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Week 17 marked a clear turning point: moving beyond the basics and into the fine-tuning phase of academy life.
Sunday started at our usual time, with a legal review focused on the laws of evidence led by David Greydanus, retired Michigan State Police inspector. This session helped us prepare for the upcoming legal comprehensive exam — the toughest legal assessment yet, and a required step before the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards licensing exam, which we take next week.
Photo caption: A survival tactics instructor demonstrates proper officer positioning when conducting an arrest.
Monday’s physical training was intentionally light — a 1-mile run and some stretching to prepare for the physical demands of Tuesday’s MCOLES fitness test. In the classroom, we completed the first half of our survival tactics, or ST, practical exam, which went smoothly. Then came the surprise: the entire Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division chain of command arrived to announce our county assignments! These assignments have been the topic of daily speculation, for weeks. Our chain of command put a lot of thought and hard work into our county assignments, based on our wish list. The class was very satisfied with their assignments and couldn’t be more grateful for the thoughtful input our cadre provided. Additionally, meeting our future lieutenants and captains made it all start to feel real. We ended the day with a detailed and eye-opening session about explosive devices with the MSP Bomb Squad.
Tuesday came fast and full. We started with the MCOLES fitness exam, which was more challenging than previous evaluations because we had to meet exit standards, but everyone passed. After that, it was a full day at an off-site shooting range. We completed (and passed) our final DNR LED rifle qualifications and shifted our focus to tactical drills, including partner coordination, off-shoulder shooting, emergency reloads and rifle-to-pistol transitions — a personal favorite. Sgt. Kyle Bucholtz, our academy commander, closed the day with a session on evidence collection and preservation, bringing textbook material to life with real-world fish and game case stories.
Photo caption: Wednesday morning physical training was a welcome change of pace, as recruits went for an off-campus, long-distance run.
Wednesday tested both body and mind. We went for an off-campus, long-distance run, a welcome break from routine. The remainder of the day was spent at the range in realistic, scenario-based training and a little friendly competition. My pistol skills, which started from scratch, have improved dramatically — something I take a lot of pride in. Across the board, everyone has shown solid progress using our issued firearms.
Thursday began with physical training in the tank. To our surprise, instructors had us playing water polo after treading water with the bricks and swimming laps — a creative, fun and challenging start to the day. We then wrapped up the second half of our ST practical exam and completed multiple written exams; everyone passed. The day ended with a lesson about terrorism awareness, which was a very impactful session led by experts from MSP and the FBI.
This week was less about surviving the academy and more about stepping into what’s next. Confidence is rising, and so is the reality of the job ahead.
