Sorry it has been so long since I blogged. Switching to 4th shift (9 p.m. - 7 a.m.) has been pretty hard to get used to. I get home at dawn and get up when it's dusk. I'm outside mostly during the night time. I feel like a vampire. I went outside one day when it was sunny to walk Samson I my eyes hurt from the bright light. By the time I get used to this schedule, I go to first shift. That transition is really going to suck.
Anyway, I really don't feel like I have gotten into much during the past 3 weeks. I had my first disturbance with a weapon in week 2 of phase 1. I got to draw my gun and point it at people. I am pretty sure we were put out as "officer in trouble" because every law enforcement officer in the county showed up. I was one of the first officers on a shooting call. No victims at the residence, but there was lots of people to deal with. There was also lots of dried blood in the garage. I got to babysit shell casings for 3 hours till the lab came and collected them.
I had my first DUI last week. It was a pretty easy one because he was hammered and kept telling me he was. I wasn't even able to complete fields on him. Then I got him to the jail and he started getting mouthy. I went to grab his arm and he pulled away from me. At that point all the officers in the vicinity were on the guy. I got to grab and twist his arm back and then put him in cuffs. Somehow (well, I know now but I didn't know then) my cuffs got locked up. So, as I was trying to slap them on him they weren't working. He'll probably feel that in the morning. The jail deputies drug him into the jail and put him in a holding cell.
Right now I have a really good FTO and an awesome Sgt. They have realized I have good instincts and make good decisions but I have some confidence issues. So, they have kind of decided to jump start me into a phase 3 and 4 mode and pretty much let me run my own show. The first day they did that, I actually felt like I was having fun. They said they noticed a huge increase in my confidence. I even got an E (excellent) for my self-initiated activity. I also got an E for the day I got my DUI for self-initiated activity because I decided on my own to sit off a problem bar. I wasn't even looking for a DUI. This bar has a huge gang clientele. I was really just looking for someone with a warrant. And, there are always disturbances in the parking lot of this place.
Anyway, I start week 3 of phase 2 tomorrow night. This last week Justin has also been on their 3rd shift (10:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.). However, we don't have a single night off together. We do both work Saturdays and Tuesdays. I am not sure what shift he will be on or what his schedule will be after this Saturday. Hopefully he won't be in FTD much longer and he will be on his own regular schedule.
