I really want to hear a discussion on boot camp training and paramilitary police academy training. History, how, why, changes, pros and cons.
I went though the police academy in 07. Started teaching at our regional academy around 2014 probably. Right now I’m trying to get a federal job which will require another academy. As far as boot camp goes I really don't know anything about it. I'm more interested in police academy training. However police academies seem to be based off of boot camp style training. This also makes me curious to hear about the history of boot camp in general. Especially since (I think at least) the military has changed so much since the late 1800's or early 1900's. How has boot camp changed and what exactly was it created for.
While everything I'm about to write is based off of my academy experience as a student and instructor (separate academies same state) I have a strong suspicion most are similar elsewhere.
Also the fact that every single FTO tells people "forget everything you learned in the academy." Well what the fuck is the point of having an academy. It seems that the only reason it exist is for tradition. I went through a sucky experience, so you should too.
What I have observed.
PT aspect. A very diverse group of people are brought in. Extremely different in age, physical ability, work capacity, technique, recovery ability and many other things. Basically the plan is to run a lot and do push ups. I'm a former college athlete, so the PT wasn't that hard for me. I do know that in the end and got much weaker overall. I'm 6-01 and went in around 190+ and I came out in the mid 170s. I see similar things at each academy. Most people don't actually have trouble getting the run time or even push ups they are already skinny and probably weak. I guarantee they all leave weaker overall. One question I have is what is the point of PT? Its not training for the job. If it was there would actually be some thought put into it on how to maximize performance. There is a diminishing return on everything. At some point, someone can run fast enough or long enough or be strong enough that focus can be put on something else. There is zero thought put into recovery or mobility or even strength. Is this too much to ask from an academy? At some levels it probably is, but not for others.
As far as physical fitness goes, you have people for 12-20 weeks. You could really help people physically. How many fat cops or even not fat cops are going to complain about back pain or other pains that develop because they sit all day. "We are making sure people can survive" or some other bullshit. Why not actually spend the entire time working on jujitsu or kick boxing. I don't mean all day every day, but 2 or 3 times a week instead of a few days of PPCT.
The overall yelling and fuckery
I will be the first to admit I came in green as fuck and I think some of this was good for me. As an instructor I see a lot of this bullshit get in the way of people actually learning. Ok, I need you to get up at 0400 and get smoked. Now I want you to sit in a classroom and pay attention. By the way, you can't have any coffee and someone may come in here and fuck with you some more. Maybe there is a good explanation of why this is valuable. That's why I'm bringing this up, but I don't know what is has to do with with me being on patrol or CID or what I do now. I have no problem with and actually support some sort of selection process no matter how miserable you want to make it.
Marching?
The overall teaching / instructors
I mainly teach firearms. I have a pretty damn good grasp on shooting, instructing, whats relevant and not. I recently saw a video of a fed academy. I am have a strong feeling that what is being taught for firearms even at that level is garbage. I know how it is with firearms instructors. Everyone on here knows. Knowing that, I can't help but feel its the same way with every single topic that's taught in police academies. I know there are some really good instructors also, but from what I've seen personally at least with subjects I know a lot about, its pretty bad.
I went though the police academy in 07. Started teaching at our regional academy around 2014 probably. Right now I’m trying to get a federal job which will require another academy. As far as boot camp goes I really don't know anything about it. I'm more interested in police academy training. However police academies seem to be based off of boot camp style training. This also makes me curious to hear about the history of boot camp in general. Especially since (I think at least) the military has changed so much since the late 1800's or early 1900's. How has boot camp changed and what exactly was it created for.
While everything I'm about to write is based off of my academy experience as a student and instructor (separate academies same state) I have a strong suspicion most are similar elsewhere.
Also the fact that every single FTO tells people "forget everything you learned in the academy." Well what the fuck is the point of having an academy. It seems that the only reason it exist is for tradition. I went through a sucky experience, so you should too.
What I have observed.
PT aspect. A very diverse group of people are brought in. Extremely different in age, physical ability, work capacity, technique, recovery ability and many other things. Basically the plan is to run a lot and do push ups. I'm a former college athlete, so the PT wasn't that hard for me. I do know that in the end and got much weaker overall. I'm 6-01 and went in around 190+ and I came out in the mid 170s. I see similar things at each academy. Most people don't actually have trouble getting the run time or even push ups they are already skinny and probably weak. I guarantee they all leave weaker overall. One question I have is what is the point of PT? Its not training for the job. If it was there would actually be some thought put into it on how to maximize performance. There is a diminishing return on everything. At some point, someone can run fast enough or long enough or be strong enough that focus can be put on something else. There is zero thought put into recovery or mobility or even strength. Is this too much to ask from an academy? At some levels it probably is, but not for others.
As far as physical fitness goes, you have people for 12-20 weeks. You could really help people physically. How many fat cops or even not fat cops are going to complain about back pain or other pains that develop because they sit all day. "We are making sure people can survive" or some other bullshit. Why not actually spend the entire time working on jujitsu or kick boxing. I don't mean all day every day, but 2 or 3 times a week instead of a few days of PPCT.
The overall yelling and fuckery
I will be the first to admit I came in green as fuck and I think some of this was good for me. As an instructor I see a lot of this bullshit get in the way of people actually learning. Ok, I need you to get up at 0400 and get smoked. Now I want you to sit in a classroom and pay attention. By the way, you can't have any coffee and someone may come in here and fuck with you some more. Maybe there is a good explanation of why this is valuable. That's why I'm bringing this up, but I don't know what is has to do with with me being on patrol or CID or what I do now. I have no problem with and actually support some sort of selection process no matter how miserable you want to make it.
Marching?
The overall teaching / instructors
I mainly teach firearms. I have a pretty damn good grasp on shooting, instructing, whats relevant and not. I recently saw a video of a fed academy. I am have a strong feeling that what is being taught for firearms even at that level is garbage. I know how it is with firearms instructors. Everyone on here knows. Knowing that, I can't help but feel its the same way with every single topic that's taught in police academies. I know there are some really good instructors also, but from what I've seen personally at least with subjects I know a lot about, its pretty bad.