Pre-Academy Training Includes Pointing Out the Racists
Apparently.
My agency had a program that ran for a couple of years where people in the process or interested in the process of applying to my department could be exposed to some of the ideas, issues, and experiences involved in police work.
The primary instructor happened to be someone who would classify himself as a minority group member.
The training was very much like what I would later do in the academy.
We ran together. We discussed the law.
I think it was actually quite helpful and I was grateful for the opportunity.
The instructors were all helpful and friendly to me and I had no issues with anyone.
Sunshine and roses.
Then, one Saturday, we got to meet a few of the actual academy instructors who were there to show us how to perform to academy standards for some of the physical fitness requirements.
I remember there was one guy on the stage doing pushups and another explaining the process. People cheat on pushups, y'all. It is no joke. In order to pass the fitness exam, you had to perform a certain number of pushups to the same standard in one minute.
Well, while these two men were up on stage, I was seated near another candidate who happened to also be of the same minority group as the primary instructor.
He walked up to our row and was talking with her and he told this candidate, this potential academy trainee who was not yet employed by the city, "Those are two of the most racist motherfuckers you will ever meet."
I was quite taken aback. This man had been nothing but professional and helpful. I didn't know what to think. Was it true? Maybe. I mean I couldn't see any reason why anyone would treat this man unfairly.
So, as things worked out, the candidate to whom he was speaking, did not make the final cut for the next academy. If I recall correctly, it was the PT test. Too bad because she was very likeable and I think she came to the career wanting to help people.
Well, so, I start the academy some months later and I realize that one of the men of whom that man was speaking was my supervisor in the academy.
What to do?
Well, I did what I always do. I discard other peoples' opinions of others and I observe.
So, for seven months, I never said anything about this to anyone. More, really, because it happened prior to my academy even starting.
I watched my supervisor and all of the academy staff and how they interacted with everyone. And I do think there was a little problem at the swimming pool one day that was a little concerning. But the supervisor wasn't even there. It had nothing to do with him and I wasn't sure what even happened. It sounded like one of our trainers just couldn't comprehend that one of the trainees was truly about to drown in four feet of water because he was so terrified of swimming and had never been in a swimming pool before. They were of different ethnic backgrounds. I know the trainee felt it was discriminatory and I can understand that. I'm just not sure that is what I believe it was. I think it is entirely possible the trainer would have had the same attitude with someone of his own ethnicity.
So, that is all I saw in those seven months. I saw several Caucasian males get a lot of heat from instructors and I did see females get heat, but I did not, so I can't make a blanket statement about that.
After the academy, after my training session, long after I had made my own assessments of the character of those around me, and long after that supervisor had any direct authority over me, I went to that supervisor and told him what was said.
I know that he filed an EEO complaint. I know the complaint was dismissed for "lack of cause." And the accuser was not disciplined for the (what I really feel was) unprofessional behavior.
The supervisor is still around. He's super arrogant and opinionated. But I've worked with him since then and I still don't see justification for the public accusation against him.
I also know that the man who made the accusation was in serious trouble two times, fired the second, for integrity issues and abuse of privilege issues and that he later resisted arrest when contacted while driving DUI in our own jurisdiction.
So, make your own conclusions about who was the racist. I made mine.
My agency had a program that ran for a couple of years where people in the process or interested in the process of applying to my department could be exposed to some of the ideas, issues, and experiences involved in police work.
The primary instructor happened to be someone who would classify himself as a minority group member.
The training was very much like what I would later do in the academy.
We ran together. We discussed the law.
I think it was actually quite helpful and I was grateful for the opportunity.
The instructors were all helpful and friendly to me and I had no issues with anyone.
Sunshine and roses.
Then, one Saturday, we got to meet a few of the actual academy instructors who were there to show us how to perform to academy standards for some of the physical fitness requirements.
I remember there was one guy on the stage doing pushups and another explaining the process. People cheat on pushups, y'all. It is no joke. In order to pass the fitness exam, you had to perform a certain number of pushups to the same standard in one minute.
Well, while these two men were up on stage, I was seated near another candidate who happened to also be of the same minority group as the primary instructor.
He walked up to our row and was talking with her and he told this candidate, this potential academy trainee who was not yet employed by the city, "Those are two of the most racist motherfuckers you will ever meet."
I was quite taken aback. This man had been nothing but professional and helpful. I didn't know what to think. Was it true? Maybe. I mean I couldn't see any reason why anyone would treat this man unfairly.
So, as things worked out, the candidate to whom he was speaking, did not make the final cut for the next academy. If I recall correctly, it was the PT test. Too bad because she was very likeable and I think she came to the career wanting to help people.
Well, so, I start the academy some months later and I realize that one of the men of whom that man was speaking was my supervisor in the academy.
What to do?
Well, I did what I always do. I discard other peoples' opinions of others and I observe.
So, for seven months, I never said anything about this to anyone. More, really, because it happened prior to my academy even starting.
I watched my supervisor and all of the academy staff and how they interacted with everyone. And I do think there was a little problem at the swimming pool one day that was a little concerning. But the supervisor wasn't even there. It had nothing to do with him and I wasn't sure what even happened. It sounded like one of our trainers just couldn't comprehend that one of the trainees was truly about to drown in four feet of water because he was so terrified of swimming and had never been in a swimming pool before. They were of different ethnic backgrounds. I know the trainee felt it was discriminatory and I can understand that. I'm just not sure that is what I believe it was. I think it is entirely possible the trainer would have had the same attitude with someone of his own ethnicity.
So, that is all I saw in those seven months. I saw several Caucasian males get a lot of heat from instructors and I did see females get heat, but I did not, so I can't make a blanket statement about that.
After the academy, after my training session, long after I had made my own assessments of the character of those around me, and long after that supervisor had any direct authority over me, I went to that supervisor and told him what was said.
I know that he filed an EEO complaint. I know the complaint was dismissed for "lack of cause." And the accuser was not disciplined for the (what I really feel was) unprofessional behavior.
The supervisor is still around. He's super arrogant and opinionated. But I've worked with him since then and I still don't see justification for the public accusation against him.
I also know that the man who made the accusation was in serious trouble two times, fired the second, for integrity issues and abuse of privilege issues and that he later resisted arrest when contacted while driving DUI in our own jurisdiction.
So, make your own conclusions about who was the racist. I made mine.
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