EE Staff Writer
“On your faces!” We drop down to the pushup position. “Too slow! On your feet!” The drill instructor yells. The squad obeys and we leap to our feet. “Too slow! On your faces!” Again, we hit the dirt as fast as possible. I go down, accidentally hitting the incision on my foot. Suddenly pain from recent surgery causes me to collapse. SNAP! I roll to the ground out of formation. My thumb. I can’t move it. My squad is still doing pushups, so I return to my spot and join them, tears streaming down my eyes in pain.
Moments later, squad mate, and member from my hometown post notices my struggle, and forces me to go to the nurse where I discovered my thumb was sprained. This diagnosis wasn’t good for the first day of the Connecticut Police Cadet Academy, especially since I was in Practical Skills Program, the new hands on learning program/phase of the week-long Academy. At this academy, there were five phases, and I was in my third year, and one of the most difficult ones. Needless to say, I was disappointed. I already had enough issues with tendonitis and dislocating patella in both knees, as well as a respiratory problem that required me to carry an inhaler. The last thing I needed was another obstacle.
Nonetheless, I followed our Trumbull motto: adapt and overcome. So I wrapped my thumb, leaving it immobile. I did all I could to prove to everyone and myself that my disabilities didn’t make me any less of a cadet than they were, and that I could do anything they could do, and more. My efforts didn’t go unnoticed, and on day two of that week, I replaced our squad leader. Our DIs said “he gave 100%, and you give 150%.” This wasn’t my first go around being a squad leader. In my first year at the academy I was unofficially by my squad mates, and then officially by the DIs, appointed squad leader for my leadership skills while dealing with worsening knee problems. I was also at the time recently made sergeant of my hometown post, and had my own squad back in Trumbull. So I knew what it was like being in charge of a bunch of sleep deprived, overworked, fatigued teens. It wasn’t a fun job, but I did my best to earn their respect to get the job done to prove myself at the Academy.
Throughout the week, I was the last to sit and eat, and first to wake up to make sure everyone got to formation on time. Everyone looked up to me and helped out whenever they could. We became a family and the envy of the academy, being the newest program and obviously the most disciplined and well-rounded. Everywhere we went I made sure we marched in columns and sang our cadence.
At the end of the week, there was an award ceremony during our graduation from the academy. For the second time I was presented the Director’s Award. The previous award was specifically for phase one. I never thought I’d get a higher award than that, however this Director’s Award, was for the entire Police Cadet Academy. There is no higher award in the entire Police Cadet Program of Connecticut. This made every pushup, every ounce of pain, every moment of doubt worth it. No matter what happens, I’ll never regret joining the Trumbull Police Cadet Post four years ago, because of this moment.
Acting Sergeant, and THS Senior Addiel Rodriguez has been a Trumbull Police Cadet for almost four years. Since then he’s been accomplished many things, including the following awards: Trumbull Police Explorer Post Most Improved 2010, Swat Tactical Challenge Bus Assault 3rd Place 2011, and Stations Day Tactical Station 2nd Place 2011. His experience with the Trumbull Police Cadet Post has been as positive as mine.
Addiel joined in October all that time ago because he has “Always wanted to help my community.” Addiel plans on going to college and getting his associates in criminal justice and pursue a career in law enforcement. When asked if the police cadets would help his future career, Addiel agreed that it would put him above other applicants. “It gives you the experience that you can’t get anywhere else” says Addiel. “I’m glad that I’ve done it and it’s really going to help me out.”
When asked what his favorite moment in the cadets was, Addiel responded by saying “Academy.” Putting more detail into that would violate the “What happens in academy stays in academy” rule.
The THS senior also made sure to say that the program has changed him, but in a good way. “It’s helped me mature.” He says. “I don’t get into as much trouble as I used to. It’s been a good thing. Now that I have rank, I watch what I do. I don’t want to mess it up. It’s a lot of responsibility.