He has been given a laundry list of supplies and items needed by next week in addition to the laundry list of things he's already had to purchase and the laundry list of things yet to purchase by the time he graduates. . . I have a feeling he'll always need something, and it's most likely that his department won't supply it. Right now he just needs to purchase shooting glasses and a large duffel bag for all his stuff. They have asked the cadets to not arrive at the academy or leave the academy in their uniforms because of personal safety. Unfortunately, my mind likes to wander at this point and then I cringe. And then I put it in the back of my mind and try not to think about it anymore.
They also recommended a couple of books: On Combat and On Killing by Dave Grossman. Also, an officer that he works with that is on the brink of retirement gave him a bunch of his old books. I wonder if they are still applicable or if they are just completely outdated. It was still a nice gesture. It looks like they are intended for the administration-minded officer. Any book recommendations out there for either myself or the cop? I've been hearing a lot about "I Love a Cop" and I think I will definitely look into that. Here's the stack of books the officer gave him.
HF has been helping CJ a lot this week. He said that when they were practicing scenarios and she would go to draw her gun, her belt was so loose, that when she would try and lift her gun out, the belt would go up in the air with her gun as she struggled to get it out. She was saying things like, "my belt's too big!" or "I lost weight and my pants are all baggy now!". He would try to explain to her why she needs a belt that fits and she would just argue with him until he grabbed ahold of her belt on each side of her and basically spun the belt around her waist while she was wearing it to show her how ridiculously loose it was. It didn't seem to make sense to her why an officer would wear their pants and their belt a certain way. Even though this has all been explained to them at the beginning of the academy. Maybe it would all make sense when she is forced to shoot someone, but can't get her gun out and they shoot her instead. SCARY. Everything he tells me about this girl, I've either seen on Charlie's Angels or an old black and white western.
Well I'm off. I have to do laundry. I want to cry because HF just informed me that he has to have creases in his shirts and pants from now on and I don't do creases. Thank goodness his department he'll be working for has free dry cleaning service. This has been a long week and I have a feeling it's going to be an even longer next couple of weeks.
10 comments:
Hang in there Mrs Fuzz! We're all pulling for the both of you!
HM
PS - Don't shoot.
Uh oh.
I have only one piece of "old cop's wife" advice: STOP IRONING HIS UNIFORMS!
I fell for that when we were both active duty and then when he was in the academy I started again. Until I realized that it's part of the lesson that HE has to learn in the academy. Not me. HE.
Course, I'm meaner than a snake ;)
(and I hope HF avoids CJ like the plague. Can't tell you why, just that my 'spidey sense' is tingling. Maybe she's NOT bad news. I don't want you to find out)
I concur with Ms. Meadowlark--put down the iron, walk away! I know you want to make his life easier--but he need to know how to do that. Your sanity is at stake here as well. Actually, I've never ironed. I, um, traded favors to get him to iron my uniform when I was active duty. So pathetic. :D But my uniform looked sharp!
My husband is out at the range instructing the new academy class right now. He just sent me a text saying he's tired of yelling. Apparently it's an entire class full of your CJs!
On the yelling and berating part of the academy? I remember in boot camp thinking--is that it? You can't beat me up any more (kinder, gentler Navy and all that). It's just yelling. And it won't last. Just don't start to laugh at the veins popping out at the neck of the one yelling. Apparently they don't appreciate that.
Dori, I remember thinking that in Marine Corps boot camp. It's not like they could punch you. Sure, they might 'accidentally' bump into you and you might 'accidentally' fall, but in the long run - well, let's just say that they had NOTHIN' on my first husband. They didn't scare me at all!!!
Two months left in the academy, and they're just now starting the "drill sergeant" routine? That's bass-ackwards. They started that on day two for us (day one was all human resources paperwork). By the time we were down to a couple months left, they were starting to ease up a bit.
On the ironing front, creases aren't that bad. I don't do the military creases on the front & back of the shirt or anything, but throwing a crease on a shirt sleeve or a pant leg is easy. Just make sure you cover that area when you spray starch on the clothes beforehand, and then crease it with a hot iron the same way you would press a crease into paper with your finger.
Of course that last paragraph is coming from a cop and not from a cop's wife. I don't think I've seen my wife so much as touch an iron in ten years of marriage. When you think about it, I might be building a stronger case for Meadowlark's suggestion. :)
My academy experience was similar to Beserk's--lots of hollering for the first part, but became less and less by the time firearm instruction came around.
Free dry cleaning will be awesome for you and him then.
As for book recommendations, I think David Klinger's (a former LAPD officer now a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis) book: "Into the Kill Zone: A Cop's Eye View of Deadly Force" would be a worthy read for any officer.
Klinger interviewed hundreds of officers involved in deadly force incidents and the book contains excerpts of those talks--including his own violent encounter.
Klinger lets officers talk about the split second decisions that go into use of force incidents as well as the many after effects. A good read for someone just starting in law enforcement as it helps the officer to explore the applicable use of deadly force in his/her own mind.
More on the book is here: Klinger.
That chick is just so wacko it's hard to believe she is a real person - not like a cartoon, or like you said Charlie's Angels.
I just found your blog and am enjoying it. My husband's been a LEO for about 9 years now.
One of Hubby's secrets to good creases is to take a new uniform to the dry cleaners and have it pressed. Then he can do a quick pass with the iron after he washes it. I take no responsibility for his work clothes!
There was a "CJ" type in my JD's first academy too. She made the whole group look bad. And didn't make it out in the real LEO world, of course.
As far as the uniforms, ya know, I guess I'm odd man out here. I don't mind doing JD's uniforms. But I also like "taking care" of him. Guess I'm weird that way.
What I do about the creases? I take them to the laundromat. Have them dry cleaned & pressed. Then I do them myself for the next few months, following those same crease lines. Till the lines finally fade away, then back to the laundromat they go again. LOL
Hi 5150 wife...
I think the ironing thing (for me at least) is less about "taking care of him" and more about "I ironed enough when I was active duty" ;)
I make breakfast, his lunch and dinner every day.... but gotta draw the line at ironing. ;)
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