My First Day

After graduating from the academy, I was ready to take on the world or at least every criminal in my city. I had my uniform squared away with pressed sleeves and shined brass. My reports were stacked neatly in my metal report box, right next to a fresh tag book. Next up were three months of Field Training.

I asked to be assigned to the Central District. I was so excited to be working the same area I grew up in. On my first day, I arrived early, got my locker assigned, and found my seat at the end of the roll call table. Everything was fine until five minutes before roll call, my FTO walked in, looked down at my gun belt, and said,

“Take that damn club off your belt.”

She meant my Maglite flashlight that was almost as long as my arm. It was mandatory in the academy.

I quickly whipped my gun belt off and tried to slide all my leather gear around, but the Velcro on the inside and the tight leather made it nearly impossible. Everyone was watching me, salty dogs and rookies alike. I was trying not to let my shaking hands show as I jerked and pushed the tight leather gear around. Panic was rising inside me, but I just focused on getting that darn thing off my belt. I finally managed to slide the smaller Streamlight Stinger in its place. I sat back down at the roll call table, this time next to my FTO. I caught Officer Salk looking at me, but then he looked away.

Years later, while hanging out after work with our shift and having a beer in the parking lot, Officer Salk told me that when he looked at me across the table that day, I was white as a ghost. He said he felt bad for me because he knew something I didn’t know at the time, I had been assigned the hardest female FTO on our police department.

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Author’s note: I decided with the start of the new year, I would get back into writing my life stories, whether it be about my career, my childhood, or my present day. This was the first piece of memoir I felt inspired to write. Maybe because after 15 years on the force, I can’t help but smile at the naive rookie I was back then on my first day. I did post this on my other blog too.