs ocurred, and guess what...many changes were made. Not the least of which was a new Chief who has turned this ship 180 degress in the opposite direction. I know you haven't been here to see it because as I predicted...you are one who left seven years ago or slightly earlier before the new Chief and her administration could enact change.

I do not condone whoever bashed the newbie at the start of this thread, it is counter productive as this is a noble career. I will even side with you and say this. To the officer(s) who gave the advice to not enter the profession. I say if that is how you feel, it is time for you to go. There are plenty of us...almost all...including our deputy friend who still champion this job as noble and worthwhile.

As for you former park officer and now star deputy at a "major agency" you are almost as bad in my book because you come on here and slam an agency that you can't recognize anymore. Too much has changed since you left for your past perceptions to hold true. If you worked as hard to make PCSO look good as you do to continue to try and make us look bad, then perhaps PCSO would be a better agency for it. I'm not so sure right now. Either way, at one time we were friends, stay safe, tell Scott we are glad he is safe, and please...in the future just wish us well and focus on your department.

You guys/gals at PPPD are brutal when it comes to bashing anyone interested or asking for information about your dept. Not just this thread...I've seen it before. I realize it's not all of you but the bashers seem to be the majority on this board. Shame on you.