Video: NMLETC Cadets Learn The Driving Course As Police Academy Continues

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – With Class B 54 now past the halfway point, instructors and cadets head to the Lee County Agri Center, where the north parking lot is turned into a driving course.

Over a three day period, cadets start with simple drills, such as backing up.

“Like I tell them, backing is one of the things that will get an officer quicker than anything, because of the inattention,” said Brian Brown, Director of the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center.

Instructors then set up the big course, the second day of driving class and cadets go through it, again, and again.

“Typically true life stuff, we do offsets, as far as doing some higher speed turns, a lot of slower speed stuff, 90 degree turns where they have to come to almost a complete stop, some avoidance drills, lane changes, turn arounds, at the very end have to come to a controlled stop, last three cones simulate a brick wall, they may go all the way through the course, but if they hit that once, it’s a no go,” Brown said.

Law officers spend more time in their cars than anywhere else, so mastering this course is vital for their safety and the public’s.

“In an emergency situation, we want to get there as fast as we can, get there and make sure we are going to help somebody that needs helping, but we also want to do it safe, because one of the last things we leave them with is, you’re no good to somebody if you can’t make it to the scene,” Brown said.

The three cadets we have been following through the academy all agreed the driving course was much tougher than they expected.

“Probably, toughest part, I would say, is when you are used to driving with hands on top of the wheel, putting hands on bottom, that’s a pretty big adjustment. Gives you a little more control, can kind of shuffle the wheel and it goes a little bit faster than if you are at the top of the wheel,” said Cadet Bre Lucas, who is self sponsored.

“The most challenging part of the course was the 90 degree turn, and learning how to control the vehicle through the turn and learning where to look through the turn,” said Cadet Timothy Stolz, who will work as a deputy with the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department once he graduates.

“All police officers need to take this course, need to know how to drive, in case you are in pursuit, something like that, need to be sure you get in your car, learn what it can do and what it can’t do,” said Cadet Blake Love, who is self sponsored.

As week nine wraps up, Cadets in Class B 54 have learned that law enforcement driving is far different from driving citizens do on a daily basis and they are now ready to take their training and knowledge to the streets.
In the final part of “True Blue” Friday, Allie takes us to the one day that makes all the hard work worth it, the graduation ceremony.