Issue Date: 2/22/10
Police Training: Qualified cadets undergo rigorous course
By Kelley Foyt
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The 1,200-hour program consists of both classroom work and field training. Students are required to complete a minimum of what is equivalent to 57 units for graduation. Students are at the academy for 25 hours every week: from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for three nights a week and from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
"This program is a little more high stress than others," said Shanon Dreyer, Palomar's law enforcement training supervisor. "We want them to operate well on the field."
There are currently 43 students enrolled at the academy.
Bill Go, 51, is the oldest student at the academy. He's a retired lieutenant colonel who said that he's considering a career change or participation in reserve programs.
"When deciding which school to go to, I found that Palomar has the best-run police academy," Go said.
Sean Zappia, 19, is the youngest student at the academy. After graduating from high school, he attended Palomar for a year and a half before attending the academy. After he graduates, he says that he plans on going back to Palomar.
"It was my childhood dream to become a police officer," Zappia said. "I want to make a difference in my local community."
Shelly Maynard is one of the women enrolled at the academy. There are five female officers in training at Palomar, Dreyer said. Women account for only 13 percent of police officers in the United States, according to the National Center for Women and Policing Web site.
Maynard explained that after working at a desk job for most of her life, she wanted a career change.
"I want to help out my community," she said.
Helping out the community is one of the academy's focal points.
"Police officers are a modern day superhero for kids. It's important that we give the students a way to help the community, because that's their job in the long run," Dreyer said.
One way that the students give back to the community is by donating money to fallen officers. Each class dedicates their training to a fallen officer. Throughout their schooling, the students participate in community service activities to raise money. At their graduation, the students give each fallen officer's family a check.
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