by Patrick Corcoran

Created on: June 27, 2008   Last Updated: July 26, 2008

Ever since I was old enough to put thoughts together I wanted to be a police officer. Growing up I admired my older brothers and grandfather who were cops. I watched and observed uniformed officers wherever I happened to see them. I read every book or article I could get my hands on that described what it was like to be a cop.

When I turned 20 years old I would decide on a direction in the morning and drive in that direction until I came across a police agancy. I would apply to that agency by filling out forms that consisted of two, to as many as five pages and this was a long time before the internet. I would continue driving in the same direction, applying at every police agency until the close of the business day. The next morning I would do the same thing in another direction because I was determined to be a police officer and I didn't care the size or location of the department.

My best friend at the time, a girlfriend, assisted me in this endeavor and supported me throughout. Also during this time I would ask police officers I knew for advice. There seemed to be a common theme amongst them, "Don't get married." Most of the officers I knew were either single, having domestic troubles or had been divorced at least once.

During the next several months I endured physical exams, agility ratings and written tests administered by the agencies that liked my application. This required more traveling, studying, and physical stamina. My girlfriend was by my side through the entire ordeal.

In less than a year I was accepted by two major police departments and I chose the one that was closest to my home and family, sixty miles away. Before leaving for the academy training I went against the other experienced officer's advice and married my girlfriend.

For the next six months I attended the police academy learning patrol techniques, report writing, law and how to defend myself. Sociology and psychology courses administered by the local community college were part of the police department curriculum. Driving emergency vehicles and firearms training were also on the agenda.

Every morning of the academy we were tested on the information we had learned the day before. On any given morning if you received below a 70 percent score on a daily test you were out. The stress was difficult to deal with because I was living in a strange city with a wife and a one year lease on an apartment but WE somehow managed to get through it.

When the 22 weeks of classroom training

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>