CA POST study guides

[pkagel]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CABasicPolice/
Just saw my web site post fell off the list of discussions. Just reposting it.

[carabinero]

Thats a pretty cool group. I just found out Im in the San Diego Regional academy up at Miramar, so its nice to see a few comments about the LDs to keep me prepared, and also to see Im not the only self-sponsored cadet around. Good luck and keep up the great work with the site!

[pkagel]

Well, I'm currently in the process w/ Dallas TX so any updates you have please send my way as I'm kind of out of the CA loop now. I'll update them ASAP. Make sure you tell everyone you can about the web site as I'd like to make it the largest CA web site in the state for POST. If you want to work on some of the ones I didn't make like EVOC I'll incoporate them also into the web site.

[carabinero]

Well good luck with Dallas. Ill be sure to tell all my classmates about the website as well as soon as the academy starts. What made you decide to move to Dallas? My grandfather lives in Central Texas about 3 hours from there and I thought about looking in that area, but I decided to get started here in CA first and then move as a lateral if I cant bear San Diego life anymore (meaning house prices). Good luck!

[pkagel]

well, schools for one and the fact that I can nearly buy a house cash with my profits off my house here in SoCal plus it will be over twice the size and 50 years newer. Sure, I'll miss the perfect weather but the politics and such out here are getting to be a bit much for me. Tx treats it's death row right and it seems they have a much better rapor with the citizens than do Ca officers.

[richjorg]

PKagel,

You paid your way through FCPA and are now trying to get on in Dallas, TX. Does your POST cert have any weight there or did you get certified for nothing? Or do you not consider it a waste of money.

I am contemplating putting myself through a reserve academy or extended academy. Any thoughts?

Richjorg

[pkagel]

Well, I had a few reasons for doing it the way I did. Back when I got out of the Navy I screwed up one academy after getting hired for a few reasons. (long story) I decided a few years ago I wanted to move back to Tx and most all the departments req' college credits. Going to an extended academy allowed me to earn 54 units while working full time (no sleep the entire year though) and also allowed me to mostly put behind me the screwing up I did the first time I went through. I have been told different stories on wether my CA POST will exempt me from having to go through another academy and just take the TCLEOSE test but it really doesn't matter as Dallas will make me go through their academy anyway. I'm not to worried about it though, just more and different training to build me into a better officer before I hit the streets. Heck, I went over to the FCPA tonight and was an actor in the scenarios. I learned a lot being on the other side of the scenario since I wasn't worried about screwing up like I was when I was a recruit.

[pkagel]

Why just do a reserve academy, do the whole thing and then you can go reserve if you feel like it or full time if you catch the bug. Where are you located in LA? FCPA is right off of the 91 and Rio Hondo is off of the 605. I learned a lot at FCPA as it is more about teaching than it is about military where I've heard the opposite about RH. You might come out to FCPA next friday evening at 5:30 pm and do scenarios just to meet some of the staff and get a feel for how the place is run.

Originally Posted by richjorg

PKagel,

I am contemplating putting myself through a reserve academy or extended academy. Any thoughts?

Richjorg

[carabinero]

What exactly happened with that academy? Did you fail tests or something? Im just asking so I can get an idea of what Im in for. Ive heard a few out of each class fail out, but Ivew never really given any thought to the possibility of one of those cadets being me...then again Im sure no one really thinks it will be them. I was an engineering student in college so the academics wont be a problem, but Im sure there are tons of ways to fail out that dont involve a paper and pencil. Hopefully I wont gain any first person insight on the matter.

[pkagel]

The short of it is even a little long. I was right out of the Navy (nuclear rx operator) and joined the Sheriff's dept. I was also taking Ripped Fuel that contains the Mao Hung (I know I butchered the spelling) from GNC. The Ripped Fuel really reacted bad with me though I didn't realize it until quite a while after it was all over and I was off of it. Also, I didn't take enough time to decompress after the Navy. I spent 8.5 years in and didn't realize how institutionalized I had become. I was making horrible decisions and was starting to scare myself and was just overall doing horrible in everything except academics. Long story short, I quit before I could get fired, took two years off, re-evaluated my life, got myself back on track and kicked holy butt at FCPA as a squad leader and I was also in charge of the shooting range for our class. I also had a much better time of it since I was doing so good. Just don't get to cocky at the academy as engineering types are bound to do, I know I did and that didn't help either the first time around. My second time around I just said I was in the Navy and left it at that, not mentioning my schooling.

[carabinero]

I didnt plan on telling anyone I was an EE major, but if anyone asks about computers or electronics Ill have problems biting my tongue. Aside from Physical and academic stuff what else is there to worry about? You said you were a squad leader? I didnt even know that position existed. Ive heard about scenario tests, and I would imagine those will be pretty hard. Im reviewing the LDs ahead of time to try and get a foundation established with this stuff. So youre academy was less of a paramilitary style and more academic? Ive heard Miramar is pretty militaristic, but I guess Ill know a lot better pretty soon.

[pkagel]

O, my academy was paramilitary, marching, yelling, screaming, cussing us out and such but most of that ended after the first two months. It was still there, don't get me wrong, just not all the time as we spent so much time in class. Our academy had squad leaders and a class leader along w/ class president, VP, secretary, photographer and historian. the last 4 are elected and the squad leaders and class leader are picked by the staff. Other academies do it differently but you'll still have some leadership positions of some sort. If people ask about computers you can tell them. Letting it slip is one thing, being cocky is another. The guy with the highest academic score in the class will probably surprise you in the end where the best guy in PT will be obvious. Your best guy in firearms will more than likely be quiet about the fact that he has ever even shot but that doesn't always hold true.

[carabinero]

Im shooting for the top of the class academically. I probably wont enjoy pt for the first couple months, and my shooting experience is marginal. What were the worst guys that made it like in each of those areas? Ive heard we have daily 3 mile runs and the target time is 30 minutes, not 100% sure on that. The reason is ask is simply to get an idea of where I currently fall (mostly concerned about pt). I know where the top guys are going to be, but I have no idea where the floor is. I cant wait to get yelled at, college professors tend to stick to snide remarks and attack your emotional core rather than just swearing.

[pkagel]

Don't worry about the shooting if you don't already shoot. They will teach you how they want you to shoot. As far as the PT, sounds like you know you need to work on it. You will probably start out around 2 miles and work up from there quickly. Get your run up to at least 6 miles and you'lll be good to go. The worst guys get a lot more attention. In the shooting if you are having trouble they will help you and be nice about it. If you are unsafe be prepared for the hurricane that you will deserve. For the runs, the guys in the back got a lot more attention but as long as they were trying they got respect. If you give up then you won't be having fun. Have you tried the wall yet? Can you climb a rope? Practice these things so you can hit them the first time out.

[richjorg]

Originally Posted by pkagel

Why just do a reserve academy, do the whole thing and then you can go reserve if you feel like it or full time if you catch the bug. Where are you located in LA? FCPA is right off of the 91 and Rio Hondo is off of the 605. I learned a lot at FCPA as it is more about teaching than it is about military where I've heard the opposite about RH. You might come out to FCPA next friday evening at 5:30 pm and do scenarios just to meet some of the staff and get a feel for how the place is run.

The reserve academy is a few thousand dollars less than the extended academy!

[pkagel]

Maybe so, depends, but you'll want to advance as a reserve and be able to get a f/t spot on the dept if one comes up and if you already have your full post then you'll be ready to jump in if need be. Also, You'll only need to go once. A buddy in my class was a reserve and he was forced to go through the whole academy again because he wanted to go f/t.

Originally Posted by richjorg

The reserve academy is a few thousand dollars less than the extended academy!

[richjorg]

Originally Posted by pkagel

Maybe so, depends, but you'll want to advance as a reserve and be able to get a f/t spot on the dept if one comes up and if you already have your full post then you'll be ready to jump in if need be. Also, You'll only need to go once. A buddy in my class was a reserve and he was forced to go through the whole academy again because he wanted to go f/t.

Good point. And, hey, what's a few thousand bucks.

[pkagel]

actually, since most of our academies are run through the junior college system the cost difference is probably less than a few thousand bucks. For either academy you'll need the same LD's, same uniforms, equipment and a gun. The difference would only be the tuition and the time so I figure maybe 500$ plus 5 months of time if you go an extended academy. If you wanted to go full time after doing reserves you might end up going to a different academy and then you would need all new uniforms and gear which would end up costing you a lot more in the long run, not to mention the extra time you would spend.

Along the lines of this subject matter, I have heard that Rio Hondo is going to start teaching their classes in the modular format so that might be a nice route to take. You could take one module at a time and see how you like it.

[richjorg]

Originally Posted by pkagel

actually, since most of our academies are run through the junior college system the cost difference is probably less than a few thousand bucks. For either academy you'll need the same LD's, same uniforms, equipment and a gun. The difference would only be the tuition and the time so I figure maybe 500$ plus 5 months of time if you go an extended academy. If you wanted to go full time after doing reserves you might end up going to a different academy and then you would need all new uniforms and gear which would end up costing you a lot more in the long run, not to mention the extra time you would spend.

Along the lines of this subject matter, I have heard that Rio Hondo is going to start teaching their classes in the modular format so that might be a nice route to take. You could take one module at a time and see how you like it.

Actually the reserve academy I am looking at is around $400-500 total. It is 500 hours.

The modular way sounds good, but would they teach it at night?

Either way it will be a big commitment to go to an extended academy. I live in the San Fernando Valley, so the drive to FCPA would be brutal on the weeknights. RH wouldn't be an easy drive either. I guess I will try to get hired and sponsored before I spend the time and money.

[pkagel]

The LD's are around 400$, the uniforms are around 1000$, depends how many you buy. The leather gear can cost from 150$ on up. Range fees are around 200$. EVOC is around 500$ Ammo is around 200$ on up depending what kind of deal your class makes on it. I think your just got quoted the tuition cost. Heck, my tuition was around 1200$. Now say you go to the reserve academy, you buy all this stuff and then you decide to go to the full academy but can only get a slot at a different one. You'd end up buying everything all over again.

Modular is pretty cool and it is supposed to be set up for nights and weekends. Basically you have 3 mods and graduate from each one. As I understand it, the first one gets you some basic certificate that is pretty worthless, the second and you have a chance at a reserve job but can't be trusted by yourself and the 3rd you have your full POST. The nice thing about it is if you need to take a couple months off for whatever reason you don't have to go back and redo the whole academy, only the mod you didn't finish.

BTW, one of the guys in my class at FCPA drove down from Oxnard every day. He was working at Pepperdine and was a reserve at Santa Paula. Talk about no sleep

If you have an academy that does the extended format up by you I would recommend going to it. If your thinking about Rio Hondo they are off and on about running theirs extended. FCPA only does theirs extended and they run 2 academies at a time. One starts about July and the other starts in January. Give them a call and see when they are testing. They req' a minor bkgd check, a written test and a pt test. None are really hard to pass.

[richjorg]

Originally Posted by pkagel

BTW, one of the guys in my class at FCPA drove down from Oxnard every day. He was working at Pepperdine and was a reserve at Santa Paula. Talk about no sleep

If you have an academy that does the extended format up by you I would recommend going to it. If your thinking about Rio Hondo they are off and on about running theirs extended. FCPA only does theirs extended and they run 2 academies at a time. One starts about July and the other starts in January. Give them a call and see when they are testing. They req' a minor bkgd check, a written test and a pt test. None are really hard to pass.

Oxnard is about 20 minutes north of me so I am pretty close to that. I think I could get my boss to let me leave early on the days of the academy (her husband is a non-sworn reserve w/LASD search and rescue). I would just work through lunch and work early or late on the other days of the week.

I am not sure I want to spend the money on an academy if I can get someone to sponsor me. The truth is I have some background issues so I would hate to spend the money and have no one pick me up. On the same note, if I have my POST cert maybe a smaller PD or SD will be willing to hire me since they will not have to eat my training costs. I am willing to relocate just about anywhere.

I have looked at all of the info about FCPA on the schools website. The one thing that was a concern for me is the class you have to take before the academy; it looks like it is not a night class. I guess I need to give them a call.

[pkagel]

The classes you take before the academy are pretty loose on times you need to arrive and are at night. As far as schedule goes, it is tue, wed and sat for the 1st semester and then then on 2nd semester they throw a lot of fridays and sundays in. You really need to show up an hour before the stated time to get ready and march in.

What are your background issues? If you have them this could help put you over the top on hiring. Heck, you could possibly get picked up while your in the academy, a bunch of our guys did.

[richjorg]

Originally Posted by pkagel

What are your background issues? If you have them this could help put you over the top on hiring. Heck, you could possibly get picked up while your in the academy, a bunch of our guys did.

That is between me, God and my background investigator!

I actually don't talk about those on the forums I frequent. I did clear the BG for the CDC, but they are not as picky as PDs and SDs.

Thanks for the info. Also, the CABasicPolice group is great.

[pkagel]

No worries, I understand. Probably 10 other people on the O.com here that have done the same things you have done though so you can get a good idea of what you up against. Tell you the truth, it is all how you present it at the oral board. If you throw yourself on your sword and tell them how you have grown up since then and what you have done to correct your problems they really like it. That is what I did at Dallas a month back and I passed.

Thanks for the compliment on the group. Hopefully more and more people will join as it is quite a complilation of info and in reality quite good for a patrol officer to keep in his patrol bag just for quick study and report writing on top of being the best cramming material around for LD tests at the academy.

Originally Posted by richjorg

That is between me, God and my background investigator!

I actually don't talk about those on the forums I frequent. I did clear the BG for the CDC, but they are not as picky as PDs and SDs.

Thanks for the info. Also, the CABasicPolice group is great.