Blog 9 - Advisory Prep 3

There will be a change in the public's eye when the truth behind everything is revealed.

1. State whether or not you currently have a mentor, and what the status of your interview is with that person (I have completed the interview, I have scheduled the interview, I have not scheduled the interview, etc.)
• I currently do have a mentor and I am in the process of getting more. I would be having more mentors who specialize in something specific such as gang, narcotics, gangs, etc. I have not completed my interview but I do have a scheduled appointment with my mentor. My appointment is on Sunday and besides the interview I will be going on patrol so I'll be receiving mentorship hours. 
2. At this point, your research is probably guiding your studies towards more specific areas within your topic. Name the area or two you find most promising explain your reasons.  
• So far, my research has been guiding me into what it is like to be a Police Officer and be working out in the streets. There is so much action that has happened in the past few years that places officers in a stressful situation. My research seems as if it is guiding me towards the specifics of the different units within a department as well as the "life" of a police officer when being on patrol or under a stressful situation. 
• Going into greater depth about the different units an officer can specialize in seem promising because in the Department I can get many mentors who specialize in something as specific as being a Gang Officer, Detective, Undercover, etc. Some articles that I have read state the different training an Officer undergoes in order to become an expert at the specialized unit they wished to be in. My research has given me the Psychological perspective of why an Officer would make such choices in various scenarios where they are put to the test and they feel under pressure. 
• When being on patrol an Officer will carry themselves in a different manner than being in civilian attire and not working. Officers demonstrate leadership skills, command presence and other traits. It can be concluded that officer do behave differently when the uniform is worn. They are also treated differently due to the authority they have as well as the gun and badge which shows who has power and who does not. My research has shown me the "life' of an officer when being on patrol or when working under pressure. The public has their own opinion about the way Officers do their job but they don't have a clear picture of what actually happens. The public tends to see the worse in every situation which is often referred to as tunnel vision. 
3. What kinds of sources do you think will help you in the next month to gain more research depth? Where will you go to get them?
• Like I have stated before, I am in the process of receiving more mentors who will guide me through my Senior Project about the specifics units within the Department. They are Officers who have 10+ years working in the department which makes them experts at what they do. Besides getting more mentors I can do more in depth research by using the internet and library where i can find books that will help me with my Senior Project. 
4. Write down a possible EQ. Please don't worry about wording other than ensuring that it provides the option for multiple correct answers. At this point, the senior team is not interested in understanding your thought process. 
• When an officer is on duty and doing their duties. How do they determine how to handle a call for service and what paperwork must be done for the call for service?

Blog 6 - Advisory Prep

The Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department is one of the biggest agencies in California.

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year? What has made it a positive experience for you?
• Some things that have worked well for me regarding my senior project this year is finding more mentors that specialize in certain fields within the law enforcement career and being able to go on as many ride along as I wish to. One part that I want to incorporate in my senior project is the different perspectives from Sherriff's and Police Department. Every agency has their own way of handling calls for service therefore, joining another explorer post would benefit my project a lot more.
• My mentors are always supportive and helpful in many different ways. Going on ride alongs has taught me a lot about becoming a police officer. One must be able to perform under pressure, be able to make quick decisions and always keep "Officer Safety" in mind.
2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project? How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you? How might the senior team help?
• What I find difficult concerning my senior project is the scheduling that I have between my mentors and I. It tends to get very difficult at times to go on ride alongs because my mentor will cancel last minute due to having a busy work schedule or an emergency that must be taken care of. There are several ways I can adapt to the problem and that is go on ride alongs with other officers even though they are not my mentor. Like I've stated before, every agency has their own way of handling calls for service and within that agency officers tend to have their own way of handling a call. Riding with Officers who are not my mentors will teach me several ways of handling  calls for service or different techniques when it comes to police reports. Another thing that I find somewhat difficult is being able to go on ride alongs with other agencies. Some agencies have an age limit which is 18 years of age and other agencies you must be a participating Explorer. I may have found the solution to the previous concern and that is joining another explorer post but instead of being the Police Department it would be the Sherriff's Department. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way possible that the senior team may be able to help.